SD813. Will and Testament of Richard Barrett
Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 3, 332 (in part).
Jamaica I S.
[11 October 1836] [1]
This is the last will and Testament by me the Honble Richd Barrett of the Parish of St James in the county of Cornwall and Island aforesaid. I direct the payment of all my just debts |personal| and Testamental as soon as possible after my decease and I subject thereto and to the payment of the several pecuniary Legacies and Annuities hereinafter given and bequeathed, all my Estate real and personal save and except only my Estates in St. Anns hereinafter devised. I give and bequeath to my brother George Goodin Barrett my watches chains and seals. I give and bequeath unto Emily Gayner daughter of Sarah Blake of Russell Pen in the Parish of St Thomas in the Vale the sum of two hundred pounds current money of Jamaica to be paid to her within the space of one month next after my decease and also an annuity or yearly sum of one hundred pounds current money of Jamaica during the term of her natural life by equal quarterly payments free from the control debts or engagements of any Husband she may have and her receipt only to be a sufficient discharge for the same and the said Annuity to cease and be forfeited in case of any transfer as a payment thereof. I also give devise and bequeath to the said Emily Gayner my house at Carlisle, in the Parish of St Ann and twenty acres of land adjoining thereto, for and during the term of her natural life. I do hereby declare my will to be that Pinky Nuttall a Quadroon child belonging to Barrett Hall Estate be left in undisturbed possession of the house lately built for her on Barrett Hall Estate and that Sarah the daughter of Catherine Barnet when she attains a marriageable age be put in possession of the house now occupied by her Mother the said Catherine Barnet and that Frances and Maria the daughters of Eliza Leslie an apprentice belonging to Barrett Hall Estate be put in possession when they attain a marriageable age of the house now occupied by their Mother the said Eliza Leslie and that a house of equal value be built at the expence of my Estate for Caroline the daughter of Chance an Apprentice belonging to Barrett Hall Estate and I desire that the said Pinky Nuttall, Sarah, Maria, Frances, and Caroline do live in and enjoy the said houses during the term of their natural lives and no longer, but they shall not have or let to others the said houses without the consent of my representative or representatives. Should however the possession of all or any one of their houses by the before named persons become injurious to the said Estate Barrett Hall I authorize and empower the Trustees of this my will to purchase for one or all of them one or more houses with or without land of a value not exceeding for each house one hundred pounds. I give, devise, and bequeath to my Brother Captain George Goodin Barrett his Heirs and assizers all my Lands in St Anns viz. Ramble Pen, Lawrence’s, Tawes’s, Carlisle, Bigams, Hawe’s, Tydenham the two hundred acres adjoining to New York, and the Twenty-two acres purchased of Mrs Goulburn Simpson with all other lands in the said Parish that I am now or may hereafter become possessed of with the apprentices, horses, mules, cattle and other stock and plantation utensils thereon, with the Hereditaments and Appurtenances to the same belonging, and should any of the said lands in St Anns be unpaid for or be in any way incumbered at the time of my death I hereby authorize and direct my Executors and Trustees to pay for such Land out of my Personal Estate so as completely to exonerate the said Lands from all incumbrances. All the rest, residue, and remainder of my Estate real and personal, that is to say all that my plantation or Sugar Estate called Barrett Hall situate in the parish of Saint James, my Pen called Richmond Pen also in the said parish of Saint James, my Pen adjoining the last mentioned Pen called Greenwood my house situate in Spanish Town and the house and Land purchased by me from William Hewitt and Walter George Stewart, and all that run of woodland situated in the mountains of Trelawney together with all and every the negro[e]s and other apprentices upon and belonging to the said plantation Pens and Lands respectively and all and every the horses, mules, cattle and Stock, to the plantation, Pens, and Lands, belonging or appertaining, and all and singular other my real and personal Estate whatsoever and wheresoever situate and of what nature or kind soever and of which I may be seized or possessed at the time of my decease. I give devise and bequeath unto and to the use of my Brother Captain George Goodin Barrett and George Longmore of the Parish of St. James Practitioner of Physic and Surgery their Heirs, Executors, administrators and assigns, upon the Trusts nevertheless hereinafter mentioned and declared of and concerning the same, that is to say upon Trust immediately to sell and dispose of all my Books, Plates, Furniture, Wines, bed and table Linen, horses, carriages and other Chattels and effects and collect in any other personal Estate and thereout in the first place to pay and discharge any just debts and funeral and Testamentary expenses and the several Legacies and annuities given by this my will, then to exonerate my Saint Anns Lands from any charges or incumbrances affecting them or due or owing by me at the time of my decease in respect thereof, and to pay over the residue thereof unto my Nephew Samuel Goodin Barrett, his executors, administrators