Scope and Content
Indenture of settlement made upon the marriage of Moses Eagles of Ridgmont, yeoman, and Susanna Peters of the same, widow, on 3 December 1811, between the marriage parties of the first and second parts and Benjamin Baker of Brogborough in Ridgmont, yeoman, and Ezra Eagles of Ampthill, gentleman, acting as trustees, of the third part, Witnessing;
... Assignment from Susanna Peters, with the consent of Moses Eagles to Benjamin Baker and Ezra Eagles of her goods and chattels (scheduled in an accompanying inventory – see below) upon declared trusts, viz. in trust after the marriage to permit and suffer Moses Eagles and Susanna Peters to occupy and carry on the farm at Ridgmont (which, it is recited, she now holds or rents of Malcolm Macqueen, esquire, carrying on the business of a maltster) and to have, use and take inventoried goods and chattels for the terms of their joint lives and the life of the survivor of them, the profits from the farming business to be for their own use and to enable them better to maintain and educate the present and future children of Susanna Peters but subject to the proviso that Benjamin Baker and Ezra Eagles be empowered, with the written consent and appointment of Susanna Peters (and which Moses Eagles will not hinder, interrupt or obstruct), to raise by sale of the goods, stock, and effects on the land, sums of money not exceeding £600, to be payable and applied by Benjamin Baker and Ezra Eagles to and amongst the present children of Susanna Peters – Ann Peters, Susanna Peters, Elizabeth Peters, Sarah Peters, Hannah Peters and William Peters “for their preferment and advancement in the world” in shares/proportions as she directs or appoints; and upon further trusts to raise money in the event of Susanna Peters pre-deceasing the raising of the sum of £600 to be applied to the children in the shares etc. limited or appointed in her will or other writing, and in default of such appointment as directed here, taking into account prior payments made during the lifetime of Susanna Peters, survivorship (if applicable), and investment of the shares of any such children under 21 years of ages at the time of her death (interest raised to be used for their education and maintenance). Includes covenants by Moses Eagles to replace and purchase stock and effects as they are sold or disposed of in the regular course of business with stock and effects in lieu hereof of equal or better value “as in a regular course of good management and husbandry”; acknowledging Susanna Peters’ power to make a will disposing of the residue of her assigned personal estate on the farm and premises, and agreeing to ratify such will and disposition in his own will, collateral relations of Moses Eagles not to have any claim on Susanna Peters’ personal estate.
... Demise/lease for 40 years (or the life of Susanna Peters) from the day of this deed, from Moses Eagles to Benjamin Baker and Ezra Eagles of a cottage or tenement with appurtenances in Ridgmont formerly in the occupation of William Hill, since of John Fisher, lately of Hester Whitbread and now of Moses Eagles, lying between the ground formerly of Simon Taylor, late of Thomas Potter esquire [blank] of John Clark esquire and now or late of [blank] Ratcliffe esquire on the NW., the road on the SE. and [land] late of Thomas Cook senior, since of Thomas Potter esquire and now of [blank] [on the ...], which cottage Moses Eagles purchased from Hester Whitbread, Jarvis Whitbread and William Whitbread by indenture of feoffment dated 21st February 1800, at a peppercorn rent until the marriage and then in trust for Moses Eagles for life, remainder in trust to Susanna Peters for life for her jointure and in recompense of her dower and thirds. Includes covenant by Moses Eagles to “repair, uphold, sustain, maintain, glaze and keep” in repair the cottage.
... Covenant by Moses Eagles with Benjamin Baker and Ezra Eagles to, before 5 January 1812, assign or invest and lay out in their names £400 in one of the public stocks or funds of Great Britain as will produce a net sum of £400, the assignees to stand possessed of such stock or securities upon declared trusts, viz. in trust to permit and suffer Moses Eagles to take the dividends and interest for the term of his life, then in trust to call in the sum or assign the same to Susanna Peters for life for her own use and benefit with other trusts to call in and divide the sum, in the event of Susanna Peters predeceasing Moses Eagles, after Moses Eagles’ death amongst the children of Susanna Peters according to the written directions of her will or other appointment and, in default of such direction, to be equally divided share and share alike upon their majorities.
Inventory
Household goods and furniture £150..0s..0d
Five Cart horses £ 80..0s..0d
Eleven Cows £120..0s..0d
Two Calves £ 10..0s..0d
Fifty Ewe Sheep £ 75..0s..0d
Thirty Three Tegs £ 20..0s..0d
Twenty two fat Sheep £ 44..0s..0d
Thirteen wether Sheep £ 17..0s..0d
Six Lambs £ 10..0s..0d
Four fat Hogs £ 26..0s..0d
Nine Hore Hogs £ 28..0s..0d
One hundred Fowls £ 6..0s..0d
One Waggon £ 14..0s..0d
Four Carts £ 28..0s..0d
Harness for five horses £ 7..0s..0d
Two ladders and five Ploughs £ 4..4s..0d
Two harrows and roll £ 4..0s..0d
Forks and rakes £ 2..0s..0d
Stack of wheat £ 85..0s..0d
Stack of beans £ 40..0s..0d
Barley unthrashed £100..0s..0d
Rye and Wheat unthrashed £ 15..0s..0d
Stack of Hay £ 56..0s..0d
Two stacks of clover £ 80..0s..0d
Malt in trade £ 60..0s..0d
Implements in the Malting
business £ 5..0s..0d
Crop of turnips £ 30..0s..0d
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£1116..14s..0d
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Signed by all the parties
Dorse; sealing and delivery by the parties in the presence of George King, clerk to Mr Eagles and E Wilson.