Testament Dative of James Fermer, died 1763
James Fermer (James Farmer) died, without leaving a will, in 1763. His complete testament does not survive; we only have the warrant containing the inventory which lists his moveable possessions at the time of his death. Reading through the document gives a fascinating glimpse into the life of a former inhabitant of the parish.
There is a commentary on his belongings, and the historical information which this document gives us, on Jottings (the blog).
The original can be viewed & purchased at the ScotlandsPeople website, Wills and Testaments, CC20/6/40, James Fermer or Farmer 1763.
This page has both a translation into modern vocabulary and a transcript of the original Scots further down. There are a few words which I could not translate and these are given in italics. The Dictionary of the Scots Language was used, as well as Chambers Scots Dictionary, compiled by Alexander Warrack, published 1911.
First, a modern translation of the document:
The Testament Dative (he left no will) and Inventory (list of moveable belongings) of the deceased James Fermer late Vintner at St Davids, Dundee Water Side within the parish of Forgan alias St Phillans and Sheriffdom of Fife at the time of his decease which was upon the [blank] day of [blank] 176[blank] given by Agnes Reid, his widow and executrix after due citation of the Commissary of St Andrews dated the 13 July 1763.
The widow gives this list of the effects of the deceased estimated and valued as follows:
- First, a cow called Pretty Foot valued at one pound ten shillings
- a heifer Nancy, at one pound four shillings
- a heifer Janet at thirteen shillings & four pence
- a horse punch at five pounds
- another punch black horse at fifteen shillings
- another punch grey horse at six shillings
- another punch powale at six shillings
- a corn cart at two shillings
- a muck cart & wheels at two pounds
- three harrows with teeth six shillings
- one harrow without teeth at one shilling
- a plough at five shillings
- a chaise harness at three pounds
- two corn forks & two rakes at eight pence
- two flails, three sacks & a sack for grain at three shillings & three pence
- a pair of iron harness, an iron back rope, a cart saddle & harness at three shillings
- two pairs of cart harness & three pair of plough harness at one shilling & six pence
- two pairs of horse riding pads at two pence
- three saddles & three bridles, a pad & saddle at seven shillings
- six dozen & a half of birch cabers* at eight shillings
- three racks for fodder for horses & three mangers at five shillings
- two grapes, two shovels & kail hoe at one shilling & six pence
- a dung fork & hoe at one shilling & two pence
- a turfing spade & dyke spade, two riddles, two sieves, five weights at three shillings & two pence
- a ladder, wheelbarrow & riddle for the mill at two shillings & four pence
- a pair of fanners for winnowing & two firlot corn measures at twelve shillings
- two multure chests* & meal chest at sixteen shillings
- four beaters & iron stakes at one shilling
- a ca[w]er, a bowl for stale urine, a tub for pickling beef & two washing tubs at one shilling & four pence
- a yard spade & four parts of a flail at six pence
- a movable loft above the coal house at three shillings
- two beds in the cellar at ten shillings & six pence
- a cupboard, a plank of timber & a door at two shillings & ten pence
- The mill balance and brand at one shilling & six pence
- three half anker measures & an odd cask at nine pence
- ten chairs in the kitchen & a horse chest at four shillings
- a cupboard, a large & little table in the kitchen at three shillings & eight pence
- two shelves & two wooden salt boxes in the kitchen at one shilling & two pence
- a bed, five pots & two kettles in the kitchen at ten shillings & sixpence
- a water tub & six milk buckets at two shillings
- three wooden plates, two wooden bowls, three large wooden plates & ladle at eight pence
- a tea kettle & fireplace stand at two shillings & five pence
- a kitchen fireplace toaster, grid iron, tongs, fire shovel & fireplace crook at eight shillings
- a girdle spit, two pairs smoothing irons & heater at four shillings & six pence
- a frying pan & copper tea kettle at three shillings
- a pair of bellows, an axe & two oil lamps at one shilling & eight pence
- a spoon basket & six horn spoons at eight pence
- six tin spoons, three pint jugs & tin tea kettle at four shillings & six pence
- six tin plates, a basin, two dozen large wooden plates & three salt cellars at one pound
- two pairs of brass candlesticks & mortar at four shillings
- one dozen forks & knives, a half dozen breakfast knives at two shillings & six pence
