Will of Thomas Small of Sussex England
March 21 1747

In the Name of God Amen

Thomas Small of the parish of Mountfield in the County of Sussex, yeoman being in perfect health and of sound mind memory and understanding but considering the uncertainty of this transitory life DO make publish and declare this my last will and Testament in manner and form following (to wit)

I give and bequeath to my Daughter Mary who ____r married with Edward Trut[?] the sum of four[?] Shillings of lawful money of Great Britain to be paid to my said daughter by my executors herein Named. All the rest and residue of my personal Estate and all my real estate of what nature or kind soever that I shall be seised of or possed[sic] of or Interested in at the time of my Death

I fully give and devise unto my two sons Samuel Small and Thomas Small to be equally divided between them share and share alike. And I do hereby constitute and appoint my said two sons Samuel Small and Thomas Small my Executors of this my last will and Testament and I do hereby revoke all other wills by me made. In Witness whereof I have here unto set my hand and seal this 21st day of March in the year of our Lord 1747.

Thomas Small his Mark.

Signed Sealed published and declared to be his last will and Testament in the presence of us who have hereunto Subscribed our names.
William Davis
Lydia Davis
Chadk Chambers

The before registered will of Thomas Small decd was proved the twenty fourth day of September 1766 before the Reverend William Gewtling[?] Clerk surrogate to the worshipful Francis Simpson Doctor of Laws official general to the Reverend the Archdeacon of Canterbury Lawfully constituted by the Oaths of Samuel Small and Thomas Small the executors named in the said Will they being first sworn duly to perform the same.


While the will does not mention Marden, the index of registered wills in Kent, England through which I found this indicated Thomas as being from Marden/Mountfield, and as the record indicates, the will was registered in
Canterbury, Kent. A Thomas Small was buried in Marden, Kent on 16 December 1765, which is likely the fellow who wrote the will. In addition to my Samuel Small (with wife Elizabeth and children) there was also a Thomas Small (who would be my Samuel's brother per the will) in Marden by the 1760's.
This younder Thomas and wife Sarah had two children christened in Marden: Sarah on 23 May 1768, and Mary on 24 July 1772. This younger Thomas is probably the same Thomas that was buried in Marden on 5 February 1784.