This is the Last Will & Testament of me Thomas KAYNES of Ansty in the parish of Hilton in the County of Dorset Gentleman made this thirteenth day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & sixty two

FIRST I give & bequeath unto my son Thomas KAYNES the sum of fifty pounds to be paid him by Executor hereinafter mentioned within three months after my decease, also I give unto my son Thomas KAYNES the two beds in my hall Chamber two Rugs four Blankets two Sheets belonging to the said Beds & Bedsteads & two cupboards in the same Chamber, also I give unto my said son Thomas my Furnace brewing Vate & two other Tubs three Trendels, also I give unto my said son Thomas my three cart horses & their harnesses & all my plow tackling  & my four milch Cows if in case I die possessed of the same.

I also give & bequeath unto my Grandson Thomas COOK the Sum of one hundred & fifty pounds to be paid him by my Executor as herein directed, which is that my Executor shall apply the yearly Interest of the said one hundred & fifty pounds for the sole & separate use & maintenance of my grandson Thomas COOK & any part of the said principal sum of one hundred & fifty pounds as my Executor hereinafter mentioned shall think necessary for the supporting & apprenticing of the aforesaid Thomas COOK & my further will & pleasure is that the remainder of the aforesaid one hundred and fifty pounds shall be immediately paid by my Executor to my grandson Thomas COOK as soon as he shall attain the age of twenty one years & if he should die before he attains the age of twenty one years then the remainder of the aforesaid sum I desired shall revert & return to my Executor hereinafter mentioned

All the rest of my Goods Chattles & real personal rights & credits whatsoever & wheresoever I give & bequeath unto my son Joseph KAYNES & I do make & appoint my son Joseph KAYNES Executor of this my Last Will & Testament revoking hereby all former Will & Wills by me herebefore made

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal the day & year above written

Thomas KAYNES

Signed sealed published & declared by the abovenamed Thomas KAYNES & for his last Will & Testament in the presence of us who have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses thereto in the presence of the said Testator & in the presence of each other

Boucher SYNDERCOMBE

Mary SYNDERCOMBE

The mark of Mary SHEARING

On the 5th day of May in the Year of our Lord 1764 This Will of Thomas KAYNES deceased was proved by the oath of Joseph KAYNES the lawful son of the deceased & Executor above named to whom Administration of all and singular the goods chattels and credits of the said deceased was granted He being first duly sworn faithfully to administer the same according to Law

Sworn before us

John WALKER

Biographical Note:

Thomas KAYNES was christened at Hilton on 22nd June 1689, the son of Thomas KAYNES & Ann SUMMERS who had married at Dorchester All Saints on 3rd June 1682. Married around 1714, Thomas and his wife Jane had several children christened at Hilton: Jeny KAYNES 6th March 1714/5; Thomas KAYNES 19th September 1716; Mary KAYNES 28th April 1719 (buried 18th May 1719); Mary KAINS 25th January 1720/1 (buried 5th April 1738); Joseph KAINS 4th May 1727 and William KAINS 1st September 1732.

Thomas KAYNES junior would grow up to marry Catherine ROLLES at Woolland on 3rd June 1759, but his life would be cut short and he would die intestate in 1769 only five years after his father (buried at Hilton on 16th November 1769), leaving Catherine to bring up five children alone. She would never remarry and would outlive her husband by forty years, to be buried at Hilton on 7th November 1809.

Thomas COOK was the son of Jonathan COOK and Thomas & Mary’s eldest child and only surviving daughter, Jenny KAINES, who had married at Winterbourne Whitechurch on 4th March 1753.