and assigns and as to and concerning my said residuary real estate upon Trust that they my said trustees, and the Survivor of them his Heirs and assigns do and shall convey, limit, and settle the same subject to the charges that may be subsisting against the same premises in strict settlement to the use of my Nephew Samuel Goodin Barrett and his assigns for and during the term of his natural life without impeachment of waste with remainder to Trustees and their Heirs during the natural life of the said Samuel Goodin Barrett in trust to support and preserve the contingent uses or Estates hereinafer given or limited from being defeated destroyed with remainder after the determination of the said Estate to the use of the first son of the body of the said Samuel Goodin Barrett lawfully to be begotten and the Heirs male of the body of such son, with remainder in default of issue Male of such first Son, to the use of the Second, Third, Fourth, and all and every other the Son and Sons of the body of the said Samuel Goodin Barrett lawfully to be begotten severally, successively, and in remainder, one after another as they shall be in seniority of age and priority of birth, and the heirs male of the body and bodies of all and every such Son and Sons with remainder in default of such issue to my brother George Goodin Barrett and the heirs of his body lawfully issuing, with remainder in default of such issue to my niece Henrietta Barrett, and the heirs of her body lawfully issuing with remainder in default of such issue to Edward Barrett Moulton Barrett late of Hope end in the county of Hereford, Esquire his heirs and assigns for ever, or as near thereto as the deaths of parties or other intervening circumstances may admit, it being my intent and meaning that my said Nephew Samuel Goodin Barrett and his children shall have and derive a benefit from my Estate according to the priority and in manner above mentioned, Provided always and I do hereby authorize and empower my said Trustees and the survivor of them and the heirs of such survivor and their and his assigns, if it shall appear to them to be for the benefit and advantage of my Estate to sell and dispose of my houses and Land and Apprentices in Spanish Town and the Mountain Land formerly used as Negro grounds for my Estate Barrett Hall, and now let to Shawfield Estate for such sums of money as they shall think proper, and to grant and convey the said houses and Lands and Premises and the said Mountain Land or any part thereof to the Purchaser or Purchasers thereof, and to execute all necessary deeds in relation thereto, and I declare that such Purchaser or Purchasers shall not be bound or concerned to see to the application or be answerable for the non-application of such purchase money. And I further direct that such money shall fall into my residuary personal Estate and go and be applied and paid therewith, and ber subject in like manner with my personal Estate to releasing my St Anns Lands from all claims thereon existing at my death, whether such Lands are now belonging to me or are purchased by me at any future time, and I do hereby declare that my said Trustees shall not be answerable for any loss to my Estate other than losses from their respective wilful negligence,—or default and that they may reimburse themselves their respective expenses in the Execution of the foregoing Trusts out of the Trust Premises, and I do hereby nominate and appoint Captain George Goodin Barrett and the said George Longmore Executors of this my will. In witness whereof I the said Richard Barrett have to this my last Will and Testament contained in three sheets of Paper to the two first sheets thereof set my hand and to the third and last sheet thereby set my hand and affixed my seal this eleventh day of October, one thousand eight hundred and thirty six–
Signed, sealed published and declared by the above named Richard Barrett as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as Witnesses thereto the words “And Testament” being first interlined in the first line of the first sheet——
Richd Barrett
And the words with the apprentices, horses, mules, cattle and other Stock and plantation interests thereon in the twenty sixth line from the top of the first sheet——
Tho. Sand
Henry V Dimpsher
R. B. Wilkey.
Whereas since the making and publishing of the above last Will and Testament of me the said Richd Barrett I have purchased or become seized or possessed of certain Lands, Tenements, hereditaments and Premises situate in the Island Now I hereby republish my said last Will and Testament, and do declare that it is my desire and intention that the said Will and Testament shall be good, valid, and effectual to all intents and purposes as if the same had been this day originally made and published, any act, deed, matter, or thing, whatsoever by me heretofore done, com[m]itted, or omitted to the contrary thereof in any wise, notwithstanding–
In witness thereof I have hereinto set and subscribed my hand and seal this seventh day of March in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and thirty eight.
Signed, Sealed, published, and declared by the above named Richard Barrett as and for his Last will and Testament in the presence of us who at his request, in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as witnesses thereto.
Richd Barrett
Saml Murphy
John. G Vidal
Robt Vidal
Publication: None traced.
Source: Copy at Eton College Library.
1. Date provided in body of document.
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