Like all legal documents, perhaps especially wills of this age, they can be very wordy. Many might seem unnecessary and overcomplicated to all but the legal profession so rather than produce the whole will word for word initially I have just noted the parts which I feel are of interest and important to the story of George Baxter (GB).

The Last will and testament of John Baxter (JB) is dated 5th December 1853.

John Baxter starts by leaving “all my household furniture plate books linen and china unto my dear wife Charlotte Baxter”.

He then leaves all his real estate in trust. The trustees being William Edwin Baxter, GB’ s younger brother, and Francis Snelling, the husband of GB’s sister. The fact GB was not made a trustee or executor is something that GREATLY aggrieved Baxter and he wrote an open letter showing he felt he had been so badly treated.

The will continued that WE Baxter and F Snelling are to hold all the assets in Trust for the benefit of JB’s wife “to receive the rents interest and other annual proceeds arising therefrom for her own absolute use and benefit”. Upon her death they should then pay £600 to GB and split the balance between WE Baxter and Ann Snelling.

On writing the will on 1853, 5 years before his death JB would not have known what the value of his estate would be but he must have given it some thought as when stating that GB would receive £600 he also stated “and I hereby release him from all sums of money which I have from time to time advance to him to … in life together with all interest due thereon and which sums with the legacy of six hundred pounds hereby bequeathed to him will in my judgement be equivalent to the value of the property hereinafter given and bequeath to my other children”.

The will covers in detail how the situation would be handled should WE Baxter want to purchase the remaining two thirds of the property ‘Oaklands’, a third of which was already owned by him and also JB’s ‘dwelling house’ at 36 High Lewes.

On 5th May 1856 a codicil was added giving “a further sum of two hundred pounds to my said son George Baxter payable after the decease of my said wife”. Perhaps in the intervening two and half years JB felt his estate had grown and as such GB should get a larger payment.

A second codicil was added 4th March 1858 effecting how the monies would be paid to his daughter Ann. It amends his will to read “out of the money of the residue of my personal estate to pay the sum of £500 to the said Francis Snelling absolutely” and then the balance would then be put into a trust and the income paid “unto my said daughter Ann Snelling for her life for her own absolute use and benefit free from the control and engagements of her husband”. On her death those benefits and the value of the trust to pass to Frances Snelling or their children if he had already died. Presumably, as at that time, the assets of the wife belonged to the husband so this would ensure Ann did have an income that was totally hers.

In 1858 probate was declared and stated as having a value of ‘under £7000’. Most probate is worded similarly e.g. under £5,000 or under £1,000, so although it doesn’t give an exact figure even valued at £6000 that is substantial and works out at just under £1m as at 2026. I have not seen any mention of GB being unhappy with the amount he received under this will. Assuming JB’s probate was £6000 with GB receiving £800 in total JB must have valued the monies that he had given to GB during his lifetime at, very roughly, £1800, circa £285,000 as at 2026. Meaning that that all three parties would receive an inheritance equivalent to circa £2600.

