LAST WILL & TESTAMENT

James Taverner, Planter of Newfoundland

In the Name of God Amen.

I James Taverner of Newfoundland planter being in health of Body and of sound and perfect memory and understanding thanks be therefore rendered to Almighty God, nevertheless, considering the uncertainty of time, and the certainty of mortality, do (in the fear of God) make and ordain this my last Will and Testament (that is to say) principally and first of all, I recommend my Soule into the hands of God who gave it, and my Body to the dust, and as touching such Worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to endowe me (after my Debts are paid and my funerall expences are discharged) I give devize and dispose of the same in manner and form following (that is to say)

First of all I give and devize unto my loving Sister Ema Williams the sum of twenty pounds of lawfull money of Great Brittaine

Also I give and devize unto my loving Nephew Joseph Taverner the Son of my late Brother Jacob Taverner the sum of Ten pounds of like lawfull money, and all and singular my wearing apparel both of Wollen and Linnen

All the rest and residue of my goods chattells credits and personall Estate consisting in money plate gold rings household goods or in any other thing or things to me belonging I give and devize unto my loving Sister Mary Taverner whom I do also hereby make and ordaine my whole and sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament, and I do also hereby revoke disannul and make utterly void all other Wills by me made, and do confirm and establish this and no other to stand and be taken as and for my last Will and Testament

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seale the Eighteenth day of April in the year of our Lord One Thousand Seven hundred and forty five.

James Taverner

Signed sealed published and declared by me the said James Taverner as and for my last Will and Testament in the presence of those whose names are hereunder writer who subscribed their names as witnesses hereunto in my presence and at my request

Jere. Colborne
Jane Colborne
Jane Colborne junior

Executrix sworn 4^th August 1747

Dorset History Centre Reference: C/P/W 22
Transcribed by Kim Parker

NOTE:
James Taverner's "loving" Sister Mary Taverner, "Spinster of the Town and County of Poole", wrote her will on 29 December, 1747. The handwriting, the phrasing and even the paper are similar to those of her brother James's Will, plus the witnesses are the same, so it would appear James had his Will drawn up in Poole on one of his trips there. Traditionally, "Newfoundlanders" went out to Newfoundland in spring and returned in autumn, or for two summers and one winter. Planters like James lived there all year round, but might make a trip home once in a while.

Most Taverners in Dorset are from the Poole area, with a small cluster around Sherborne and the occasional sighting in ports such as Lyme Regis, Melcombe Regis or Wyke Regis. There are not many of them though, and very few before the late 1600s. The earliest on record is Richard Taverner, who witnessed a Charter at Wareham in 1412. They are likely incomers to Dorset, from France ("Tavernier" is an old French occupational surname meaning "inn-keeper"), by way of neighbouring Devon, or even Ireland.

The christenings of this family cannot be traced, as the Poole St James parish register for the period 1598-1652 has almost completely rotted away, and in any case the Taverners, like many of Poole's greatest merchant families, were for the most part non-conformist. James's sisters are a notable exception. Mary was christened as an adult at St James's church on May 25^th, 1712 (born 10 August 1686) and Emma (Emmy or Amy in the parish register) had her children by her second marriage christened there. Emma was a widow when she married Abraham Williams at Poole on November 30^th, 1716, previously married to someone surnamed Fish. The Williamses had the following children:

2 MAR 1717/8          William Williams
31 OCT 1721           Abraham Williams
22 MAR 1723/4       Philip Williams
20 MAY 1727          Tavener Williams
22 JAN 1729/30     Jacob Williams

What is striking in Mary's Will is that it includes a legacy to her brother Jacob, whereas James referred to him as "my late brother Jacob". The journey to/from Newfoundland, and life there was perilous, not only because of the dangers of the sea and the harsh climate (many fishermen died from hypothermia there), but because of hostile incursions by foreign powers, especially France. Add to that the primitive nature of communications, and there must have been many instances of families giving up a loved one for lost, only for them to eventually reappear, to the general relief of all. Jacob lived on until 1751.

As well as her brother Jacob, Mary Taverner's Will gives legacies to two of her nephews, Philip and Jacob Williams, and everything else to her sister Emma Williams, who is also named as sole Executrix. The Will was proved on December 4^th, 1758, so this Mary Taverner is the one buried at Poole on 17 NOV 1758. Abraham Williams senior was buried there on 38 JUL 1764 and Emma on 30 NOV 1764. No Wills or Admons are recorded for them.

All notes made from images of the original documents