John Knowles ³⁴

  General Notes:

In 1803 he was living in Lindfield and "Willing to Serve" in theSussex Militia. He left a will dated 26 February 1836 and provedon 22 August 1837.THE WILL OF JOHN KNOWLES (1766-1837)This is the last Will and Testament of me John Knowles of theParish of Cuckfield in the County of Sussex Labourer in mannerfollowing that is to say I will order and direct that all myjust Debts funeral Expences and probate of this my last Will befully paid by my Executor hereafter named First I will deviseand bequeath unto John Gainsford of the Parish of Clayton inSussex aforesaid Miller his Heirs Executors and Assigns All thatmy Copyhold Land with the Houses thereon erected called LowerAnsty or by what other name or names soever the same may becalled containing about two acres of Land more of less and fiveTenements thereon with their Appertenances situate in the Manorand Parish of Cuckfield aforesaid and adjoining Ansty Farm onthe East and the Lane leading from Ansty Cross to Slough Greenon the West together with all other property of what nature orkind soever I may die possessed of on the following Trust thatthe the said John Gainsford shall within twelve months nextafter my decease sell and convert into money my said CopyholdEstate and all other Property I may die possessed of and investthe proceeds on good Security at Interest for the sole Use andBenefit of my Wife Sarah Knowles during her Life and at herdecease On further Trust that he the said John Gainsford shallget in the said monies and divide the same into six equal Sharesand pay unto Sarah Widow of Thomas Reeve on Share unto my SonWilliam Knowles on Share but if my said Son William Knowlesshould die before his wife then or before his Share becomes duethen such Share so due to my Son William Knowles to be paid outat Interest and the said Interest to be paid to his Widow untillhis youngest Child shall attain the age of twenty one years andthen divided equally amongst his serviving Children One Shareunto my Daughter Mary Wife of William Tullett which said Shareis to be paid out at Interest for her my said Daughter Mary toreceive the Interest during her Life and at her decease to beequally divided amongst her surviving Children by paying untoAnn Tullett Knowles her part with equal with the rest she beingIllegitimate Daughter of my said Daughter Mary Tullett One Shareunto my Daughter Elizabeth Wife of John Picknall One Share toAmelia Wife of James Simmonds which Share is to put out atInterest for her Life and at her decease to be divided equallyamongst his surviving Children but out of this my DaughterAmelia Share Ten Pounds is to be paid to her Illegitimate SonJohn Charles Field Knowles when he shall attain the Age oftwenty one years One Share to my Daughter Frances Wife of EdwardWilford and I hereby declare that any Monies that shall be owingby any of my said Children to me at my decease shall be takingand considered as so much of their Shares who owe it And Ifurther direct that at the death of any of my said Children whomay not have received their respective Shares that the Share ofsuch so dying shall be equally divided to their Children shareand share alike And that the said John Gainsford may if hethinks proper put out Apprentice any of my Grand Children whoseparents may be dead with the Money that may fall to such GrandChild And I hereby appoint the said John Gainsford sole Executorof this my last Will and Testament And do declare that hisRecipt or his Heirs Executors and Assigns Shall be a full andsufficient Discharge to any purchase money of my said CopyholdEstate or other Property and that such person shall not beaccountable for any ??? application or nonapplication of suchpruchase Money In Witness whereof I the said John Knowles haveto this my last Will and Testament set my Hand and Seal thistwenty sixth day of February in the Year of our Lord Onethousand eight hundred and thirty six. John Knowls X his Mark(LS) Signed sealed published and declaried by the said TestatorJohn Knowles as and for his last Will and Testament in thepresence of us who in his presence and at his request and in thepresence of each other have subscribed our names as witnesshereto George Tester Auctioneer Edward Norris Bricklayer WmHammond VictularBe it known to all Men by these Presents that I John Knowles ofCuckfield in the County of Sussex Labourer have made anddeclared my last Will and Testament in Writing bearing date thetwenty sixth day of February One thousand eight hundred andthirty six I the said John Knowles by this present Codicil doratify and confirm my said last Will and Testament and dofurther direct and order that if either of the Husbands of myDaughter Mary or my Daughter Amelia should die before them Iwill and order their Shares to be paid to to my said DaughtersMary and Amelia as soon as it can be done after the death ofeither of their said Husbands provided they should die beforethem my said Daughters Mary and Amelia And my Will and Meaningis that this Codicil be adjudged to be a part and parcel of mylast Will and Testament and that all Things therein mentionedand contained be faithfully and truly performed and as full andamply in every Respect as if the same were set down in my saidlast Will and Testament Witness my Hand this second day of MarchOne thousand eight hundred and thirty six John Knowles X hismark (LS signed in the presence of us George Tester Wm Hammond

  Noted events in his life were:

• Baptism, 25 Dec 1766, Ardingly, Sussex.

• Occupation: Labourer.

John married Sarah Box, daughter of John Box and Hannah Hams, on 26 Oct 1788 in Ardingly, Sussex. (Sarah Box was born on 6 Oct 1765 in Ardingly, Sussex.)

  Marriage Notes:

Thye were married by banns. John was a single man and Sarah wasa spinster. They were both of Ardingly and both made their Xmarks. The witnesses were Richard Steadman (mark) and RicahrdCreasy (signed).