Sarah Cowen’s Will 1913

Sarah Cowen was one of the daughters of Lancelot Smith of Gamblesby.  Born in 1829 in Gamblesby, she went to live in Ireland with her family when they moved there in the early 1850s.  When Sarah’s father died in 1871, she returned to Cumberland to live in what had been her father’s house in Gamblesby (I believe he continued to own it while he lived in Ireland).  Sarah married Joseph Cowen in 1875.  She died in Gamblesby in 1913.

This is the last Will and Testament of me Sarah Cowen of Gamblesby in the Parish of Addingham in the County of Cumberland, Widow   I revoke all former Wills and Testamentary dispositions   I appoint Joseph Westmoreland Benson of Unthank near Gamblesby aforesaid Yeoman and my nephew Lancelot Smith of Beavertown in Ireland (hereinafter called “my Trustees”) to be the Executors and Trustees of this my Will and I bequeath to each of them the sum of five pounds free of legacy duty as a small acknowledgement for his trouble in acting as such Executor and Trustee.

2. I bequeath to my niece Agnes Hannah Nicholson the Oak corner cupboard which belonged to my grandmother

3. I bequeath the sum of one hundred pounds to Sarah Hetherington of Carleton near Penrith in the said County of Cumberland a daughter of Ann Hetherington the deceased sister of my late husband

4. I bequeath the sum of one hundred pounds free of legacy duty to the Trustees of the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel situate at Gamblesby aforesaid to be (as to as well the capital as the income thereof) expended by them at their discretion upon the improvement repair or maintenance or otherwise for the benefit of the said chapel and I declare that the receipt of the Treasurer for the time being of the said last mentioned Trustees shall be a sufficient discharge for the same

5. I devise all my lands and hereditaments of copyhold or customary hold tenure to such uses upon such trusts and subject to such powers and provisions as my Trustees shall by deed appoint for the purpose of carrying into effect any sale or sales in pursuance f the trust hereinafter contained   And I devise and bequeath all my real estate of every tenure (but as to copyhold or customary hold hereditaments in default of and subject to any appointment under the trust hereinbefore contained) and all the residue of my personal estate whatsoever and wheresoever unto and to the use of my Trustees their heirs executors administrators and assigns Upon Trust to sell call in and convert into money my real and residual personal estate and out of the proceeds of such sale calling in and conversion to pay my debts and funeral and testamentary expenses and the legacies hereinbefore bequeathed and to stand possessed of the residue thereof Upon Trust for my said nephew Lancelot Smith my niece Elizabeth Smith my said niece Agnes Hannah Nicholson my nephew William Smith my nephew John Smith my nephew Thomas Smith my niece Sarah Ann Procter my nephew Joseph Rendel Smith my niece Hannah Bell Thornley my niece Elizabeth Bell Park and my nephew Hubert Smith or such of them my said nephews and nieces as shall be living at my death in equal shares as tenants-in-common except that the share of each of them the said Lancelot Smith and Hubert Smith shall be twice as large as the share of each of my other said nephews and nieces  Provided that if any of my said nephews and nieces shall die before me leaving issue who shall survive me then I direct that such issue shall take and if more than one equally between them the share which his her or their parent would have taken of and in my residuary estate if such parent had survived me

In Witness whereof I have hereunder set my hand this 23^rd day of December one thousand nine hundred and eight

Sarah Cowen

Signed by said Sarah Cowen the Testatrix as and for her last Will and Testament in the presence of us the undersigned together present at the same time, who at her request in her presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses.  The words “William Smith” having first been interlined between the ninth and tenth lines of the second page hereof

George Brown          Gamblesby               Farmer

Janet Brown             Gamblesby               Farmer’s Wife

This is a codicil to the last Will and Testament of me Sarah Cowen of Gamblesby in the Parish of Addingham in the County of Cumberland Widow  I revoke the bequest of one hundred pounds contained in my said Will to the Trustees of the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel situate at Gamblesby aforesaid and in lieu thereof I bequeath the sum of one hundred pounds free of legacy duty to the said Trustees to be by them invested and the income applied towards the maintenance and upkeep or otherwise for the benefit of the said Chapel  And I declare that the receipt of the Treasurer for the time being of the said Trustees shall be a sufficient discharge for the same.  And in all other respects I confirm my said Will  In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this twentieth day of February one thousand nine hundred and nine.

Sarah Cowen

Signed by the said Testatrix Sarah Cowen as and for a Codicil to her last Will and Testament in the presence of us the undersigned together present at the same time, who at her request in her presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses

George Brown          Gamblesby               Farmer

Janet Brown             Gamblesby               Farmer’s Wife

On the 15^th day of April 1913 Probate of this Will with one Codicil was granted at Carlisle to Joseph Westmoreland Benson and Lancelot Smith the Executors