- seven chairs in east downstairs room at three shillings
- in same room two chairs, tea table & little table & cupboard at three shillings & eightpence
- in same room a bed & cupboard at one pound
- in back room a box bed & cupboard at one pound five shillings
- an eight-day clock at two pounds ten shillings
- a fireplace tongs, poker & pot support & grate at two shillings & six pence
- one dozen broth & one dozen flat plates, three large plates & a big broth plate, all stone, at six shillings
- two stone bowls & two delft bowls at four shillings
- two delft mugs & two large plates at one shilling
- a dozen glasses, a crystal mug, water glass, a punch spoon, two crystal bottles, two crystal salt cellars & a crystal crood at four shillings & two pence
- two gill measures, a mutchkin measure, a half mutchkin measure, a mustard box, a half gill measure & serving spoon at one shilling & eight pence
- half a dozen china cups & saucers at two shillings
- four china cups & five saucers at two shillings & six pence
- three tea pots, four small bowls & two milk jugs at one shilling
- half a dozen chairs in upper east room at eight shillings
- seven chairs in same room at one shilling & eight pence
- a long chair, fireplace tongs, poker & shovel at four shillings & six pence
- a folding table & tea table at eight shillings & six pence
- a bed stead and bed & window curtains at one pound five shillings
- a looking glass at two shillings
- a bed stead & curtains in front room at eight shillings
- a chest of drawers in same roomat seven shillings
- a chest, commode & two tin chamber pots at five shillings & six pence
- half a dozen chairs, cupboard & grate at six shillings
- two fireplace fronts at one shilling and four pence
- a table, two hair brooms & a chest at four shillings & two pence
- two chests & a small barrel for boiling oats at three shillings & seven pence
- five half anker* measures & one whole anker measure at two shillings & four pence
- two wool-spinning wheels at one shilling & six pence
- an old reel for winding yarn & a copper kettle at four shillings & two pence
- three churns, two wooden butter barrels, a hen coop & barrel at two shillings
- two cheese vats, a cask, flax-spinning wheel & old bed at three shillings & four pence
- a chest of old drawers at one shilling
- four big stone bottles at three shillings
- three striking parts of a flail & three pairs cows' halters at seven pence
- a feather bed bolster & pillows in upper east room at one pound one shilling
- a set of blankets at thirteen shillings & four pence
- a feather bed bolster & pillows in east front room at thirteen shillings & four pence
- a set of blankets & bed cover at ten shillings
- two dozen pieces of linen at one pound four shillings
- five table cloths at eleven shillings & six pence
- four pairs of small bed sheets at one pound
- four pairs coarse bed sheets at twelve shillings
- three pairs of old bed sheets at four shillings & six pence
- one dozen old pieces of linen at one shilling & six pence
- four small towels at two shillings
- three bed sheets at five shillings
- a set of blankets & bed cover at five shillings
- a feather bed bolster & pillows in lower room at thirteen shillings & four pence
- a set of blankets & bed cover at six shillings & eight pence
- a set of blankets at five shillings
- two sets of old blankets at ten shillings
- four chaff beds & one dozen pillowcases at six shillings & six pence
- ten dozen bottles, a barrel for oatmeal, bottle drainer, filler & white vion jug at twelve shillings & nine pence
- a pair of clips for carrying a barrel, a peck & a lippie measure, a stand for barrels & old side saddle at three shillings & six pence
- a cane staff & horse whip at two shillings
- two suits of clothes & a big coat at two pounds
- a dung cart at one shilling & two pence
- a feather bed bolster & pillows in west room at thirteen shillings & four pence
- a set of blankets & bed cover at ten shillings
- an eighth part of the St David boat at four pounds
- one boll of wheat sown supposed may produce eight bolls at five pounds six shillings & eight pence
- four bolls of barley sown supposed to produce twelve bolls giving six pounds
- nine bolls and a half of oats sown supposed to produce twenty seven bolls at thirteen pounds ten shillings
- grass & produce of the kale yard valued at two pounds all Sterling money
The sum of the said inventary is £79 - 6 - 2d. Sterling which is £951 - 14 - 0d. Scots money (barring errors in the calculations).
The inventory of the deceased James Fermer, 1763, confirmation recorded 28th July 1763, legal costs £30 - 15 - 4d.
