John Trimingham of Paget, Bermuda, also known as Colonel John Trimingham, was the son of Paul Trimingham and Jane Nicholls of Bermuda, and the grandson of John Trimingham, d.1655, the first of the family in Bermuda and one of the early governors. John also served as president of the Council in Bermuda. This John laid the foundation of the shipping fleet for which the family was known for more than one hundred years. He also built Waterville, the family mansion, on land in Paget which went right down onto inner end of Hamilton Harbour. The cellars of Waterville where cargo from the shipping business was stored. John and his wife Jane had five children: three sons: Paul, John and Daniel; and two daughters, Jane and Catherine.
Catherine Trimingham married Robert Brent of Virginia about 1730 in Bermuda and they remained there a few years before sailing to Virginia to Woodstock, the Virginia plantation of the Brent family. Catherine died there in Stafford County on 21 January 1750/51.
John left a widow, Jane, and five children. Jane, his widow, died a few years later, in 1741 and two of their five children, Paul and Daniel, would die within a few years of their father's death. John wrote his will on 25 March 1735 and probate was on 3 June 1735. His inventory, dated 3 July 1736, ran to nine pages. The first page of the inventory is shown above.
In the name of God Amen the twenty-fifth day of March, 1735 I John Trimingham of Paget's Tribe Esq. being sick and weak in body but of perfect mind and memory do make and ordain this my last will and testament in manner and forme following, viz.:
Item I give and devise unto my eldest son Paul Trimingham my Mansion House outhouses with their appurtenances and my three shares... of land thereunto belonging all which I give unto him my said son Paul Trimingham and to his heirs lawfully to be begotten of his body for ever.
Item I give and devise unto my second son John Trimingham my three shares or...three shares of land and house wherein my daughter Jane Jones now dwells which I give unto my said son John and to his heirs lawfully to be begotten of his body for ever.
Item. I give and devise unto my third son Daniel Trimingham and to his heirs lawfully to be begotten of his body for ever all my land with their appurtenances...lying and...being in Warwick Tribe.
Item I give and devise unto my daughter Jane Jones my lands with their appurtenances whereon Anne Vaughan and Martha Darrell now dwells which I give unto her my said daughter and to her heirs lawfully begotten or to be begotten of her body for ever.
Item I give and devise unto my grandson Thomas Jones my lands with its appurtenances wherein Martha Hodgson widow now dwells, which I give unto my said grandson and to his heirs for ever.
Item It is my will that my dear and loving wife Jane Trimingham have and enjoy the one half of all my houses and lands during her naturall life. I also give unto my said wife my Negroe man Jacob and the one third part of all the remainder of my personall estate my debts and funerall charges be first paid and discharged.
Item I give and bequeath unto my son-in-law Thomas Jennour my Negro man Coby.
Item I give all the rest and residue of my personall estate as yet undisposed of equally to be divided between my five children viz: my sons Paul John and Daniel and my daughters Catherine Brent and Jane Jones and lastly I appoint my loving nephew Nathaniel Butterfield of Pagets Tribe and my three sons Paul John and Daniel executors of this my last will and testament and my loving friend Nathl Bascome of Warwick Tribe Esq. overseer of the same. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year above written.John Trimingham, His Mark
Related Links
Actual will of John Trimingham, 1735
The Trimingham family of Bermuda
The Bermuda connection to the Brent family of Virginia
The image above shows a copy of the first page of the inventory of the estate of Col. John Trimingham. The inventory was nine pages long and included items from the hall, chamber closets, outlets, entry below stairs, dining room, hall chamber, entry upstairs, parlour chamber, chamber over the dining room, linen, butery, kitchen, kitchen outlet and chamber, buttery outlets, and in the cellar; followed by a list of Negro slaves, cattle, sheep, hoggs, cash, and lumber.
Just a few of the numerous items: several looking glasses, a cedar round table, a bedstead with a set of calico curtains, a large cedar chest, one old leather trunk, one earthen punch bowl and three earthen chocolate cups, a silver tankard, a nutmeg grater, a silver hilted sword, one man’s saddle, one woman’s saddle, one large round Madeira table, one frying pann, one pair brass scales with a four pound weight one pound and half pound, six teacups and saucers, one tea table and tray, a parcel of soap, a parcel of shoe lasts, one chamber pot, two damask tablecloths, one large brass kettle, one large spitt. [spittoon?], one old well bucket, one grinding stone, three spinning wheels, one small barrel of cotton, one small barrel of wool, and two powering tubs [for wigs?].
Source: Will Book 7, pp.6, 32, Bermuda Archives, Reel 285.
