This is the last Will and Testament of me William Ballard of Portsmouth in the County of Southon Sailmaker made this twenty third day of May one thousand seven humdred and fifty six I give my soul to God my Body to the Earth and as for and concerning my Wordly Affair I give devise bequeath and dispose thereof as follows that is to say. To Elizabeth Ballard the widow and Relict of my late son William Ballard Gentleman deceased the sum of five pounds. I give and devise all that freehold messuage tenement or dwelling house with the yards backsides and store houses thereunto belonging situate and being on the poynt in Portsmouth aforesaid now in my own possession And also all that leasehold messuage tenement or dwellinghouse with the yard backside and outhouses thereunto belonging situate in the High Street in Portsmouth aforesaid near the Magazine now in the possession of John Hartman And also all my household furniture plate stock in Trade Ready Money Securitys for Money and all other my Personal Estate of what kind or nature soever that I shall dye possessed of or be entitled unto at the time of my Death unto my son Samuel Ballard and Elizabeth Ballard my Daughter their heirs Executors and administrators Upon Trust that they and the survivor of them and the heirs executors and administrators of such survivor Do and shall so soon as conveniently can after my Decease absolutely sell and dispose of the said Messuages Tenements or Dwelling house And also all my household furniture plate stock in Trade and all other my Personal Estate hereby devised to them to be sold as aforesaid and divide the moneys arising by such sale or sales (after payment of my Debts Legacys funeral Expenses and the Expenses attending the putting this my will in Execution) into five Equal shares and proportions one fifth part or share whereof I direct my said son Samuel shall and may retain to his own use one other fifth part or share I direct my said daughter Elizabeth shall and may retain to her own use And I do hereby diret that one other fifth part of share thereof shall by my said Trustees be paid to Rachel the wife of Edward Baily And I do hereby further direct that one other fifth thereof shall by my said trustees and the survivor of them be put and placed to Interest and that the interest and profits of the last mentioned one fifth part shall go and be applied to the support and maintenance of my son John Ballard until he attain his age of twenty five years at which time I direct the principal of the said fifth part or share hereby directed to be placed to Interest for his benefit shall be paid to him the said John And I hereby further direct that the remaining fifth part or share shall by my said Trustees and the Survivor of them be put and placed to Interest and that the Interest and proceeds of the said last mentioned fifth part or share shall by my said trustees and the survivor of them be paid and applied to the support and maintenance of my daughter Rebecca Ballard until she attain her age of twenty two years or be married at which time I direct the principal of the said fifth part or share hereby directed to be placed to Interest for her benefit shall be paid to her the said Rebecca And my will and meaning is and I do hereby direct that in case he the said John should happen to dye before he attain his age of twenty five years or if it should happen that the said Rebecca should happen to dye before she attain her age of twenty two years and unmarried that then the share or part of him or her so dying under age aforesaid shall go and be paid unto such of my children as may be living at the time of the death of the said John or Rebecca And I do hereby declare and direct that the purchaser or purchasers of the messuages Tenements or Dwelling houses and premises hereby directed to be sold shall not be obliged to see the application of such purchase money nor be answerable for the misapplication thereof But that a receipt for such purchase money from my said Trustees shall be a sufficient discharge for the same And I do hereby make constitute and appoint my said son Samuel and my Daughter Elizabeth Executor and Executrix of this my last will and Guardians to my son and daughter John and Rebecca during their respective inorities. In Testimony whereof (hereby revoking all former wills by me made) I have hereto sett my hand and seal the day and year first within written Wm Ballard signed sealed published and declared by the said William Ballard as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who have hereunto sunscribed our names as witnesses thereto at the request and in the presence of the said Testator and in the presence of each other ~~ James Wilkinson ~ Francis Scarnele ~ John Bissell

This will was proved at London the seventh day of September In the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty six before the Right honourable Sir George Lee knight Doctor of Laws Master Keeper of Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the Oaths of Samuel Ballard and ELizabeth Ballard Spinster the Executors named in the said Will to whom administration was granted of all and singular the goods chattels and credits of the deceased having been first sworn by commission duly to administer.