Charles William Osborne

Will of Charles William Osborne, planter, Jamaica, 3rd November 1841

The National Archives reference PROB 11/1974/22

We are grateful to Rita Lamb for transcribing this will.

The last Will and Testament //of Charles William Osborne of Rose Hill St. Mary’s Planter I give devise//and bequeath my small place called Berryhill in the parish of St. Thos//ye Vale to my trustees hereinafter named save as hereinafter mentioned//for the use and benefit of my three natural Children viz Charley aged 8//years son of Adalaide Moody Sammy aged 5 years son of Kitty Wallace// and Billy one year son of Jessy Hine(?) until they attain the age of 21 years//and ^apply the proceeds for their maintenance and education and then then to to(sic) divide the same as equally as possible among them. I further//give devise and bequeath to Mary James my House Girl living with me//for some years ^past the land formerly the Middle Barbacue at Berryhill //whereon is now erected a tenement and Kitchen and also the said//tenement and Kitchen as also 4 acres of land or thereabouts as stated// and lined out by me part of the said freehold called Berryhill and request//my executors to put her in legal possession of the same free of expence. I//also give her one hundred pounds free of legacy duty and her receipt//alone shall be a sufficient discharge and I think that I have then//paid her for all her services of whatever nature or kind soever she may also//have one of my horses and as to all the rest & remainder of my estate//I give devise and bequeath the same to my sister Ellen Elizabeth Minchin//wife of the Revd. Champness Minchin Rector of St. Mildred in the Poultry//London for the use and benefit of her Children and I appoint the Said Champness Minchin and Henry James Stevenson of Birnam Wood //Plantation St. Georges Planter Trustees and Executors of this my last will//& Testament In Witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name//and affixed my seal this third day of November one thousand eight//hundred and forty one C. Wm. Osborne (SS) Signed sealed published//and declared by the said Testator in the presence of us who at his request//and in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto //interchangeably subscribed our names as witnesses John B. Thorburn//William Morgan – Nicholas Grose Warmington } Ris? Decor? St. Thos. ye Vale

This a Codicil to my last will and Testament dated the//third day of November 1841 I appoint Andrew Scott of the City of Kingston//Merchant Taylor Trustee and Executor of my said last will and //Testament In Witness whereof have subscribed my name and affixed//my seal this 22nd March 1842. C.W.Osborne (SS) Signed sealed published//and declared by the said Testator in the Presence of us who in his presence//and at his request and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names//as witnesses Charles H.McDermot - Thomas I. Rickman. John B. Thorburn//Vera Copia Extur W. G. Stewart. Sec.

Jamaica Is I Walter George Stewart Esqr. Secretary and Notary//Public of This Her Majesty’s Island of Jamaica//duly admitted allowed and//sworn do hereby Certify and make known to all to whom these presents shall//come or may in anywise concern that the Instrument in writing thereunto//annexed marked is a true Copy of the last will and testament and Codicil//thereto of Charles William Osborne late of the parish of Saint Mary in the//County of Middlesex and Island aforesaid Planter deceased which said Will//and Codicil are only proved approved and allowed according to the laws in force//in the said Island of Jamaica and I do hereby also Certify that the //Instrument marked B. hereunto also annexed is the Letters Testamentary//on the estate of the said Charles William Osborne deceased Granted and //committed by His Excellency the Ordinary of the said Island of Jamaica//to Henry James Stevenson and Andrew Scott Executors only admitted and I do//hereby also further Certify that the Instrument in writing marked Thereunto//also annexed is a true Copy of the Inventory of the Estate of the said Charles William//Osborne deceased returned into the Secretary’s Office of this Island by the aforesaid//Henry James Stevenson and Andrew Scott the Executors thereto be recorded as the//said Documents respectively remain of Record in my said Office of Secretary of the//said Island I having carefully Compared and Examined the same Done and//performed in my said office of Secretary of the said Island of Jamaica at //Saint Iago de la Vega the 15th day of November !842 W. G. Stewart Sec & Not Pub.

PROVED AT London with a Codicil ^14th January 1843 before the Worshipful Frederick//Thomas Pratt Dr of Laws and Surrogate by the Oath of The Revd. John Champneys //Minchin (in the will written Champness/Minchin Clerk one of the executors to //whom administration was granted having been first sworn duly to administer//Power Reserved of making the like grant to Henry James Stevenson the other //executor named in the said Will and Andrew Scott the executor named in the//said Codicil when they shall apply for the same.