Quaker Family History Society

Will of John VANDE WALL, Draper of London

Will 30 May 1729, Probate 14 January 1731

Summary.

Biographical Notes.

·         Parents: John Vandewall (abt. 1647-1707), Baker and Merchant of Harwich and Mary (née Dove) his wife

·         Date of birth: 1685

·         Occupation: Citizen and Draper of London, also identified as a Corn Factor and Merchant

·         Marriage(s): (1) 8 June 1710 to Martha Diamond (1691-1711) daughter of Richard Diamond, Merchant of London, at Devonshire Square Meeting; (2): 16 February 1714 to Anne Moore (1695-1726) daughter of Joseph Moore, Merchant of Clements Lane, London, at Bull and Mouth Meeting; (3) 19 September 1728 to Martha Gouldney (1692-1762) daughter of Thomas Gouldney, Merchant of Bristol, at Bristol Meeting

·         Meeting: Devonshire House, London.

·         Date of death: 7 January 1731 “of a fever”, St. Olave Hart Street parish, London

·         Burial: 11 January 1731 at the Friends Burial Ground, Bunhill Fields

Highlights of Will

·         To his Executors Joseph Moore, Thomas Gouldney and Silvanus Bevan £50 in trust for the poor of the Quaker Workhouse at Clerkenwell

·         To his Executors Joseph Moore, Thomas Gouldney and Silvanus Bevan £50 in trust for the poor of the Monthly Meeting of Devonshire House

·         To the Church Wardens of Harwich £20 for the poor of the Corporation of the town

·         To nephew William Markes £100 when 21 otherwise between John Vandewall’s children

·         To nurse Ann Jennings £10 p.a. during her life for her service and the care of his children

·         To Elizabeth Anderson £10

·         To uncle Henry Dove £10 and to his daughters Rachel and Sarah £20 each

·         To wife Martha Vandewall all his plate, household goods, furniture, implements and linen in his dwelling house

·         To his Executors and trustees Joseph Moore, Thomas Gouldney and Silvanus Bevan £100 each for their care and trouble

·         Confirmation of the marriage agreement entered into when marrying present wife Martha

·         To his Executors Joseph Moore, Thomas Gouldney and Silvanus Bevan all the rest and residue of his real and personal estate in trust for the use and benefit of his three children Joseph, John and Samuel Vandewall and any other of his children living at his decease, equally between them when his male heirs are 22 and any female heirs 21 years

·         Directions that should his children not survive to receive their legacies then the income is to be paid to his wife Martha Vandewall during her life and afterwards 2/3 of the total funds to nephew William Markes and 1/3 equally among the children of Daniel Vandewall

·         Directions that his Executors Joseph Moore, Thomas Gouldney and Silvanus Bevan shall apply the interest of his estate to the maintenance, education and apprenticeships of his children

·         Further directions to his Executors Joseph Moore, Thomas Gouldney and Silvanus Bevan shall ensure that his children are educated and brought up among Quakers and that his sons are also placed as apprentices with Quakers

Transcriber’s and Editor’s Notes

·         The Probate copy uses the spelling “Vande Wall”, spellings of “Van De Wall”, “Vandewall” and “Vanderwall” are found elsewhere. 

·         Son Richard Vandewall (1711-1729) was born to his first wife Martha but died of a fever age 17

·         The three sons referred to in the will: Joseph (1714-1739), John (1717-1733) and Samuel (1718-1761) were born to his second wife Anne, she also gave birth to Moore (1723-1728) and Henry (1724-1724) who had not survived when drawing up his will in 1729

·         Son Thomas (1729-1729) was born to his third wife Martha but lived only 17 days

·         In 1742 his widow Martha married Nehemiah Champion, Merchant of Bristol on 16 September at Bristol Meeting

Will as transcribed from a copy of the original document

 I John Vande Wall Citizen

and Draper of London being in good Health of Body and of

sound min and Memory do make and publish this to be my

last Will and Testament in manner following that is to say

As touching my worldly Estate I do give and dispose thereof

after payment of my just debts and Funeral Expences as

followeth Imprimis I give and bequeath to my Executors

hereafter named the sum of fifty pounds of lawful Money of

Great Brittain In Trust that they or the survivors and survivor

of them do and shall within six Months next after my decease

pay the same to the Committee for the time being of the

Workhouse at Clerkenwell belonging to the People called Quakers

to the Intent that such Committee do and shall pay and apply

the said fifty pounds to and amongst the poor people in the said

Workhouse in such way and manner as such Committee shall order

and direct my Intention being that it shall go towards the maintenance

of the said people in the said House Item I give and bequeath

to my said Executors the further sum of fifty pounds of like

lawful Money In Trust that they or the survivors and survivor

of them do and shall within six Months next after my decease

pay the same to the Friends of the monthly Meeting of Devonshire

House belonging to the people called Quakers in London to the

Intent that said Friends do and shall apply the said fifty pounds

for the use of the said poor belonging to the said Meeting Item I

give and bequeath to the Church Wardens for the time being of

the Towne of Harwich in the County of Essex the sum of twenty

pounds to be by them distributed to and amongst the poor of the

Corporation of the said Towne of Harwich which twenty

pound I appoint to be paid within six months next after my

decease Item I give and bequeath to my Nephew William

Markes the sum of one hundred pounds of like lawful money

to be paid to him when he shall attain the age of twenty one

years but in case he shall happen to dye before he attain the

said age then I give and bequeath the said one hundred

pound to and amongst all my Children which shall be living

at the death of my said Nephew to be equally divided amongst

them share and share alike Item I give to Nurse Ann Jennings

as a Reward for her faithfull service and care of my Children

the sum of ten pounds per annum during her natural life to be

paid by my said Executors quarterly out of the Interest and

produce of my personal Estate the first payment thereof to

begin and be made on the first quarter day next after my decease

And further from and after the decease of the said Ann Jennings

I give and bequeath the said Money to and amongst all my

Children which shall be living at the time of her decease equally

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share and share alike Item I give and bequeath to Eliz’th Anderson

