Fordington

Letter of Administration to Mary EAMES Widow
for the Estate of Jonathan EAMES

(Surname also spelt Emes or Ames)

Dated 19th day June 1702 (Inventory 15th May 1702)

İTranscribed by Michael Russell OPC for Fordington January 2011


NOTE:- Letters of Administration: When a person died intestate [i.e. leaving no will] the next of kin or a close friend would often have to apply to the probate court for Letters of Administration to enable them to take possession of and distribute the estate. The term 'estate' refers to the chattels, cash, debts and leases of the deceased. The ecclesiastical courts had no jurisdiction over bequests of freehold property. The applicant had to swear that there was no will, that the applicant would pay all funeral expenses and debts, administer truly, and submit a true inventory and account of his/her stewardship. The inventory itemised the estate held by the deceased, including leases, chattels, debts owed and owing, cash, crops, stocks and slaves. No account of real estate (land) was normally taken in estimates and totals. The Court then granted Letters of Administration and might require the administrator to enter into a bond to administer the estate faithfully, in which case a copy of the act was endorsed on the document.

A Bond is a binding agreement with a penalty for non performance. A bond deed is in two parts, the Obligation and the Condition. Before 1733 the Obligation, which records the penalty, was written in Latin. The Condition describes what the bonded person has undertaken to do, or otherwise committed himself or herself to (e.g. administer an estate), and was always in English.

This is clearly what we have here. My Latin is not good enough to do a proper translation of the first paragraph so I have confined myself to a summary of key facts to help make sense of the document.
Words I am unsure of are highlighted in red

The Obligation:

In Latin - Rough summary of Key facts:

Let all take notice that by these presents Marian (Mary) EAMES of Fordington in the County of Dorset widow of Johem alias Jonathan EAMES late of Fordington Yeoman

--- Doctor Wyatt Prebendary of Fordington

----on the 19th day in the month of June in the 1st year of the reign of Queen Anne of England Scotland France and Ireland in the year of Our Lord 1702


The Condition:


The Condition of this obligation is such that if the above bound Mary EAMES the Relict and Administratrix of all and singular the goods chattels and credits of Jonathan EAMES late of Fordington aforesaid deceased intestate do make or cause to be made a true and perfect Inventory of all and singular the goods chattels and credits of the said deceased which have or shall come into the hands possession or knowledge of her, the said Mary EAMES, or into the hands and possession of any person or persons for her

    And the same so made do exhibit, or cause to be exhibited, into the Registry of Doctor WYATT Prebendary of Fordington at or before the twentieth day of July next ensuing
    And the same goods chattels and credits and all other the goods chattels and credits of the said deceased at the time of his death which at any time after shall come into the hands or possession of the said Mary EAMES, or into the hands and possession of any other person or persons for her, do well and truly administer according to law and further do make or cause to be made a true and inst account of her said Administration when thereto lawfully required
    And all the rest and residue of the said goods chattels and credits which shall be found remaining upon the said Administrators account, the same being first examined and allowed by the judge or judges for the time being of the said Law Court shall deliver and pay unto such person or persons respectively as the said judge or judges by his or their decree or sentence pursuant to the true intent and meaning of a late Act of Parliament made in the two and twentieth and three and twentieth years of the reign of our late Sovereign Lord King Charles the second (Entitled An Act for the better settling of Intestate's (estates) shall limit and appoint
    And if it shall hereafter appear that any last will and Testament was made by the said deceased and the executor or executors therein named do exhibit the same into the said Court making request to have it allowed and approved accordingly if the said Mary EAMES above bound being thereunto required do render and deliver the said letters of Administration
    approbation of such Testament being first had and made in the said Court
Then this obligation to be void and of none effect or else to remain in full force and virtue

Mary EAMES

John EAMES

Jonathan EAMES

Sealed and delivered in the presence of
George FROME senior
George FROME junior


The Inventory taken 15th May 1702


A True and perfect Inventory of the Goods and Chattels of Jonathan EAMES of ffordington deceased taken and appraised on the 15 day of May 1702 by William SEAGER and James HACKHAM both of Fordington.

