Sunday, March 10, 2013

Will of Jenkins Buller, Gentleman of Nether Stowey - The National Archives PROB 11/1270/21, probated 8 Jan 1796

Jenkins Buller the testator is the son of Edward and Sarah Buller baptized 25 May 1732. Jenkins Buller buried 8 Oct 1794 (62 years of age). His parents were Mr Edward Buller married to Mrs Sarah Jenkins 12 Jun 1729 at Crowcombe (the Mr. and Mrs. denoting gentry). Their children were as follows:

Mary Buller daughter of Edward and Sarah baptized 2 Sep 1730
Jenkins Buller son of Edward and Sarah baptized 25 May 1732
Richard Buller son of Edward and Sarah baptized 17 May 1734; buried 3 Sep 1735
Richard Buller son of Edward and Sarah baptized 12 Jan 1737
Elizabeth Buller daughter of Edward and Sarah baptized 12 Jan 1737

Meandering through the Somerset Record Office Catalogue I found a document (DD\AH/2/5/1 (C/2270) Marriage Settlement between William Silke and Anne Buller and it states that Edward, Gregory and Anne Buller are all siblings (20 Jun 1732).

Richard Jenkins Poole was the son of Thomas and Elizabeth baptized 27 Dec 1770. Their daughter Sarah was baptized 17 Aug 1764. Thomas Poole and Elizabeth Buller were married 18 Jul 1763 and all of these services took place at Nether Stowey.  I did not find a marriage for his older sister Mary or his brother Richard.  There was a Mary Buller buried 23 Sep 1785 and several burials for a Richard Buller at Nether Stowey.

This particular family has daughtered out it would appear as Jenkins Buller has left no heirs and his brother Richard is not mentioned in the will. The nephew inheriting the largest part of the property is Richard Jenkins Poole which does perhaps tell the story. His father Thomas Poole was a tanner and he became quite prominent in Nether Stowey.

Is it possible to determine the parents of Edward Buller father of Jenkins and looking at the Nether Stowey Records :

Edward Buller son of Richard and Jane baptized 6 Jan 1691

appears to be the only Edward Buller baptized there. The father being Richard is interesting. Certainly Jenkins was named for his mother's family and then the naming of the second son as Richard could perhaps lead us back to Richard Buller and Jane Dyer married 6 Feb 1689. There were three Buller families in this time period at Nether Stowey - Richard and Jane; George and Sarah,  and Gregory and Jane. Were these three men brothers - no we know from the marriage agreement that only Edward and Gregory are brothers to Anne who married William Silke 13 Jul 1732 at Nether Stowey? The Visitation for the Buller family still does not come down far enough to link these men back to the Lillesdon Buller family. John Buller who married Elizabeth Rogers and died 12 Jan 1592 (there is an Inquisition Post Mortem which I may just look at the next time we are at Kew) which might assist but he is listed as having sons George (son and heir born circa 1549), John, Robert, Benjamin and Richard. There is still a gap of 50 plus years since Gregory, Richard and George would likely have been born between 1660 and 1670 or earlier so not likely the sons of the above mentioned five brothers. Plus there are other lines coming down on the Visitation that do not extend as far as this particular one. One can see my dilemma as to which line my Christopher Buller belongs or was he descendant of the Warwickshire Buller family?

An interesting set of wills that is not exactly answering my question but does point out that the Buller family of Liddesdon other than Alexander Buller who moved to Cornwall has not been investigated to any great degree.

