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Facts and Events
Martha Squire’s origins have yet to be established. Her first confirmed sighting is on 21st October 1739 when she married a gardener called Edward Tuff at Wootton Bassett in Wiltshire.
Martha and Edward stayed in Wootton Bassett after their marriage, and they had at least seven children. Baptisms have only been found for five of them, but Martha and Edward’s wills make clear there were two others. (The baptisms register for Wootton Bassett in the 1740s is quite badly damaged in places with many entries apparently lost.) Martha and Edward’s eldest daughter died when only a few days old in 1740.
At least three of Martha and Edward’s children married in Wootton Bassett: Mary in 1768, and Bartholomew and Thomas both in 1771. Martha and Edward had several grandchildren born in their lifetimes.
Martha’s son Bartholomew died aged 21 in 1773, leaving a widow and baby son.
Edward wrote his will in April 1777. By that time he owned two houses in Wootton Bassett, one of which was rented out to his son John, and the other, on the street called Buthay, was rented to a David Arnold. Edward left the house that John rented from him to John, on condition that he paid Martha an allowance of forty shillings a year. That allowance was to transfer to Edward and Martha’s granddaughter Martha Ovens (their daughter Mary’s daughter) after Martha’s death, until Martha Ovens reached the age of sixteen. Edward left the house on Buthay to Martha for her lifetime, after which it was to pass to their son Thomas.
Edward died a few months after writing his will. He was buried at Wootton Bassett on 23rd November 1777. His age is not recorded, but he and Martha had been married for 38 years.
Martha’s son Richard, who was 17 when his father died, joined the army and travelled to the Caribbean island of Sint Eustatius, presumably as part of the short-lived British capture of the island from the Dutch in 1781, during the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War. Richard was believed to have been killed at Sint Eustatius.
In April 1784 Martha wrote her own will, part of the purpose of which was to determine what happened to the portion of Edward’s estate that was supposed to have gone to Richard. Martha said of Richard that “…it is Presumed and given out that he was killed at Saint Ustatia…”. She indicated that his share of Edward’s estate should pass instead to her son Thomas.
Martha survived Edward by just over eight years. She was buried at Wootton Bassett on 3rd January 1786.
References
- ↑ Church of England. Wootton Bassett Parish Registers, 1584-1938. (Chippenham: Wiltshire Record Office).
Buried / 1786 / Jan[uary] 3d Martha Tuff Widow
- Probate Records of the Archdeaconry of Wiltshire (Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre, Chippenham)
P1/T/546.
This is the last Will and Testament of me Martha Tuff the Widow of Edward Tuff late of Wootton Bassett in the County of Wilts Gardener deceased made the Twenty Sixth day of April in the Year of our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and Eighty Four First I will and direct that my Just Debts Funeral Expences and the Costs of proving this my Will be paid and Discharged by my Executor herein after named out of my Personal Estate herein after Bequeathed Whereas in and by the last Will and Testament of my said Husband the Sum of Thirty Pounds are given to my Son Richard Tuff Three Months after my Decease to be paid him by my Executors and Administrators And Whereas my said Son Richard Tuff a few years since Enlisted into one of his Majestys Regiments and it is Presumed and given out that he was killed at Saint Ustatia if it shall so turn out that he is dead without making any Will or disposal of the said Sum of Thirty Pounds I do hereby as the legal representative of the said Richard Tuff Give and Bequeath all my Right Title and Interest of in and to the said Legacy or Sum of Thirty Pounds to my Son Thomas Tuff my Executor herein after named I Give and Bequeath to my Granddaughter Martha Ovens The Feather bed in the Room over the Kitchen, one Bolster, one Pillow, one pair of Blanketts, Two Sheets and One Bed quilt, Also I give to the said Martha Ovens half a Dozen Pewter Plates, Three Pewter Dishes, one Chest of Drawers now in my Son John Tuffs Possession, one Oak Table, one Tea Table, Two Boxes, Two flat Irons, one Box and Clamps, one Boiling Pott, one pair of Bellows, one pair of Andirons, Firepan and Tongs, one Tea Kettle and One little Kettle I Give to my Sons John Tuff and William Tuff one Shilling each All the rest residue and remainder of my Goods and Chattels not otherwise disposed of by this my Will estate and Effects Sum and Sums of Money Securities for Money I shall Die possessed of or be entitled unto I Give and Bequeath to my Son Thomas Tuff who I hereby nominate and Appoint whole and Sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I have to this my Will set my Hand and Seal the day and year first above written / The Mark of X Martha Tuff
Signed Sealed Published and Declared by the Testatrix to be her last Will and Testament in the presence of us who have Subscribed our Names as Witnesses thereto and at her request}
?Ste? Stout / Kedg? Stout} both of Wootton Bassett aforesaid
At Devizes 20th July 1786 the sole Ex[ecu]tor was duly sworn before me Geo[rge] Jaques Surrogate
35. Wootton Bassett
The Will of Martha Tuff Widow dece[ase]d
This Will was prov[e]d at Devizes on the 26th day of July 1786 before the Rev[eren]d George Jacques C.D. lawful Surr[ogate] of the Worship Sir Cha[rle]s Gould Kn[igh]t D[octo]r of Laws Chanc[ello]r of the Diocese of Sarum and by him Admin[istration] of the Effects of the Test[at]rix was granted to Thomas Tuff her lawful Son the sole Ex[ecu]tor within nam[e]d being first sworn to the Truth of the Will to p[er]form the same to make a true & p[er]fect Inve[ntor]y & render a just acc[oun]t when lawfully req[uire]d
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