Part 531s – Smith Robertson Genealogy – Indenture Research – 1848 Richard Steele – Last Will and Testament

Good Afternoon and Happy Father’s Day.

And definitely Happy Birthday to AB. Is this the big one… or is it just the beginning of a new adventure?

Today’s Indenture Transcription Project work is sort-of a tangent. I received a request from Ashley in Grenada asking if I may or may not have a copy in my files of the Last Will and Testament of Richard Steele. Well guess what Ashley? I found it.

Based on information gathered from Richard Steele’s Last Will and Testament I have created a Richard Steele Descendant Chart. This Descendant Chart, as always, will continue to be under construction based on current and available information.

Richard Steele was the father of George Steele who married my great-great-grandaunt Mary Ann (née Smith). My own connection to George Steel would be that he was my great-great-granduncle by marriage. Their children would have been my 1st cousins 3 times removed. GG-Grandaunt Mary Ann (née Smith) Steele was, based on what has been discovered, the youngest daughter of my ggg-grandparents James and Mary Ann (Doret) Smith. It is possible that Richard Steele may have been a contemporary of my ggg-grandfather James.

Here are the Pages.

My Transcription –

(407)

Ex

Entered 4th May 1857

This is the Last Will and Testament
of me Richard Steele of the parish of Saint George in
the Island of Grenada Esqr. I give and devise my
daughter Mary Steele and my Son William Steele
their heirs and a∫signs all my real property houses
lands tenements and hereditaments To hold the same
unto and to the use of them the said Mary Steele and
William Steele their heirs and a∫signs Upon Trust that

they

(408)

They or the survivor of them or the heirs or a∫signs of and
survivor do and shall permit and suffer my daughter
the said Mary Steele, and my daughters Ann Steele Sarah
Sarah Steele and Agnes Steele their heirs and a∫signs to reside
in or to occupy my said real property hereditaments and
premises or otherwise to pay to or to apply for the benefit of
them their heirs a∫signs she rents i∫sues and profits thereof
respectively as the same shall become due and payable and
be received Provided however and I do hereby empower the
said Mary Steele and William Steele and the survivor of them
and the heirs and a∫signs of such survivor when they shall
deem it advisable and with the consent in writing of my
said daughters Mary Steele, Ann Steele, Sarah Steele and
Agnes Steele or in case of their death at that time then of the
proper authority of my said Trustees or Trustee to sell and
absolutely to depose of the same real property hereditaments
and premises together or separately or in parcels by public
auction or by private contract as to my Trustees or Trustee
for the time being shall deem expedient with the best price or
prices in money that can be reasonably obtained for the same
respectfully and respectively to convey and a∫sure the same
accordingly and I will and declared that the receipts of my
said Trustees for the purchase money shall be sufficient dis-
charges to the purchases of the said several premises for
their respective purchase money and that such purchases
their heirs executors administrators or a∫signs shall not after
wards be answerable for any lo∫s misapplication or non-
application of such purchase money so received And my
Will further is that the monies which shall arise from such
Sale or Sales as after said shall be considered as real property
and as such shall be paid unto my said daughters Mary Steele
Ann Steele Sarah Steele and Agnes Steele their heirs and a∫signs
I give and bequeath to the said Mary Steele Ann Steele, Sarah
Steele and Agnes Steele all my household furniture books
plate linnen Wines and liquors and also three fifth parts or
shares of any money which I may have or be possessed of
at my decease in the Colonial Bank together with the Interest
then due and owing and the said three fifth parts or shares
of such money I give and bequeath to my Sons Robert Steele
Richard Steele George Steele and William Steele One fifth part
or share of any money which I may have to be possessed of
at my decease in the Colonial Bank with the interest due
and owing thereon And I give and bequeath the remaining
One fifth part with the proportion of interest due thereon to
my Sons Henry Steele, Thomas Steele and James Steele And I
devise and bequeath to the said Mary Steele and William
Steele their heirs executors administrators and a∫signs (according
to the nature of the property whether freehold or a term of years)
a certain me∫suage or tenements lands and hereditaments
whereof I am seized or po∫se∫sed or entitled to by way of
Mortgage from my son Robert and Charlotte his Wife
for securing payments to me of the sum of Fourteen hundred
pounds late current money of Grenada with interest
thereon upon Trust and to the intent that they the said
Mary Steele and William Steele or the survivor of them or
the heirs executing or administrators of such survivor or
their or his or her a∫signs do and shall on payment unto my
Executrix and Executors of such sum or sums of money as shall
be due and owing upon or in respect of the said mort
gaged premises convey a∫sign surrender or a∫sure the same
premises with the appurtenances rents or to the person or
persons who at the time of making such payment
shall be entitled to the equity of redemption thereof and
to his her or their executors administrators or a∫signs
according to the nature of the same premises And I

