1823 Last Will and Testament of John Brook, Bay of Islands, Newfoundland as transcribed from the records of the Public Record Office, The National Archives of the United Kingdom, by Daphne Park and John G. Edgar, 2003

Bay of Islands Newfoundland
In the Name of God, Amen ~

I, John Brook of Anderson in the county of Dorset, England but now of Bay of Islands in the Island of Newfoundland, Planter, being of perfect health of body, of perfect mind and memory, thanks be given to God, calling into mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain this my last will and testament and as much as touching such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life, I give, devise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form.

First I give and bequeath to James Clark Park the son of Robert and Mary Park now about age eighteen years old of the Bay of Islands, Newfoundland, the sum of one hundred pounds of lawful money of England.

To Thomas Blanchard, the son of William and Elizabeth Blanchard of the Bay of Islands, Newfoundland, I give and bequeath the sum of fifty pounds.

To the son of James and Ellen Hewlin of Saint George's Bay, Newfoundland, I give and bequeath the sum of fifty pounds.

To Ann Syre, the wife of Samuel Syre of Saint George's Bay, Newfoundland, I give and bequeath the sum of twenty pounds.

To the daughter of Thomas and Hannah Goddard of Burin, Newfoundland, I give and bequeath the sum of twenty pounds.

To the son of Richard Gale of Anderson in the county of Dorset, England, I give and bequeath the sum of one hundred pounds.

To Mary Jean, the widow of the late captain William Jean and daughter of my late friend, John Waldron of Poole in the county of Dorset, England I give and bequeath the sum of two hundred pounds of lawful money of England to be raised and levied out of my estate.

Also, I give and bequeath to my well-beloved wife Mary Brook, the widow of the late Robert Park of the Bay of Islands, Newfoundland, the Interest of the remainder of my whole property in the Bay of Islands, Newfoundland, and in England or elsewhere for her life only provided she resides in England after my decease, and after her death I give and bequeath the principal of my whole property, goods, chattles and effects to my well-beloved son, John Brook, but if he should not be heard of within the space of three years after my death I give and bequeath the principal of my whole property, goods, chattles and effects to my well-beloved friend Joseph Bird Senior of Sturnminster Newton in the county of Dorset, England who I constitute, make and ordain my sole Executor of this my last will and testament and I do hereby utterly disallow, revoke and disannul all and every former testaments, wills, legacies, bequests and executors by me in anyways before named, willed and bequeathed, ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament in witness whereof I have hereunto set on my hand and seal this twenty-sixth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty-three. John Brook, Sr.

Signed, sealed, published, pronounced and declared by the said John Brook as his last will and testament in the presence of us who in his presence and in the presence of each other have herewith subscribed our names. Robert Homer and Morgan Jeans.

Proved at London 21^st August 1834 before the Judge by the oath of Joseph Bird, the sole Executor to whom admin was granted being first sworn by commission duly to administer.

Catalogue Reference:     Prob 11/1828
File Reference:    99
Order Number:     I/03/00343783J