For the people that would like to see more please find below my transcription of the complete will.
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Copy
This is the last will and testament of me John Baxter in the county of Sussex, printer bookseller and publisher.
I direct my executors hereinafter named to pay all my just debts funeral and testimonial expenses - I bequeath all my household furniture plate books linen and china unto my dear wife Charlotte Baxter absolutely - I devise and bequeath all my real estate and the rest and residue of my personal estate of what nature or kind so ever and where so ever the same may be situate unto my son William Edwin Baxter and my son-in-law Francis Snelling their heirs executors and administrators to hold the same to them the said William Edwin Baxter and Francis Snelling and the survivors of them his heirs executors and administrators for and during the life of my said wife upon trust to permit my said wife to receive the rents interest and other annual proceeds arising therefrom for her own absolute use and benefit and from and immediately after her decease then I direct my said trustees to pay to my son George Baxter the sum of six hundred pounds to whom I hereby bequeath such sum and I hereby release him from all sums of money which I have from time to time advance to him to ? in life together with all interest due thereon and which sums with the legacy of six hundred pounds hereby bequeathed to him will in my judgement be equivalent to the value of the property hereinafter given and bequeath to my other children and I devise and bequeath the residue of my said real and personal estate unto and equally between and amongst my said son William Edwin Baxter and my daughter Ann the wife of the said Francis Snelling their heirs executors administrators and assigns forever in equal shares and proportion as tenants in common and not in joint tenants and I hereby declare that if at any time after my decease and before the expiration of two years after the death of my said wife my said son William Edwin Baxter shall be desirous of purchasing the estate called Oaklands situate in the parish of Ringmer in the said county and my dwelling house situated and being 36 High Street in the parish of All Saints in Lewes aforesaid or either of them that then the said estate called Oaklands (in which I have an interest to the effect of two thirds) the remaining third belonging to my said son William Edwin shall either be valued by some competent person or submitted to sale by auction as may be determined on in writing by my said executors and that by reason of several buildings having been erected on the said estate at the joint expense of myself and my son William Edwin he my said son William Edwin shall have the option of purchasing my interest in such estate for a sum of money less (?) by £250 than the amount of such valuation on of the last bona fide bidding at such auction sale and I also declare that my said son William Edwin shall have the option of purchasing my said dwelling house in the High Street Lewes aforesaid at or for the sum of £600 and in case my said son William Edwin shall avail himself of the option of purchasing such my interest in the said estate called Oaklands and my said dwelling house or either of them that then and as such case my said trustees and the said Ann Snelling her heirs and assigns and all other necessary parties shall convey and appease unto him the said William Edwin Baxter his heirs and assigns all the share and interest hereinbefore devised and bequeathed to her and then respectively of on or to the said estate called Oaklands and of in or to my said dwelling house or of such of there as the said William Edwin Baxter shall elect to purchase anything here into before contained not withstanding and I declare that the receipts of my said trustees and executors for all monies and effects paid or delivered to them by virtue of this my will shall exonerate the parties taking the same from all liability to see to the application or disproportion of the money or affects therein mentioned - I exempt my trustees from liability for lapses occurring without their own respective wilful default and authorise them to retain all expenses incidental to the executors hereof - I appoint my said son William Edwin Baxter and my son in law the said Francis Snelling executors of this my will and lastly I revoke all former and other wills.
In testimony whereof I have to this my last Will and testament contained in this one sheet of paper subscribed my name at the foot or and hereof this fifth day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty three
(Signed) John Baxter
Signed ? in the presence of
W Pollhill Kell Lewes solr
Wm Watts Lewes accountant
This is a codicil to the last Will and testament of me John Baxter of Lewes in the county of Sussex printer bookseller and publisher whereas I have in and by my last Will and testament bearing date on or about the fifth day of December one thousand eight hundred and fifty three made a bequest to my son George Baxter of the sum of six hundred pounds payable after the decease of my dear wife Charlotte now I do hereby give and bequeath a further sum of two hundred pounds to my said son George Baxter payable after the decease of my said wife and in all other respects I confirm my said will
In testimony ? signed 5th May 1856
(Signed) John Baxter
Signed ? in the presence of
W Watts Lewes
Edwd Junner (?)

This is a second codicil to the last Will and testament of me John Baxter of Lewes in the county of Sussex gentleman whereas I have in and by my last will and testament dated on or about the fifth day of December one thousand eight hundred and fifty three devised and bequeathed from and after the decease of my dear wife Charlotte our undivided moiety of the residue of my real and personal estate unto my daughter Ann the wife of Francis Snelling her heirs executors administrators and assigns - now I hereby alter and revoke the said devise and bequest and do devise and bequeath the same moiety unto my trustees of my will William Edwin Baxter and Francis Snelling their heirs executors administrators and assigns upon trust out of the moiety of the residue of my personal estate to pay the sum of £500 to the said Francis Snelling absolutely and upon further trust to stand possessed of the remainder of the moiety of my real and personal estate upon trust at their discretion to sell and convert the same into money and invest the same in some good mortgage or mortgages government or real security and to pay the interest ? or dividends thereof unto my said daughter Ann Snelling for her life for her own absolute use and benefit free from the control and engagements of her husband and for which her receipts alone shall be sufficient discharge to my said trustees and upon further trust from and after the decease of my said daughter to pay such dividends interest or annual proceeds unto the said Francis Snelling for his life and upon further trust after the decease of the survivor of them my said daughter and her said husband to pay distribute and divide the said remainder of the moiety of my said real and personal estate unto and amongst all and every their children of my said daughter who shall be then living in equal shares and proportions and in all other respects same and except as the same may have been allowed by any former codicil I hereby confirm my said will
Dated 4th March 1858
(Signed) John Baxter
In witness ?
Signed ?
W Polhill Kell Lewes Solr
Wm Watts Lewes Accountant
Menr (?)
John Baxter died 12th of Nov 1858 and the will was proved shortly after
Charlotte Baxter died 8th of February 1868 and the will was proved in February or March