Impremis [In the first place] in the Kitchen: one tableboard, one settle, one chest and two chairs, one joynstoole, two pails, one butterpump} £0.9s.0d

Item: More in the Kitchen: seven pewter dishes, one kettle, & one small kettle, one skillet, four brass pots, two brass skimmers and a latten one} £1. 6s. 0d.

Item: in the Kitchen: one pair of iron andirons, one paire of fire tongs, two pot hangers, one paire of pot hooks, two spits, one case & irons, one iron pot, one flesh fork, one frying pan,
one iron candlestick, one lantern} £0. 9s. 8d

More: two fliches of bacon and a piece with some small lumber £1. 6s. 0d, one furnace pan} £1. 0s. 0d

Item: in the Hall: one tableboard, three joined stools, one cupboard, two chairs, four pewter dishes, two pewter candlesticks, one pestle and mortar, two iron dogs with some lumber, (and) one warming pan} £1. 0s. 0d

Item: in a little buttery some earthen ware}
Item: in the Milk House: one bedstead, one small mashing vat, two trendels,one small cover, one pail, four beer barrels, one pounding tub, one butter tub, seven small cheeses with some other lumber } £1. 0. 0d

Item: in the Chamber over the Hall: one bedstead with a fether bed ffurnished, two chests, one coffer, two chairs, one pair of fire dogs, four Cheeses one small trunk} £2. 0. 0d

Item: in the Chamber over the Milk House: one bedstead with two flockbeds furnished, one chest, one bad cupboard} £2. 0. 0d

Item:
in the Chamber over the kitchen one trundle one winsheet and bags with some other lumber} £0. 6s. 0d

Item: Corn upon the ground of wheat, barley, oats & fetters: 33½ acres } £33. 10s. 0d

Item: in the backside part of a reek of wheat } 02: 10: 00

Item: Five Horses with their harness, a wagon, one dungpot & plow (with) tackle & some other lumber in the backside } £28. 0s. 0d

Item: in the backside six 'ruder' cattle and one swine} £11. 0s. 0d

Item: debts due on Book }£3. 0s. 0d

Item: his wearing apparel, linen and woollen } £1. 10s. 0d


Sum Total £90. 16s. 8d



Original Transcription of the Condition:


The Condition of this obligation is such that if the above bounden Mary EAMES
the Relict and Administratrix of all and singular the goods chettells
and credits of Jonathan EAMES late of ffordington aforsaid intestate deceased
doe make or cause to be made a true and perfect Inventory of all and singular the goods ∼
chattells and credits of the said deceased which have or shall come to the hands possession∼
or knowledge of her - the said Mary EAMES or ∼
into the hands and possession of any person or persons for her and the same soe∼
made doe exhibit or cause to be exhibited into the Registry of the Dr WYATT prebendary
of ffordington at or before the twentyeth day of July next
ensuing And the same goods chattells and credits and all other the goods chattells and credits
of the said deceased at the time of his death which at any time after shall come to the
hands or possession of the said Mary EAMES or into the hands and
possession of any other person or persons for her doe well and truly administer∼
according to law And further doe make or cause to be made a true and inst accompt
of her sd Admon when thereto lawfully required
and all the rest and residue of the said goods chattells and credits which shall be found
remaining upon the said Administrators Accompt the same being first examined and
allowed of bt the judge or judges for the time being of the Law Court shall deliver
and pay unto such person or persons respectively as the said judge or judges by his
or their decree or sentence ???ant to the true intent and meaning of a late Act of∼
Parliament made in the two and twentieth and three and twentieth years of the raigne
of or late Soveraigne Ld King Charles the second (Intituled An Act for the better
settling of Intestates (estates) shall limitt and appoint And if it shall hereafter
appeare that any last will and Testament was made by the said deceased and the
executor or executors therein named doe exhibit the same into the said Court makeing
request to have it allowed and approved accordingly if the said Mary EAMES
above bounden being thereunto required doe render and deliver the said Lers Admon
approbation of such Testament being first had and made in the said Court Then this
obligation to be void and of none effect or else to reaine in full force and vertue

Mary EAMES

John EAMES

Jonathan EAMES

Sealed and delivered in the presence of
Geo: FROME sen
Geo: ffrome jun


Original Transcription of The Inventory
A True and perfect Inventory of the Goods
and Chattles of Jonathan EAMES of ffordington
Deceased Taken and apraised the 15
day of May 1702 by William SEAGER
and James HACKHAM both of ffordington

