William Ricketts of Ridgeland

Mary Walton

William, Violetta, Mary, Elizabeth

Precis.

William Ricketts late of the island of Jamaica but now of the City of New York, gentleman.

To my dear wife Mary, £5,000 New York currency and also one negro man slave named Cullymingo and one negroe wench named Maria alias Cuba if my estate in the Island of Jamaica be in a flourishing condition at the time of my decease and not otherwise.

To my said wife the one half of my dwelling house wherein I now dwell and half part of the garden and one out kitchen and half the horse stable and the half of all my plate and house furniture for life if she doth continue my widow but not otherwise.

To my beloved daughter Mary Walton Ricketts, £800 or good sufficient bonds for the same. Also to Mary all my dwelling house wherein I now dwell as also the out houses and gardens thereunto belonging to her and her heirs that is after my wife's decease or marriage. Also I give to my said daughter two negro boys and two girls, one of which is called Tarecote alias Louisa and further my will is that she shall have an outfit in furniture to the value of one hundred pounds sterling to be delivered to her by my executors at the day of marriage. Also to Mary 500 pounds or 50 hogsheads of good muscovado sugar to be paid to her when my son William shall enjoy my estate in the island of Jamaica, that is upon condition the said estate be then deemed to be worth £8,000 Jamaica money but not otherwise. In case my said daughter should marry without consent or approbation of her mother if she be then living or consent of her guardians if her mother be dead then she be not entitled to more then then the first legacy of £800 unto my son William her brother shall see cause to give or pay her any other legacy as aforesaid when he shall come to the age of twenty two years.

To my daughter Elizabeth Ricketts £1,000 or good bonds made over to her for that sum. She shall have an oufit in furniture to the value of £100 sterling to be delivered to her by my executor at the day of marriage or at the age of 18 years which shall first happen, also two negro boys, one mulatto girl named Saria alias Monimia and a negro girl. Also to Elizabeth my farm on Staten Island with all the stock and futher to her 500 pounds or 50 hogsheads of good muscovado sugar, either the money or the sugar as my son William shall see cause when he shall enjoy my estate in the island of Jamiaca, that is upon condition the said estate be then deemed to be worth £8,000 pounds Jamaica money but not otherwise. In case my said daughter should marry without consent of her mother if then living then and in such case it is my will that she only be entitled to the one thousand pounds first given yet is my will and desire that her mother may have power to give her all or any other part of the portion or legacies as aforesaid but not otherwise.

To the children of my daughter Violetta Hicks, 50 hogsheads sugar to be paid within four years after my son William shall come to age and his estate be then worth £8,000 but not otherwise.

To my mother Mary Ricketts, a suit of mourning and a ring.

To my brother George Ricketts the same legacy.

To my son in law and daughter Hicks the same.

To my nephew Jacob Johnson, a negro boy and two hogsheads sugar when he shall come to the age of 20 years.

To my several godchildren, a ring and silver spoon each.

To my brother and sister Walton and to each of their sons, mourning rings.

To the Rev. William Vesey, Richard Charlton, Edward Vaughan, James Orem and William Harrison, ministers of the Gospel, a ring, hat band and pair of gloves.

To Thomas Walton, a silver hilted sword and part of my wearing apparel.

I also admit my wife to give as many pairs of gloves and mourning rings as she shall be cause amongst my friends and acquaintances.

To my cousin George Goodin a hogshead good sugar to buy him a ring and suit of mourning.

Also a ring to Daniel Turnure.

To my bearers, a ring, hat band, scarf and gloves.

To the several poor communicants of Trinity Church, £3 to be distributed amongst them at the discretion of the minister for the time being to be paid by my executors the same day that I shall depart this life, every year during the minority of my son William but no longer unless he consents to the same.

Yet if please God my son should die without having lawful issue then it is my will and desire that the sum of £6 be paid as aforesaid until my daughter Mary's eldest son or daughter come to age. But if my estate in Jamaica should happen to fall under some great misfortune then to cease.

It is my will and desire that if please God my daughter Mary or daughter Elizabeth or either of them should die without lawful issue that all her portion excepting the first gift of money descend to the surviving sister and lawful issue, but if no issue then to be equally divided between the surviving daughter and the lawful issue of my daughter Hicks.

To my well-beloved son William Ricketts all my estate both real and personal in New York and Jamaica and elsewhere not herein devised under restriction that my said son shall not sell or dispose of my estate in Jamaica but that he shall and will suffer the same to descend or give grant or devise the same to and amongst some of the children lawfully begotten of his body according to the true intent and meaning of this my will, but if please God my son should die without having lawful issue then all my estate to be appraised and my daughter Mary have the refusal of the same, she paying to her sister Elizabeth for the one half according to the appraisment, and also paying my nephew William Range Ricketts £200 Jamaica money, or deliver him 10 hogsheads of sugar and one negro boy, and also to pay my daughter Violetta Hicks 15 hogsheads of sugar and deliver her two negroes from my estate in Jamaica. But if my daughter Mary should refuse to take my plantation on the aforesaid terms then my daughter Elizabeth shall possess and enjoy the estate and that she pay the aforesaid portions and legacies out of the estate so appraised.

My loving wife Mary and William Walton senior to be my executors in New York, and in case of his death then my son in law Edward Hicks or Jacob Walton, which of them my wife shall see cause, to be my executor in the room and stead of Captain William Walton. My executors to make a true and perfect inventory of all my personal estate in New York within some convenient time after my decease.

George Goodin Esquire of Jamaica to be my executor in Jamaica. He to make a true and perfect inventory of my said estate within some convenient time after my decease and deliver a copy thereof to my wife in New York.

My executors to have full power over my estate both real and personal until my son shall come to age.

Signed [blank] day of [blank] 1734.

26 July 1735 In memorandum that its my will and desire that Edward Hicks be no ways considered nor interfere in this my last will and testament but that Jacob Walton be my executor after his father's death.