Transcription of   Will of John Houghton Yeoman of Titchfield 1787

 I John Houghton of the Parish of Titchfield in the County of Southampton Yeoman being weak in body but sound mind, memory and understanding do make this my last Will and Testament.  First I give devise limit and appoint my Copyhold or Customary Lands Tenements and Hereditaments situate within and held on the Manor of Swanwick in the said County unto my Brother Thomas Houghton for and during the term of his natural life and from and immediately after his decease unto my Nephew John Houghton and his heirs subject nevertheless and I do hereby charge the same premises with the payment of the sum of Fifteen Hundred Pounds unto my Nephew Thomas Houghton immediately after the decease of my said Brother.  Item I give and bequeath unto my said Brother all my stock in husbandry utensils cattle goods chattels and personal estate or the use thereof during his life and immediately after his decease I give and bequeath the same unto my said Nephew John Houghton subject nevertheless and I do hereby charge the same with the payment of the sum of five pounds a year unto my housekeeper Mary Titcher widow for and during the term of her natural life by four equal quarterly payments on the four  most usual feast days on the days for payment of rent in the year the first payment thereof to be made on such of the said feast days as shall first happen after my decease.  And also subject to the payment of two hundred pounds of lawful money of Great Britain unto each of my nieces Ann, the wife of Giles Rogers, Elizabeth the wife of John Watts, Sarah Houghton, Eleanor Houghton the wife of John Croucher and Rachel Houghton at the end of six months after the decease of my said Brother.  And my will further is that if my said Nephew Thomas shall die in his father’s lifetime unmarried and without issue that his legacy of Fifteen Hundred Pounds shall lapse but in that case or if my said Nephew Thomas shall by the death of his Brother become seized of the said copyhold or customary premises there and in either of the said cases the said copyhold or customary premises shall stand charged with the payment of the sum of one hundred pounds unto each and every of my said Nieces.  Provided always and my will further is that the legacies of each of my said Nieces as shall die in their Father’s lifetime leaving issue shall go to such issue equally if more than one.  And that the legacies of such of them as shall die without issue shall go to the survivor of survivors of them equally if more than one.  And lastly I do hereby appoint my said Brother and my Nephew John Houghton joint executors of this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking all former wills by me at any time heretofore made. In witness whereof I the said John Houghton the Testator have hereunto set my hand and seal this Nineteenth Day of December One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty Six.

  John Houghton  

 
Robert Stares

Stephen Barney

John Cooke

Execution 26 January 1787 by Thomas and John Houghton