Will of The Right Reverend William Buller, Lord Bishop of Exeter, Canterbury, Kent - The National Archives PROB 11/610/34, probated 28 Jan 1797

The testator William Buller has been mentioned earlier in the blog in the will of his wife Anne Buller: http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2013/02/will-of-anne-buller-widow-of-exeter.html

This entry on William Buller, Lord Bishop of Exeter from: Lives of the bishops of Exeter: and a history of the cathedral, with an illustrative appendix, by George Oliver (published by William Roberts, 1861). Available on Google books and the applicable section following:

"William Buller, youngest son of John Francis Buller, Esq., by Rebecca his wife (daughter of Sir Jonathan Trelawny, Baronet, D.D., sometime Bishop of Exeter, and afterwards Lord Bishop of Winchester), and uncle of Sir Francis Buller, Baronet, the celebrated judge of the Common Pleas, was baptized at Morvall, in Cornwall, on 9th August, 1735. Whilst filling the office of dean (to which he had been elected on 25th March, 1784), he gave up his residentiary house near the cathedral to his Majesty King George III. and the royal family, when they honoured Exeter with a visit in August, 1789. Such dutiful and hospitable attention was rewarded in the following year by his preferment to the deanery of Canterbury; and his Majesty was further pleased to promote him to this vacant see, and on 2nd December, 1792, he was consecrated at Lambeth. He lived but four years after this appointment, dying on 12th December, 1796, and was buried on 17th of same month in the south aisle of the cathedral choir. His relict Ann (daughter of John Thomas, D.D., Bishop of Winchester) died 28th August, and was interred near him on 3rd September, 1800, aged 63."

Possible cause of death was noted to be the death of his son the gallant Colonel Buller who was slain on the Continent, he also lost two sons to consumption from The Monthly Magazine, Volume 2, by Sir Richard Phillips (published by Sherwood, Gilbert and Piper, 1796).

I was quite happy to find this reference as it just seemed quite dreadful to mention that his son had died in battle but not to have some details. "This was Colonel John Thomas Buller and he served in several regiments and was for a short time captain in the 60th Rifles. He was killed, whilst commanding the 27th Foot, at the crossing of the River Linge, and the intaking of Geldermelsan, in North Brabant, on the 8th of January, 1795" (Life of General the Right Honourable Sir Redvers Buller VC GCB GCMG by Colonel Charles Henderson Melville, CMG, Late Army Medical Service, Volume 1, published by Edward Arnold and Company, 1923: London).

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 19 Mar 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/610/34
Testator: The Right Reverend Father in God William Buller, Lord Bishop of Exeter
Location: (Dean of) Canterbury, Kent, England
Date of document: 16 Jan 1792, probated 28 Jan 1797
Read: Electronic copy images
Document quality: 18th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: The Right Reverend Father in God
[Margin]: William [Buller], Lord Bishop of Exeter

1    I William Buller
2    Dean of Canterbury do make this my last
3    Will and Testament My Estate which I have purchased
4    called Penfith in the Parish of Saint Martins
5    Cornwall and all my Effects of what nature of kind
6    soever I give and Bequeath to my Dearly beloved
7    Wife Anne and to her heirs forever And I do appoint
8    her and my most valuable friend the Rev[eren]d John
9    Sturges of Winchester Executors of this my last Will
10    to which I set my hand and Seal this Sixteenth
11    day of January 1792 Will[iam] Buller Signed Sealed
12    published and declared by the above mentioned
13    William Buller as and for his last Will and Testam[en]t
14    in the presence of us John Lymes archdeacon of Can[terbur]y
15    Thomas Young his Servant Edw[ar]d Benson arc[hdeaco]n Canterb[ur]y
16    This Will was proved at London on the
17    twenty eighth day of January in the year of our Lord
18    One thousand Seven hundred and Ninety Seven by
19    the Right Honorable Sir William Wynne Knight
20    Doctor of Laws and Master Keeper or commissary of
21    the prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully
22    constituted by the Oath of Anne Buller Widow the
23    Relict of the deceased and one of the Executors
24    named in the said Will to whom administration
25    was Granted of all and Singular the goods Chattels
26    and Credits of the said deceased having been first
27    sworn duly to administer power reserved of making
28    the like Grant to the Reverend John Sturges Doctor
30    of Laws the other Executor named in the said Will
31    when he shall apply for the same

Will of John Buller, Esquire, Westminster, Middlesex - The National Archives PROB 11/1144/353, probated 2 Aug 1786

An interesting linking will and this is the Buller family of Pelynt as they are referred to on the Visitation of Cornwall. John Buller (the testator) was the 2nd son of John Francis Buller and Rebecca Trelawny. He almost disappears from view as he is listed as C on page 58 and of course his details are on page 59 of the Visitation. The family of John Francis Buller was large (will blogged for John Francis Buller):

