Amanuensis Monday – John William Smith’s will

 

Amanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.

This was another treasure passed on to me by my aunt and uncle.  They found it in a box of my grandmother’s (Dorothy Paterson nee Warry). I don’t think they realized who he was.  Who was John William Smith?  He was my 2^nd great grandfather, father of Edith Elinore Warry (nee Smith).

This is the front of the paper folded in fours.  One of the edges looks like it may have been torn.  (Ripped from a book?)

Dated 22 October 1887.  Will of Jn W Smith

 

        This is the last Will of me John William Smith

of heather Mount – Heatherlands Upper Parkstone

in the County of Dorset, Carpenter I invoke

all former wills a councils made by me

I appoint my sons Horace Gordon Smith and

Sydney Hastings Smith.  my executors and

Trustees. i give the whole of my property of every

kind to my trustees.  absolutely upon trust to

permit my wife the use of all my household

furniture plate and effects  during her lifetime

and as to the rest of my property to pay the

rents profits and income thereof to my wife

during her lifetime in the usual quarter day

and after the death of my wife to sell and realizes

the whole of my property and effects and pay and

divide the proceeds to and amongst my

children living at the death of my wife.

in Witness whereof i have hereunto set my

   hand the first Day of November one thousand

                                                                 nine hundred and thirteen

                                                                                                  John William Smith

There are some great clues:

-there is an address-Heather Mount, Heatherlands, Upper Parkstone, Dorset County

-occupation stated as carpenter

-two of his sons stated as Horace Gordon Smith and Sydney Hastings Smith

-written on 01 November 1913, obviously alive at this time

-his wife is still alive at this time

What I don’t understand is why is the outside of the paper dated 22 October 1887 and the writing inside dated 01 November 1913?  Is this really the last will?

I still don’t have a definite death date for John William Smith or his wife Sarah Everton Smith (nee Wakeman).  But these clues should make it easy to track down the correct Smith.  (I hope)