* caber : pole; beam; rafter; large stick; small pieces of wood laid on rafters under the roofing; transverse beams in a kiln for drying grain
* multure chest : chest for holding the multure - the toll of meal taken by a miller for grinding corn
* anker : a dry measure, like a firlot, for measuring potatoes, salmon or butter
Secondly, a transcript of the original Scots:
The Testament Dative and Inventary of the Goods Gear and
Debts of Umqle. James Fermer late Vintner at St Davids Dundee
Water Side within the parish of Forgan alias St Phillans
and Sherriffdoom of Fife The Time of his decease which
was upon the [blank] day of [blank] Jaivij and sixty
[blank] years ffaithfully made and Given up by Agnes Reid
Exetrix Dative qua Relict Decernd to the Said Defunct / after
due Citation by publick Edict &c.of the Com
missary of St Andrews Dated the Therteenth day of
July Jaivij and Sixty three years
The said Exetrix Gives up for Confirmation the Effects
and Moveables following belonging to the said Defunct the time
of his death foresaid And were Estimate and appretiate
as follows Imprs. A Cow calld pretty foot valued at one pound
ten shillings It. A Quoy Nancy, at one pound four shillings
It. A Quoy Janet at therteen shillings & four pence It. A horse
punch at five pounds It. Another Do. Black horse at fifteen
shillings It. Another Do. Gray horse at six shillings It. Another Do.
powale at six shillings It. a Corn Cart at two shillings It. a Muck
Cart & wheels at Two pounds It. three harrows with teeth six shillings
It. one Do. without teeth at one shilling It. a plough at Five shillings
It. a Chaise harnessing at three pounds It. two Corn forks & two rakes
at Eight pence It. two flails three sacks & a draff pock at three shillings
& three pence It. a pair of Iron hearns, an Iron back rope, a Cart saddle
& brechim at three shillings It. two pair of Cart hearns & three pair
of plough hearnss at one shilling & six pence It. two pair of horse Cods at
two pence It. three saddles & three briddles a pad & pullyen at
seven shillings It. Six Dozen & an half of birk Cabbers at Eight shillings
It. three horse hakes & three mangers at five shillings It. two grapes, two
Shools & kail how at one shilling & six pence It. a Muck hawk &
how at one shilling & two pence It. a flaughter spade & dyke Do.
two riddles two sives five wights at three shillings & two pence
It. a ladder heorl barrow & miln harp at two shillings & four pence
It. a pair of fanners & two forlots at twelve shillings It. two multure
Chests & meal Girnel at sixteen shillings It. four beathers & iron
stakes at one shilling It. a Ca[w]er, a masterboat, a beef Do & two
washing tubs at one shilling & four pence It. a yard spade &
four swingle trees at six pence It. a movable loft
above the Coal house at three shillings It. two Beds in the Cellar at ten
shillings & six pence It. a press, a Deal & a Door at two shillings &
ten pence It. The Miln bauck & Boost at one shilling & six pence
It. three half Ankers & an odd Cask at nine pence It. ten Chairs in the
kitchen & horse Chest at four shillings It. A press a large & little table
in the kitchen at three shillings & eight pence It. two Shelfs & two Salt back-
ets in do. at one shilling & two pence It. a Bed five pots & two kettles in Do.
at ten shillings & sixpence It. a water tub & six milk Cougs at two shillings
It. three timber plates two Caps three Do trenchers & laddle at eight pence It. a
Tea kettle & winters at two shillings & five pence It. a kitchen Chimney
toaster brander, tongs fire Shovel & Crook at eight shillings It. a Girdle
Spite, two pair smoothing Irons & heater at four shillings & six pence
It. A frying pan & Copper tanker at three shillings It. a pair of bellows
an Ax & two oil lamps at one shilling & eight pence It. Spoon Creel
& Six horn Spoons at eight pence It. Six tin spoons three pint stoups & tin tanker
at four shillings & six pence It. Six tin plates a bason & two dozen
trenchers & three Salt foots at one pound It. two pair of brass Candlestick
& Mortar at four shillings It. one Dozen forks & knives & half Dozen
breakfast Do. at two shillings & six pence It. Seven Chairs in East laigh room at three
shillings It. In Do. two Chairs Tea table & little Do. & Cup board
at three shillings & eightpence It. In Do., a bed & press at one pound It.
In back room A Bed press & Cupboard at one pound five shillings
It. an Eight days Clock at Two pounds ten shillings It. a fore face tongs
pocker & Cran & Chimney piece at two shillings & six pence It. one Dozen broath & one Do. of
flate plates three Ashets & big broath plate all stone at six shillings It. two stone bowlls
& two delph Do. at four shillings It. two delfth mugs & two ashets at one shilling It. a
Dozen Glasses a Chrystal mug water glass a punch spoon two Chrystal bottles two Do.