do

(409)

Do hereby and bequeath the monies which shall be
received for or in respect to the said Mortgage unto my
Sons Robert Steele, Richard Steele, George Steele, William Steele,
Henry Steele, Thomas Steele and James Steele. I give and be
queath to my daughters Mary Steele, Ann Steele, Sarah Steele
and Agnes Steele three fifth parts or shares of any money that
maybe due and owing to me by my son William Steele with
the proportion of interest due thereon at the time of my decease
I give and bequeath to my Sons Robert Steele Richard Steele
George Steele and William Steele One fifth part or share of
any money that may be due and owing to me by my
William Steele the proportion of interest that maybe due
thereon at the time of my decease I give and bequeath
to my Sons Henry Steele, Thomas Steele and James Steele
One fifth part or share of any money that may be due and
owing to me by my son William with the proportion of
interest due thereon at the time of my decease. I give my
Watch with Chain and Seals my son William. My debts
(if any) and funeral expenses (which I wish confine to a
small but indispensable amount potencies to be paid out of the funds
in the Colonial Bank previous to its distribution And I
nominate and appoint my said daughter Mary Steele
in my said Son William Steele and my good friend Joseph
Orgias Esqr to be the Executrix and Executors of this my Will
and last I do revoke hereby all manner of Wills Codicils
and testamentary papers at any time hereto for made by
me On Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand
and seal this fourteenth day of October one thousand
eight hundred and forty-eight.

Richard Steele (L S)

Signed and Sealed by the above named Richard Steele
the testator as in the presence of us who were present
together at the same time and who do a test and here
unto scribe our names as Witne∫ses in his presence.

W. A. Horne Alex Aberdein Thos Gibbes

Grenada }
In Ordinary }
In the Estate of Richard Steele deceased
Personally appeared William Alexander Horne
of the town of Saint George in the Island of Grenada
Police Magistrate one of the subscribing Witne∫ses to the with
in Will who been duly sworn and made Oath that he was
present together with Alexander Aberdein and Thomas Gibbes
the other subscribing Witne∫ses thereto and did see the
Richard Steele the Testator therein named duly signed
seal and execute the same as and for his Last Will and
Testament and that the name and signature "Richard
Steele" signed at the end of the within written Will opposite
the Seal at the foot thereof is of the proper handwriting
and signature of the said Richard Steele And this
deponent further saith that in testimony of such due
execution of the said Will they this deponent and the said
Alexander Aberdein and ^ the said Thomas Gibbes did in the presence
of the said Testator and in the presence of each other sub
scribe their names as Witne∫ses thereto And that the names or
signature W. A. Horne Alex Aberdein and Thos Gibbes set and sub
scribed to the said Will as aforesaid are the proper ^signatures and handwritings
of the said Alexander Aberdein Thomas Gibbes and this deponent
respectively And ^ lastly this deponent saith that at the time the said
Testator as executed the said Will as after said he was to the best
of this deponent's judgment and belief of sound and disposing
mind memory and understanding.

W. A. Horne

Sworn to before me this fourth day of May 1857

C. H. Rosbright
Ordinary

And now to continue the search for the origins of ggg-grandfather James Smith.

Enjoy,

Jim