the Wife of John Anderson Barber at Harwich if living the

sum of ten pounds Item I give to my Uncle Henry Dove of

Greenwich ten pounds and to his two Daughters Rachel and

Sarah twenty pounds apeice which said Legacyes of ten pounds

and twenty pounds apeice I appoint to be paid within three

Months next after my decease Item I give and bequeath to my

Wife Martha Vande Wall all and every my Plate Household

Goods Furniture Implements of Household and Linnen in my

dwelling house Item I give to my Brother Joseph Moore of

London to my Brother Thomas Gouldney of Bristoll and to

Silvanus Bevan of London Apothecary for their care and trouble

in the Execution of this my Will the sum of one hundred pounds

apeice Item I do hereby ratifie and confirm the marriage

agreement by me made and entred into on my Marriage with my

said Wife Martha Item all the Rest Residue and Remainder

of all and every my Goods Chattles (Household Goods excepted)

Mortgages Debts and all other my Estate both Real and personal

whatsoever and wheresoever I give devise and bequeath to my

said Executors in trust for the equal use and Benefitt of my

Children Joseph John and Sam’l Vande Wall and such other of my

Child and Children as shall be living at the time of my decease or

which shall be borne after my decease to be divided amongst them

at their respective ages of twenty two years if male or at their

respective ages of twenty one years if female share and share

alike but in case any of my said Children shall happen to dye before

they attain their said respective ages as aforesaid then I give the

part and share of any of my Children or Child so dying unto the

survivors and survivor of them my said Children to be equally

divided amongst them share and share alike but in case all my

said Children shall happen to dye before their Legacyes become

payable then my Mind and Will is that my said Wife Martha

shall have and receive for and during the Term of her natural

life the Interest of what I have herein before given to my said

Children and of the improvement that shall or may have been

made thereof and from and after the decease of my said Wife then I

give and bequeath what I have herein given to my said Children

and the Improvement thereof in manner following that is

to say two full and equal third part thereof (the whole into three

equal parts to be divided) to my aforesaid Nephew William

Markes forever and the remaining third part thereof to and

amongst all and every the Children of Daniel Vande Wall of

London Linnen Draper to be equally divided amongst them share

and share alike as Tenants in common and not as joint

Tenants and my Mind and Will further is and I do hereby

authorise impower and direct my said Executors or the Survivors and

Survivor of them from time to time and at all times hereafter to

put and place out at Interest upon such publick Funds or other

publick or private Securityes as they shall approve of all such part

of my Estate as will not be due and payable immediately after my

decease to the person and persons to whom I have given and devised

the same And my Will is that my said Executors or any of them

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shall not be subject or lyable to make good and involuntary Loss that

shall or may happen in the placing out of the same they my said

Executors at the time of placing out the same at Interest as

aforesaid declaring by a Writing under their hands that the money

so placed out is in Trust for my said Children according to the

directions of this my Will And in case any Loss shall happen

thereby then such Loss shall be equally borne by my said Children

And I do likewise will and direct that it shall be lawful for and I do

hereby authorize and impower my said Executors to compound for

any Debt or Debts that shall be due and owing to me at the time

of my death and to take less than the whole money due or any other

thing in satisfaction for the same as they shall think fit and I

do further direct that the Charges for the Maintenance and Education

of my said Children and likewise for putting them out Apprentices

and during their Apprenticeship shall be paid out of the Interest

and Income of my said Estate so given and devised to them my

said Children as aforesaid and in the mean time and until my said

Children attain the said ages or be married as aforesaid I do

hereby impower and authorise my said Executors to pay and

apply so much money out of my Estate for their Education and

Maintenance of my said Children as my said Executors shall

think fit and convenient but I desire and direct my said

Executors that all my said Children be educated and brought

up amongst the people called Quakers and that my Sone be put

out Apprentices amongst them And Lastly I do hereby make and

ordain the said Joseph Moore Thomas Gouldney and Silvanus

Bevan joint Executors of this my last Will and Testament

hereby revoking and making void all former and other Wills by me

heretofore made and declare this to be my last Will and

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

Testament contained in two sheets of paper set my hand and to

this second and last sheet thereof my hand and seal dated the

thirtieth day of May Anno Domini 1729 John Vande Wall Signed

sealed published and declared by the Testator and for his last

Will and Testament in the presence of us who have hereunto set

our Names in the presence of the Testator John Safie Jos Davis

in the Poultry Sam: Love

Probatum    .     .     .     .     .    14 January 1731   .     .      .      .

   .    per Declarationem sive Affirmationem solemnum  .    .    .

Joseph Moore Thomas Goldney et Silvani Bevan Executorum