Salt foots & a chrystal crood at four shillings & two pence It. two gill stoups a mutchkin
Do. a half Mutchken Do. a Mustard box a half gill stoup & parting spoon at one shilling
& eight pence It. half a dozen China Cups & Saucers at two shillings It. four Do.
cups & five saucers at two shillings & six pence It. Three Tea pots, four
smal bowls & two milk stoups at one shilling It. half a Dozen Chairs
in upper East room at Eight shillings It. Seven Do. in Do. at one shilling &
eight pence It. a Resting Chair Chimney tongs pocker & shovel at four shillings
& six pence It. a folding table & Tea Do. at at Eight shillings & six pence
It. a Bed Stead & Bed & window hangers at one pound five shillings It. a looking
Glass at two shillings It. a Bed Stead & hangers in fore room at Eight
shillings It. a Chest of Drawers in Do. at seven shillings It. a Chest, Chamber
Box & two Tin Chamber pots at five shillings & six pence It. half a Dozen Chairs
Cupboard & Chimney piece at six shillings It. two fore faces at one shilling and
four pence It. a table two hair besoms & Chest at four shillings & two
pence It. two Chests & sown boat at three shillings & seven pence
It. five half Ankers & ane whole Do. at two shillings & four pence
It.two wool wheels at one shilling & six pence It. an old
Cheek reel & Copper kettle at four shillings & two pence It. three kirns
two butter kitts, a hen Crib & boat at two shillings It. two Cheese fits
a Cask, lint wheel & old bed at three shillings & four pence It. a Chest
of old drawers at one shilling It. four big stone bottles at three
shillings It. three Supples & three pair Cows branks at seven pence It. a
feather bed bolstor & pillows in upper East room at one pound one
shilling It. a bedding of blankets at therteen shillings & four pence
It. a feather bed bolstor & pillows in East fore room at thirteen shillings
& four pence It. a bedding of blankets & bed cover at ten shilling
It. two Dozen Napry at one pound four shillings It. five table
Cloaths at Eleven shillings & six pence It. four pair of smal bed
Sheets at one pound It. four pair Coarse Do. at twelve shillings
It. three pair of old Do. at four shillings & six pence It. one dozen
old Napry at one shilling & six pence It. four Servets at two shillings
It. three bed sheets at five shillings It. a bedding of blankets & bed cover
at five shillings It. a feather bed bolster & pillows in laigh
room at thirteen shillings & four pence It. a bedding of
blankets & Bed Cover at six shillings & eight pence It. a bedding of
blankets at five shillings It. two beddings of old Do. at ten shillings
It. four Chalf beds & one Dozen of pillowvers at six shillings & six pence
It. ten Dozen bottles a Meal stand bottle drainer filler & white vion Jug
at twelve shillings & nine pence It. a pair of Clips a peck & lippie
a Gawntriee & old Side Saddle at three shillings & six pence
It. a Cane Staff & horse wheep at two shillings It. two suit of
body Cloaths & big Coat at two pounds It. a Muck Coop at
one shilling & two pence It. a feather bed bolster & pillows in
west room at therteen shillings & four pence It. a bedding of
blankets & bed cover at ten shillings It. an Eight part of the
St David boat at four pounds It. one boll of wheat sown supposd
may produce eight bolls at five pounds six shillings & eight
pence It. four bolls barley sown supposd to produce twelve
Bolls inde six pounds It. Nine bolls and a half of oats
sown supposd to produce twenty seven bolls at thirteen
pounds ten shillings It. for Grass & produce of the keal
yard valued at Two pounds all Sterling money
Summa of the said Inventary is Seventy
Nine pounds Six Shillings and two pence
Sterling inde Nine hundred and fifty
one pounds fourteen shillings Scots money.
Salvo justo Calculo
/ 79..6..2 /
12
-----
158
79
-----
948
3..14
---------
951..14
£79= 6=2
12
---------
£951=14=0
Inventary Umqle James Fermer 1763
28th July 1763 Confirmed and Extracted
Fees
Commt. £12.12.0
Clk & ffis 12.12.0
[Fo.ls] 3. 8.0
Edict 2. 3.4
-------------------
£30.15.4
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