JOHN RIVERS WILL. 

IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN.
I John Rivers the Elder of Mitcham in the county of Surrey Gentleman, being sick and weak 
in body but of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding do make        publish 
and declare this my last will and Testament in manner following that is to say I will and 
direct that all my just Debts and funeral expenses and the Charges of proving this my Will  be 
in the first place fully paid and satisfied  I give and bequeath to my dear and loving wife 
Margaret Rivers for and during the term of her natural life the Interest and Dividends arising 
from the sum of the one thousand seven hundred and ninety pounds now standing in my 
name in the four per   cent Consolidated Bank Annuities And also the Interest or Dividends 
rising from the sum of one thousand three hundred pounds also standing in my name the three 
percent Consolidated Bank Annuities Also I give and bequeath unto my said  wife Margaret 
Rivers for and during the term of her natural life the interest arising from the sum of two 
hundred due to me from Samuel Dalton of Winkfield in the County of Berks Also I give and 
bequeath to my said wife Margaret Rivers the interest arising from the sum of  seven hundred 
and twenty nine pounds and three shillings for the term of her natural life which said last 
mentioned sum is due and ----- to ----  by William Dalton and John Dalton of Nepham in the 
county of Kent And from and immediately after the decease of my said dear wife Margaret 
Rivers  I give and bequeath the several sums before specified unto my children John Rivers 
Ann Rivers Margaret Rivers Mary Sophia Rivers Charlotte Bloom Rivers and Sarah Rivers 
share and share alike And in case any or either of my said children shall depart this life under 
the age of twenty one years and unmarried then the share or shares of him or her or them so 
dying shall go and be divided equally between or among the Survivors Also I give and 
bequeath unto my dear wife Margaret Rivers for her sole use and benefit absolutely all my 
household ffurniture implements of household plate silver china books chattels and effects in 
my present dwelling house in Mitcham aforesaid Also I give and bequeath to my good friend 
James Newton of Merton in the said county of Surrey Gentleman the sum of ffifty pounds of 
lawful money of Great Britain as a small recompense for the trouble he may have in the 
execution of this my Will Also I give and bequeath to Ann Rivers wife of my late brother 
William Rivers an Annuity or -------- yearly sum of ten pounds of lawful money of Great 
Britain for and during the term of her natural life Also I give and bequeath unto Thomas 
Dalton brother to my said dear wife an annuity or -------- yearly sum of twenty pounds of like 
lawful money for and during the natural term of his life and which said annuity I bequeath to 
him as a recompense for the trouble he may have in the execution of this my will and direct 
the said annuities to be paid by my Executrix and Executors hereinafter named by half yearly 
payments the first payment to begin the day after my decease And as to all the rest and 
residue and remainder of my estate and effects whatsoever and wherever and of what nature 
kind or quality the same may be whereof I shall dispossess and which shall be any way due 
owing or belonging to me at the time of my decease I give and bequeath the same (subject to 
the payment of my just Debts ffuneral Expenses the Charges of proving this my Will and the 
Legacy and Annuities aforesaid) unto and amongst all aforementioned  children share and 
share alike And in case of any or other of my said children shall happen to depart this life 
under the age of twenty one and unmarried then that share or shares of him her or them so 
dying shall go to and be divided equally among the survivors And I do hereby nominate 
constitute and appoint my said dear wife Margaret Rivers my said son John Rivers the before 
named Thomas Dalton and the said James Newton Executrix and Executors of this my last 
will and testament and I direct that my said Executrix and Executors shall and do respectively 
reimburse themselves all such costs Charges Damages and Expenses which they any or 
eithere of them may be put into or sustain in the Execution of this my Will and that they shall 
not be chargeable for any more than they shall actually receive or shall remit  to their 
respective hands nor shall they be answerable the one for the other but each of them only for 
her or his  Cost or Costs And I do hereby revoke and make void all former Wills and  
Codicils by me Heretofore In Witness whereof I the said John Rivers the Testator  have to 
this my last Will and Testament contained in this and the preceeding sheet of paper set my 
hand and seal to wit my hand to the preceding sheet and my Hand and Seal  to this last sheet 
the 3rd day of May one thousand seven hundred and ninety  seven. Jn Rivers Snr The writing 
contained in this and the preceeding sheet of paper was signed and sealed by the above 
named John Rivers the Testator and by him published and declared as and for his last Will 
and Testament in the presence of us in who in his presence at his request the presence of each 
other have subscribed our Names as Witnesses The names Margaret Rivers and  Rivers in the 
first sheet being interlines and the words half yearly and second in the last sheet being first 
erased
John Coppard John Parrott

THIS WILL was proved at London the nineteenth day of May in the year of our Lord one 
thousand seven hundred and ninety seven before the Worshipful John  Sewell Doctor of Laws 
Surrogate of the Right Honourable Sir William Wynne Knight                   also Doctor of 
Laws Master ----eper  Commissary of the Prorogative Court of Canterbury lawfully 
constituted by the Oaths of Thomas Dalton and James Newton two of the executors named in 
the said Will to whom administration was granted of all and singular the Goods  Chattels and 
Credits of the deceased so having been  first       sworn duly to administer power  ---------  of 
making the like grant to Margaret Rivers widow the relict  and John Rivers the son of the said 
deceased the other Executors  named in the said will whom they or either of them shall apply 
for the same.