Quaker Family History Society

Will of John Fowler HULL, Gentleman of Uxbridge, Middlesex

Will 4 October 1823, Probate 25 August 1826

Summary.

Biographical Notes.

·         Parents: Samuel Hull (1764-1819) Miller and Mealman of Uxbridge and Ann (née Fowler, 1760-1808) his second wife

·         Date of birth: 28 May 1800, Uxbridge

·         Education: Friends School, Epping

·         Occupation: Gentleman of Uxbridge, linguist and traveller

·         Marriage: Batchelor

·         Date of death: 18 December 1825, Dharwad, Karnataka, India

·         Burial: - no details found

Highlights of Will

·         To uncle William Hull £2,000

·         To cousins Thomas Smith, John Fowler and Thomas Fowler £500 each

·         To John Moline £100

·         To each of his servants living with him and to his gardener £50

·         To the treasurer of the Auxiliary Bible Society of Uxbridge and Neighbourhood £100

·         To the treasurer of the Uxbridge Free School for Boys £50

·         To the treasurer of the School of Industry for Girls £50

·         To the treasurer of the Friends School at Islington £50

·         To the treasurer of the Friends School at Wigton, York £200

·         To aunt Rachel Fowler one of his six foot reflecting telescopes

·         To brother Samuel Hull from his books : Buffons Histoire Naturelle, Pinkertons Atlas, The Costumes, Forbes Oriental Memoires and The English Poets in multiple volumes, also all his other books not given elsewhere, including those formerly belonging to brother Thomas Hull

·         To cousins Rebecca Fowler, Rachel Fowler and Mary Fowler all his English and French books

·         To Alfred Janson all his Latin, Greek and Hebrew books

·         To cousin Rachel Fowler his Italian books

·         To the trustees of the British Museum all his books and manuscripts in Sanskrit, Chinese, Arabic, Persian, Hindi and other eastern languages

·         To brother Samuel Hull all his freehold and copyhold properties and real estate, but if deceased then to his uncle William Hull

·         To brother Samuel Hull all his money, funds, insurance shares, canal and other shares, goods and personal effects, but if deceased then to his uncle William Hull

Transcriber’s and Editor’s Notes

·         His father first married Fidelity Stark (1764-1792) having children Elizabeth Dymond Hull (1790-1819) and Thomas Hull (1791-1819), secondly Ann Fowler (1760-1808) having in addition to John Fowler Hull had children Samuel Hull (1798-1880) and Catherine (1797-1798).

·         John Fowler Hull lost three of his elder siblings and his parents in a short space of time, and so came into a considerable amount of money, which he decided to use in the pursuit of his love of languages and to travel widely collecting manuscripts and books as he travelled.

·         He learned 30 languages, including many more obscure ones (for an Englishman of his age) like Bengali, Sanskrit, Malayan, Coptic, Ethiopian, and he corresponded in Latin with his friends.

·         Between 1820 and 1822, he divided his time between Uxbridge and Paris, where he had a number of language tutors.

·         He died in India, on one of his travels to learn languages, at the age of 25, having made his will two years earlier.

·         His long-time friend T. Grimes of Colchester wrote of him - "However great his attainments in learning were, they were equalled, if not excelled, by a uniformly kind, amiable, and unassuming disposition, perhaps never surpassed by any other individual. His company was enlivening by a ready and playful wit. His generosity was unlimited and being in the enjoyment of a considerable income, he was able to dispense in his bounty with a liberal hand. Few applications were ever made to him on behalf of the indigent, the unfortunate or the deserving without success. The poor in his neighbourhood have cause long to remember him, while many charitable institutions have not escaped his notice and liberality....".

·         Histoire Naturelle by Comte de Buffon (1707-1788) 36 volumes were issued between 1749 and 1789 with a further 8 volumes after his death, covering the “natural sciences” of minerals, animals, physics and chemistry.

Will as transcribed from a copy of the original document

This is the last Will and Testament of me

John Fowler Hull of Uxbridge in the County of Middlesex Gentleman I direct that

all my  funeral and testamentary expences and all debts which shall be justly owing by

me at my death may be in the first place duly paid and satisfied out of my personal

Estate I give and bequeath unto my Uncle William Hull of Uxbridge aforesaid

Mealman the Sum of two thousand pounds but if he shall not be living at my death

then I give and bequeath the like Sum of two thousand pounds unto such of the sons

and daughters of my said Uncle William Hull as shall be living at my death

equally to be divided between them I give and bequeath unto my Cousins Thomas

Smith of Colham Mill in the parish of Hillingdon in the said County of Middlesex

Mealman John Fowler of Melksham in the County of Wilts Wine Merchant and

Thomas Fowler of Broad Street in the City of London Banker the sum of five

hundred pounds apeice I give and bequeath unto my friend John Moline of

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Uxbridge aforesaid Mealman the sum of one hundred pounds I give to each

of the servants that may be living with me at the time of my decease (including the