Children of these three couples baptized at Nether Stowey:
John Buller son of Gregory and Jane baptized 9 Jul 1690
Edward Buller son of Richard and Jane baptized 6 Jan 1691
Thomasin Buller daughter of Gregory and Jane baptized 12 May 1692
Sarah Buller daughter of Richard and Jane baptized 17 Nov 1692
Gregory Buller son of Gregory and Jane baptized 6 Jun 1694
Richard Buller son of Richard and Jane baptized 20 Dec 1694
George Buller son of George and Sarah baptized 22 Aug 1695
Elizabeth Buller daughter of Gregory and Jane baptized 26 Oct 1696
Jane Buller daughter of Richard and Jane baptized 3 Oct 1697
Richard Buller son of Gregory and Jane baptized 18 Aug 1698
Jane Buller daughter of Gregory and Jane baptized 24 Jan 1700
Anne Buller daughter of Richard and Jane baptized 8 May 1701
Sarah Buller daughter of Gregory and Jane baptized 22 Jul 1702
James Buller son of Gregory and Jane baptized 27 Jul 1704
Constance Buller daughter of Richard and Jane baptized 28 Mar 1705

An interesting entry in the marriage register at Nether Stowey:

Richard Bullar and Thomasine Gogan of Chedsey married 5 Oct 1654

and one of the daughters of Gregory is named Thomasine.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 8 Mar 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/1270/21
Testator: Jenkins Buller, Gentleman
Place: Nether Stowey, Somersetshire
Date of document: 28 Dec 1792, probated 8 Jan 1796
Read: Electronic copy images
Document quality: 18th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: Jenkins
[Margin]: Buller