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2013/02/will-of-john-francis-buller-esquire-of.html

and included his eldest son James (James Buller of Kings Nympton - will blogged: http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2013/02/will-of-james-buller-esquire-of-kings.html), John Buller 2nd son (the present testator), Francis Buller 3rd son (blogged: http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2013/02/will-of-francis-buller-esquire-of_27.html), William Buller 4th son (his daughter Anne married the eldest son of James Buller of Kings Nympton and his wife left a will blogged: http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2013/02/will-of-anne-buller-widow-of-exeter.html) and then daughters Rebecca married to Sir Charles Watson (mentioned in the will as a trustee), Elizabeth married the Reverend John Sturges, Ann married Reginald Pole, Mary married Sir Joseph Copley, Baronet. Just to place this will in the time period of the Cornwall Buller family. The will for the fourth son William who was Lord Bishop of Exeter and Dean of Canterbury was probated 28 Jan 1797 and I have not yet transcribed his will (I lately discovered it in my purchases and not transferred to the Buller file along with one for a a Benjamin Buller written in 1701). Again it does not fit into my Christopher Buller line as his children are being born about the same time as Christopher. It does however help to fill out the story for the Buller family of Cornwall especially the children of John Francis Buller as he had a very large family.

One of the testator's sons was Sir Edward Buller of Trenant Park (first Buller will blogged), his other two sons (by his first wife) mentioned in the will were Henry Buller (of Bengal, will blogged: http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2013/03/will-of-henry-buller-bengal-east-indies.html) and John. These sons all by his first wife Mary St Aubyn and then his children by his second wife Frederick William Buller (will to come), Caroline who married her cousin William Buller, George and Augustus.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 18 Mar 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/1144/353
Testator: John Buller, Esquire
Place: Westminster, Middlesex
Date of document 31 Dec 1784, probated 2 Aug 1786
Read: Electronic copy images
Document quality: 18th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: John
[Margin]: Buller
[Margin]: Esquire

1    This is the last Will
2    and Testament of me John Buller of Privy Garden
3    Westminster in the County of Middlesex first I give
4    and bequeath unto my Brother the Reverend William
5    Buller Doctor in Divinity Sir Charles Watson Baronet
6    and Reginald Pole Carew Esquire the Sum of three
7    thousand pounds Upon Trust that they the said William
8    Buller Sir Charles Watson and Reginald Pole Carew
9    or the Survivors or Survivor of them or the Executors
10    or Administrators of such Survivor do and shall place
11    layout and invest the same either in public or in
12    private Securities and pay the Interest dividends and
13    proceed thereof from time to time as the same shall
14    be by them received unto my beloved Wife Elizabeth
15    Caroline Buller for and during the term of her
16    natural Life to and for her own use and benefit and
17    from and immediately after her decease upon Trust to
18    pay or Assign and Transfer One thousand and Five
19    hundred pounds part of the said Trust Sum of three
20    thousand pounds unto my Son John Buller and One
21    thousand pounds another part of the said Trust Sum
22    of three thousands unto my Son Henry Buller and Five
23    hundred pounds being the remaining part of the
24    said Trust Sum of three thousand pounds unto my Son
25    Edward Buller which I hereby give them in
26    addition to the provision made for them on my
27    Marriage with their Mother who was my first Wife
28    as to my dear daughter Caroline and my Sons Frederick
30    George and Augustus they are deservedly as much
31    beloved by me as my other Children but the
32    confidence I have in the Goodness and prudence of
33    their
    [Page 2]
34    their Mother makes it appear unnessary for me to give
35    them any Specific Legacy as I am sure she will
36    immediately after my decease by Will or otherwise make
37    the best provision in her power for them relying on
38    this and that she will be perfectly kind and good to
39    all my Children I do hereby give devise and bequeath
40    unto my said Wife Elizabeth Caroline her heirs
41    Executors Adm[inistrat]ors and assigns all and singular my real
42    Estate and all the rest and residue of my personal
43    Estate and do hereby constitute and appoint her
44    sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament
45    I Witness whereof I the said John Buller have to
46    this my said last Will and Testament set my hand
47    and Seal this thirty first day of December in the
48    Year of our Lord one thousand Seven hundred and
49    eighty four J. Buller Signed Sealed and
50    declared by the said John Buller the Testator as and for his
51    last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in
52    his presence at his request and in the presence of
53    each other have subscribed our names as Witnesses
54    hereto Step[he]n Round, Windsor - Charles Pound - Charles
55    Sam[ue]l Whinfield - Clerks to Mr Round
56    This Will was proved at London the second day
57    of August in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven
58    hundred and eighty six before the Right Worshipful
59    Peter Calvert Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or
60    Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury
61    lawfully constituted by the Oath of Elizabeth Caroline
62    Buller Widow the Relict of the deceased and Sole
63    Executrix named in the said Will to whom Adm[inistrati]on
64    was granted of all and singular the Goods Chattels
65    and Credits of the said deceased having been first
66    Sworn by Commission duly to Administer