Gardner who usually resides out of the house) the sum of fifty pounds I give to the

treasurer for the time being of the Auxiliary Bible Society of Uxbridge and the

Neighbourhood the sum of one hundred pounds to be applied for the purposes of

the said Society I give to the Treasurer for the time being of the Uxbridge Free School

for Boys the sum of fifty pounds to be applied for the purposes of the said Society I give

to the Treasurer for the time being of the Uxbridge Free School of Industry for

Girls the sum of fifty pounds to be applied for the purposes of the said school I give

to the treasurer for the time being of an Institution established at Islington in the said

County of Middlesex for the Education of the children of Friends in low circumstances

the sum of fifty pounds to be applied for the purposes of the said Institution I

give to the treasurer for the time being of the friends School at Wigton in the County

of York the sum of two hundred pounds to be applied for the purposes of the said

Institution The said several Legacies to be paid within twelve calendar Months

next after my decease And it is my will that the said legacies for charitable

Institutions shall be paid out of such part of my estate as shall consist of

chattels real or moneys secured on Mortgage of real Estates and that the legacy

duty thereon shall be paid by my Executors out of the residue of my personal Estate

and the receipts of the treasurers for the time being of the said Charitable Institutions

shall be good discharges respectively for the said legacies I give and bequeath

to my Aunt Rachel Fowler one of my six feet reflecting Telescopes to be selected by

herself I give to my brother Samuel Hull the following books viz. Buffons

Histoir Naturelle 127 volumes 8 vos Pinkertons Atlas – The Costumes 7 vols folio

Forbes Oriental Memoires 4 vols 4 to The English Poets 21 vols 8 vo and my share

of all books formerly belonging to my late brother Thomas Hull and also all

other books not herein by me otherwise disposed of I give unto my Cousins

Rebecca the Wife of the said John Fowler Rachel Fowler and Mary Fowler all my

English and French books (not hereinbefore mentioned to be given to my said brother

Samuel Hull) equally to be divided between them I give unto Alfred Janson of

Tottenham in the County of Middlesex Gentleman All my Latin Greek and Hebrew

books I give unto my Cousin Rachel Fowler all my Italian books I give unto the

trustees of the British Museum for the purposes of that Institution All my

Printed books and Manuscripts in Sancrit Chinese Arabic Persia Hindootance

and other Eastern Languages And I give and devise all my freehold and all

my copyhold Messuages Lands Tenements and real Estate whatsoever and

wheresoever of or to which I the said John Fowler Hull or any person or

persons In trust for me is or are seized or entitled in possession reversion remainder

or Expectancy unto and to the use of my said brother Samuel Hull his heirs

and Assigns for ever But if my Brother shall not be living at my decease

Then I give and devise all my said Freehold and Copyhold Messuages lands

tenements hereditaments and real Estate whatsoever and wheresoever unto

and to the use of my said Uncle William Hull his heirs and Assigns for

ever And if neither my said Brother nor Uncle be living at my decease

Then I give and devise all the same Freehold and copyhold Messuages lands

Tenements and Hereditaments and real Estates unto and to the use of all

and every the children of my said Uncle William Hull their heirs and assigns

for ever as tenants in common And I give and bequeath all monies due to me

on Mortgage Money in the funds and all my Insurance shares Canal shares and

other shares and all other my goods chattels and personal Effect Estate and Effects

whatsoever and wheresoever and of what nature or king soever (except such as are

hereinbefore by me disposed of and after payment of my debts and legacies) unto my

said brother Samuel Hull for his own use and benefit But if he shall not be

living at my death Then I give and bequeath all Monies due to me on Mortgage

Money in the funds and all my Insurance Shares Canal shares and other

Shares and all my goods chattels and personal Estate and Effects (except as aforesaid)

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unto my said uncle William Hull for his own use and benefit And if neither

my said brother nor my said Uncle be living at my death Then I give and

bequeath all the said residuary personal Estate unto all the children of my said

Uncle William Hull for their own use and benefit equally to be divided between

them And I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint my said Brother Samuel

Hull and the said Thomas Smith Executors of this my Will And hereby

revoking all former Wills by me heretofore made do declare this only to be my

last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I have to this my last Will and

Testament contained in this and the two preceeding sheets of paper set my hand

and seal to wit my hand to the said two preceeding sheets and my hand and

seal to this third and last sheet this fourth day of the tenth month commonly called October

one thousand eight hundred and twenty three ~ John Fowler Hull ~ Signed

Sealed Published and declared by the said John Fowler Hull the Testator as

and for his last Will and testament in the presence of us who in his presence

at his request and in the presence of each other have hereto subscribed our

names as Witnesses Thomas Henry Riches Solicitor Uxbridge Henry

Hodder ~ Henry Geary Jun’r Clerks to Mr. Riches

Proved at London the 25^th. August 1826 before the Worshipful John Danbery

Doctor of laws and Surrogate by Samuel Hull the Brother and Thomas Smith

the Executors to whom Administration was granted having first made a solemn

and sincere declaration or Affirmation according to Act of Parliament duly to

administer.