Hello Neal The SFHG website lists this will as being in their will depository from which transcripts can be obtained. I think William Dent is of Westmeston and John is John Friend late of Hurstpierpoint. Sorry I cannot decipher the surname of Allan and Mary. Hope this helps Janice 2374 On 23/02/15 17:44, Neal Ward via wrote: > Dear Listers, > > > > I'm having great difficulty with the handwriting in the 1802 will of Mary Ward of West Grinstead. She was the widow of Richard Ward (1724 - 1799), and as far as I know they did not have any children. > > > > The only marriage I can find that could fit is a clandestine marriage at the Fleet, July 19th 1749, of Richard Ward to Mary Bailey. The marriage record has no further details, not even their place of residence, so I would really like to find some other evidence of Mary's maiden name. > > > > Her will (which is on Ancestry) mentions a number of individuals, but its very hard to correctly transcribe their names. The first name of interest is in the 5th line where she says > > "and I give and bequeath unto my Cousin William Dent (?) of Westgrinstead in the county aforesaid (Sussex) husbandman.." > > > > I cannot find a William Dent born in the right period anywhere in Sussex, and there is no William Dent in the SMI. As it happens I already have a William Dent from a later period on my tree as I have a Kate Ward marrying a William Dent in Brighton in 1891, but this William Dent came all the way from Northumberland and his parents came from there too. > > > > A couple of lines later Mary Ward says "unto Mary ----- the wife of Allen ---- of Ditchling in the said county plumber and glazier the sum of fifty pounds", then she says "and unto John ---- --- of Hurstpierpoint. > > > > Can anyone help me to correctly transcribe these names (and any others in the will they care to look at!)? > > > > Many Thanks > > > > Neal Ward 9743 > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to SFHG-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message