Inprimis [Impremis] in the kitchen one tablebord}
one settle one Cheastean: 2 cheyers}
one joynstoole:2 pailes one butterpump} 00:09:00

Itim: More in the kitchen:7 putter disshes}
one kittle & one small kettle one}
skellet: 4 brass potts two brass skimers}
and alatten one} 01:06:00

Ittem in the Kittchen one paire of Eyern}
And Irons one paire of fire tongs}
2 pott hangers one paire of pothocks
2 spitts one case & Eyrons one Eyron}
pott one flesh fforke one ffreying pan
one Eyron Candlestick one lantern} 00:09:08

More: 2: ffliches of Bakon and apease}
with sume small Lumber} 01:06:00

one ffurnes pan 01:00:00

Ittem In the hall one tablebord: 3 join}
stooles one cobbord: 2 chayers: 4 putter}
dishes: 2 putter Candlesticks one pesell}
and Morter: 2 Eyron doges with
some lumber one warming pan} 01:00:00

Ittem In alittle buttery some Earthen ware}
Ittem In the Milk House one bed bedstead}
one small meashing Vatt: 2 : trendles}
one small Covell one paile: 4 Bear}
Barrles one poudering tub one}
butter tub: 7 small cheases with}
sum other lumber 01:00:00

Ittem In the Chamber over the Hall }
one Bedstead with a fether bead}
ffurnished: 2: Chestes one Coffer}
2: Charres one paire of fire dogges}
4: Cheases one small Trunk} 02:00:00

Ittem In the Chamber over the Milk=}
house one beadstead with two}
fflockbeads furnished one Chest}
one bad cobbord} 02:00:00

Ittem In the Chamber over the kitchen}
one trundle one winsheat and}
Bages with sum other lumber} 00:06:00

Ittem Corn upon Ground of wheat barly}
oats & fethers: 33: akers and half} 33: 10: 00

Ittem In the backside part of a Reek}
of wheat } 02: 10: 00

Ittem 5: Horses with the harness a waggon}
one dungpott & plow tackling & som
other Lumber in the backside } 28:00:00

Ittem In the backside : 6: Ruder cattle and one swine} 11: 00: 00

Ittem debts due on Book } 03: 00: 00

Ittem his wearing Aparill Linen & woollen } 01: 10: 00

Sum 90: 16: 8
Genealogical Notes:-
(1). Mary EAMES as shown above was the widow of Jonathan EAMES (1628-1702) a Yeoman of Fordington, and lived until she was 96 years old being buried at St Georges church on 8th July 1733. I have not been able to trace a will or letters of administration.

(2). Jonathan would have married Mary circa 1655 and probably had a family when records have not survived following the Civil War. (1640 to 1663 inc)

(3). Jonathan was the 2nd son of John EAMES (1586/7-1662) a Yeoman and churchwarden of St Georges by his wife Lucy and was baptised there on 14th Sep 1628, and buried there on 6th May 1702. He 2 older siblings Thomas Eames (1617-1680) and Ruth EAMES (1620-aft.1637) who was baptised FStG on 1st Jan 1620/21. Thomas emigrated to New England in 1634 and Ruth in 1637.

(4). His mother Lucy died intestate and was buried at St Georges on 11th May 1665. A transcription of the Letter of Administration issued to her son Jonathan together with a short inventory of her personal effects taken on the death of her husband in 1662 can be reached via this link.

(5). His father also died intestate in 1662 and a transcription of the Letter of Administration issued to Jonathan can be reached via this link.

(6). John EAMES (1586/7-1662) was the elder brother of Anthony EAMES (1595 –1686) who emigrated to New England and his life is covered in more detail in his brothers biography which can be reached via this link. John was heir to their fathers estate and this wealth descended to him on his fathers death in 1618, then to his son and heir Jonathan at John's death in 1662 and here to Jonathan's widow Mary in 1702.

(7). Suprisingly this Letter of Administration is signed not only by Jonathan's widow Mary but also by a John and a Jonathan EAMES as well. These are most likely his surviving older male children. Mark Eames is also likely to be a son of his. See Genealogical Note 35 in the biography of Anthony Eames via the above link.

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