1    In the Name of God Amen
2    I Jenkins Buller of Nether Stowey in the County of
3    Somerset Gentleman do make publish and declare theis
4    my last will and Testament in manner and form following
5    (that is to say) first I desire that I may be decently
    [Page 2]
6    Interred if possible on a Sunday in manner following
7    I desire that three pounds and three shillings may
8    be expended in a Coffin and second that the Clergyman
9    of the said parish and the apothecary may attend
10    my funeral and that each of them may have a
11    handsome black wede hat band and a pair of the
12    best Gloves each hatband and Gloves to cost twenty
13    shillings I desire that the six following persons
14    may carry me to Church (if they are to be p___ced)
15    if not any other Men in the payment of the Coffin maker Thomas
16    Cussons David Murray Thomas Verrier Francis Fry
17    and Morris Coles each of them together with the
18    Clerk to have a wede hat band and a pair of
19    good Gloves each hat band and Gloves to cost ten
20    shillings and six pence I desire that the sexton
21    for the Grave and bell may have seven shillings
22    and six pence in money and that my Executor
23    herein after named do give twelve pair of Men's and
24    twelve pair of Women's Gloves to such persons as
25    he may think fit I Give to my Niece Sarah
26    Poole my Gold watch and Seals I Give and Devise
27    unto my Nephew Richard Jenkins Poole his heirs and
28    assigns all that my freehold Messuage or Tenement
29    with the Lands and hereditaments thereto belonging
30    commonly called or known by the name of Chalkoce and
31    also all that my other Messuage or Tenement and
32    hereditaments adjoining or near to the said last
33    mentioned Messuage and premises commonly called Seagers
34    and also all that my one undivided fourth part or
35    share the whole in four equal parts or shares
36    divided of and in all that tenement with the Lands
37    hereditaments and premises thereto belonging commonly
38    called Four heirs ground and also all that my other Tenem[en]t
39    with the Lands hereditaments and premises thereto belonging
40    commonly called or known by the name of Freemans
41    Tenement together with all and singular the appurtenances to the
42    same premises respectively belonging all which properties are
43    situate lying and being in the parish of Spaxton in the said
44    County To hold all and every the above mentioned Messuages or
45    Tenements Lands hereditaments and premises with their several and
46    respective rights Members and appur[te]nants to the said Richard Jenkins
47    Poole his heirs and assigns for ever subject and charged nevertheless
48    to and with the payment of the sum of seven hundred
49    pounds and I do hereby expressly order and direct that the
50    said sum of seven hundred pounds shall be raised and
51    levied as soon as conveniently may be after my decease out
52    of the said Freehold Messuages or Tenements and hereditaments
53    before devised to the said Richard Jenkins Poole and be
54    applied by my Executor herein after named as far as the
55    the same will extend towards the payment of my just debts
56    also I give and bequeath unto the said Richard Jenkins
57    Poole all that copyhold piece of Ground commonly called
    [Page 3]
58    Popham's ten acres situated within the parish of Stogursey
59    in the said County To hold the same to the said
60    Richard Jenkins Poole his Executors Administrators and
61    Assigns for and during all the Estate and Interest I may have
62    therein at the time of my decease I give and bequeath
63    unto my said Niece Sarah Poole her Executors Adm[inistrat]ors
64    assigns all these my two Leasehold Tenements Closes of land
65    and premises with the appurtenances thereto respectively
66    belonging commonly called or known by the several names
67    of Marlpits and Scores situate lying and being within the
68    parish of Nether Stowey aforesaid To hold the same unto
69    her the said Sarah Poole her Executors Adm[inistrat]ors and assigns
70    for and during all the Estate right title terms or terms and
71    Interest I may have of all or to the same premises
72    respectively at the time of my death but subject
73    nevertheless and charged to and with the payment of the
    and to be charged with the said sum of two hundred pounds and the
74    sum of two hundred pounds shall be raised and levied
75    as soon as conveniently may be after my decease out of
76    my said Leasehold Tenements so devised to the said Sarah
77    Poole as aforesaid and be applied as far as the same
78    will extend towards the payment of my just debts I
79    Give and bequeath for and towards the support of the
80    Sunday Schools established in the said Parish of Nether
81    Stowey the sum of ten shillings and six pence per annum
82    to be paid by my Executor yearly and every year so
83    long as the instruction shall continue I give and bequeath
84    the like sum of ten shillings and six pence per annum
85    towards the support of a benefit Society or poor Mans
86    Chist lately established in the said parish of Nether
87    Stowey to be likewise paid by my Executor yearly and
88    every year so long as the said benefit Society shall
89    continue undissolved and as to for and concerning all and
90    every other my Freehold and Leasehold Messuages Ten[ement]s
91    Lands hereditaments and premises whatsoever and where
92    soever situate whereof I now and or shall or may
93    at the time of my decease be any wise seized
94    possessed of or entitled unto either in possession reversion
95    remand or expectancy or otherwise have power together with
96    all other my personal and Testamentary Estate and Effects what
97    soever and wheresoever not herein before disposed of after
98    payment of my just debts provided the said several
99    sums herein before charged on and to be raised out of
100    my said Freeholds
101    and
    [Page 4]
102    and Leaseholds Estates and applied as far as the same
103    sums will extend towards the accomplishment thereof
104    should prove insufficient to discharge then funeral expences
105    and Legacies I Give and Devise and bequeath the same unto
106    my Nephew Thomas Poole the younger his heirs Executors
107    Adm[inistrat]ors and assigns To hold the same unto the said Thomas
108    Poole the younger his heirs Executors Adm[inistrato]rs and assigns
109    for ever and I do hereby make ordaine Constitute and
110    appoint the said Thomas Poole the younger Sole Executor
111    of this my Will In Witness whereof I the said Jenkins
112    Buller the testator have to this my last and Testament
113    comprized in or written on three sheets of paper to
114    the two first sheets set my hand and to this third and
115    last sheet my hand and Seal the eighth day of
116    September in the year of our Lord One thousand
117    Seven hundred and ninety five Jenkins Buller
118    Signed Sealed published and declared by the said
119    Jenkins Buller the Testator as and for his last will and
120    Testament in the presence of us who at his request in
121    his presence and in the presence of each other have
122    subscribed our names as witnesses thereto Tho[ma]s Price
123    David Murray Jos R Poole
124    This Will was proved at London on the eighth
125    day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand
126    seven hundred and ninety six before the Right Honorable
127    Sir William Wynne Knight Doctor of Laws Master Keeper
128    or Commissary of the prerogative Court of Canterbury
129    lawfully Constituted by the oath of Thomas Poole the
130    younger the Nephew of the deceased and Sole Executor
131    named in the said Will to whom administration was
132    Granted of all and singular the Goods Chattels and Credits
133    of the said deceased having been first sworn by Commission
134    duly to administer

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