Wills - Thomas Wells 1788

This is the last Will & Testament of me Thomas Wells of South Somercotes in the County of Lincoln Grazier.
I give & devise unto my son Thos Wells his Heirs and Assigns forever, All those my twenty five acres and an half be the same more or less of pasture Land in Mablethorpe in the said County of Lincoln, And all those my fifteen acres be the same more or less of pasture Land in South Somercotes aforesaid called Arleycroft; & all those three Roods more or less of Meadow or pasture Ground in the Ings of South Somercotes aforesaid & also those three Roods of field Land in Sunderholm in South Somercotes aforesaid subject nevertheless and liable to the Payment of one Annuity or clear yearly sum of fifteen Pounds to my dear Wife during her Life to be paid to her or her Assigns on every Anniversary of my Decease clear of Land tax & all other Deductions whatsoever But my Will is that in case my said Son should happen to die without Issue lawfully begotten then I give one half of the above mentioned Land & Real Estate in Mablethorpe aforesaid unto & to the use of Samuel Welsh of North Somercotes in the said County his Heirs & Assigns for ever & the other half of the same Land and all my said Real Estate in Somercotes aforesaid I give to my said Wife & her Assigns for Life and from & immediately after her Decease I give & devise all my said Land and Real Estate unto the said Samuel Welsh his Heirs & Assigns for ever; But if the said Samuel Welsh shall die without lawful Issue then I give & devise all my said Land & Real Estate in South Somercotes & Mablethorpe aforesaid unto my own Right Heirs for Ever. I give to the said Samuel Welsh one Hundred Pounds to be paid to him within six months after my Decease, I give to my said dear Wife one Bed & Bedding and Furniture for one Room, one silver pint, two silver Table Spoons, all her Tea Equipment, one third part of all my Linen to be taken at her Option & I also give her [?] Hundred pounds to be paid to her within six months after my Decease.
I give to each of my Trustees after named one Guinea a piece as a Token of my Rememberance & Friendship for them. All the Rest and Residue of my Estate personal monies & Securities for money Goods & Chattles and personal Estate whatsoever I give to my said son Thomas Wells whom I appoint sole Executor of this my Will. I do desire the Revd Francis Burton of Great Carlton & Mr Robert Standaloft of South Somercotes to be Trustees for and of the Person & Estate of my said son during his minority & my Will & Mind is & I do hereby expressly direct that my said Wife shall & do within six months next of my decease release unto my said Son his Heirs and Assigns All her Dower & Right Tithe & Claim of Dower or Third out of my said Estates & that if she refuses so to do then that all and singular the devises & Bequests contained in this my Will to her or for her Benefit shall be null & void to all Intents and Purposes whatsoever any herein before contained to the Contrary notwithstanding. & I do hereby revoke & make void all former & other Will or Wills by me at any time heretofore made and declare this only to be my last Will & Testament.
In Witness whereof I the said Thos Wells the Testator have hereunto set my Hand and Seal the nineteenth Day of July in the year of Our Lord one Thousand seven Hundred and eighty six.

Thomas Wells

Signed sealed published & declared by the above named
Thos wells the Testator as & for his last Will & Testa
ment in the presence of us wo in his Presence at his
Request & in the Presence of each other have hereto
set our Names as Witnesses                     Thos Horby
                                                                   William Crawston
                                                                   Robert Howard

On the fourth day of September in the Year of our Lord 1788 Letters of Administration of all and singular the Goods Chattells and Credits of the within named Thomas wells and together with his Last Will and Testament ____ were committed and granted unto the Revd Francis Burton and Thomas Standaloft the Testamentary Trustees or Guardians of Thomas Wells a Minor the Executor within named, during the Minority and for the use and benefit of the said Minor, they the said Francis Burton and Thomas Standaloft having been first duly sworn Before the Revd William Wilson, Clark lawfull Surrogate of the Worshipfull Thomas Bever Doctor of Law, Vicar General & Official principal of the Lord Bishop of Lincoln lawfully constituted.