Charles Crommelin's Last Will and Testament
dated London, 27 May 1732Source: National Archives in Britain - Public Record Office
In the name of God, Amen.
I Charles Crommelin of the province of New York in America but now in London having by various losses and misfortunes in trade been thrown into many and great debts which have driven me from home to seek for succour among my relations in Europe to the end I might not be obliged to part with my patrimonial lands in order to satisfy for the said debts and having by the blessing of God obtained partly by gift from some relations in France and partly by easy purchase from others in London a full right and title for myself and my heirs to three fourths of certain bond debts (particularly specified in certain documents and powers now in England(?) as for the .... of the same due from the Estate of James Smith of the island of St. Thomas in America [island in U.S. Virgin Islands near Puerto Rico] deceased which bonds are in the hands of Mr. Beronie Joseph le Beune of the Island of Martinique in America [in Windward Islands north of Grenada and Barbados] and dwelling at the Salines in that island and the said estate of the said James Smith deceased having partly by seizure on the part of the Danish government in the said island of St. Thomas under certain pretended colours and partly by embezzlement and neglect been so far diminished or reduced from this condition in which it was left by the said James Smith as that attending to all accounts it is matter of great doubt whether the said Estate in its present condition is sufficient to satisfy for the said bond debts and having therefore as advised caused application to be made in my behalf to the court of Denmark for the obtaining his Danish Majesty's order to the Governor of the said Island of St. Thomas to do me full and speedy justice ... matter of the said bond debts (in solliciting and waiting for which order I have now passed more than three years) and being although put in daily expectation of receiving such order I am preparing to embark for the said Island of Martinique in order to call upon the said Mr. Belome Joseph le Jeune for the said bonds and from there it is my intention to embark for the said island of St. Thomas in order...
to recover the profits and interests arising to me there by virtue of the documents and powers now in my hands grounded on the said Bonds, and from the said Island of St. Thomas it is my intention under the pleasure of God to return to my family at New York (with whom I have long and much desired to be) and to lose no time in giving all reasonable satisfaction as far as it shall be in my power to my creditors, but as this life is uncertain and it may please God to take me out of it before I can accomplish these being my intentions I do now (praised be God) in health and of sound memory make my last Will and Testament in manner and form following ...
I commend my soul to God's eternal mercy through the merits and direction of Jesus Christ, his only Son, and my blessed Redeemer in whom I hope for a happy resurrection where and by whose means soever it may please God that I depart this life and if it shall please Him to allow my death to be at home, I command the interrment of my body to the direction of my Executors hereafter named or to such of them or any one of them who shall be upon the places named should I die in my voyage to the said Island of St. Thomas or before I shall have recovered the profits and interests arising to me there as aforesaid, it is my will and desire that my Executors (with respect to the payment of my debts) do in the first place and without loss of time, seek to give satisfaction to my creditors out of the said profits and interests using all necessary or adviseable means for the recovery of the same, and not ... or dispose of any or any part of my other interests and possessions for the payment of my debts if what they may recover of the said interests and profits arising to me at the said Island of St. Thomas shall be sufficient for that purpose but in raising the monies they shall recover upon the said profits and interests shall not be sufficient to answer the whole of my debts it is my will and desire that they discharge the remainder out of the sale of such part of my other possessions or interests as they shall judge most proper for the interest of my children and what sale unto profits or interests soever they shall assign for the payment of my debts I give myself the comfort to hope that my creditors in consideration of my numerous fatigues, losses and misfortunes will be pleased to favour my memory and the well-being of wife and children so far as to be satisfied with the principal alone of my debts respectively and accept the same without interest thereon in full payment from the surplusage of my Estate which shall remain after the payment of my debts
I will and desire may be equally and share-and-share alike distributed among my children, male and female excepting that I will and desire that the sum of one hundred pounds ster. be extraordinary and over and above the share which shall fall to each of my children according to my Will above mentioned be given to my eldest son Daniel and excepting ... the thirds of such several surplusage which by law or custom in the British Dominions are to remain to and in the possession of my wife which thirds upon her decease I will and desire may be equally divided among my several surviving children whom it is my will and desire that my bonds debtors Mr. Samuel Baker, Mr. Francis Gourdon, merchants, and Mr. ... of the City of London, making two hundred and sixty pounds sterling be paid with all expedition and the first of all my debts because those gentlemen have in my highest generosity advanced to me in London (where I should have otherwise
been friendless and without money) the said sum to enable me to proceed to St. Thomas and to accomplish my affairs and I do hereby institute and appoint Mr. Samuel Baker above mentioned and Messrs. Johna dn Joseph Read, merchants in New York, together with my son Daniel at present at Rotterdam to be the executors of this my will and testament and do give and bequeath to each of them the sum of ten pounds sterling for mourning in witness whereof I shall here unto set my hand and seal in London, May the twenty-seventh in the year of our salvation one thousand seven hundred and thirty-two. Charles Crommelin, signed, sealed, published and declared by the said Charles Crommelin to be his last will in the presence of us, George Schultz, notary public, 1732, and Frost James Fleming.
Will Proved, 22 April 1740
This will was proved at London before the might sieur worshipful John Bottesworth, Doctor of Laws, Master Keeper or several Commissary of the prorogative court of Canterbury lawfully consituted the twenty-second day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and forty by the oath of Daniel Crommelin, the son of the said deceased, and one of the executors in the said Will named to whom administration was granted of all and singular the goods, chattels, and credits of the said deceased being first sworn by commission duly to adminisiter reserving power to make the life grant to Samuel Baker, John Read, and Joseph Reas the other executors whom they or either of them shall apply for the same.