Will of Paul Trimingham, 1689, Bermuda

Paul Trimingham, the son of John Trimingham, d.1655, died in 1689. He was the only son of John and Ann Trimingham of Bermuda. Paul, like many in his family, was a mariner. Paul was married to Jane Nicholls, daughter of John Nicholls. Jane died before her husband - she is mentioned in his will as his late wife. Jane and Paul had two children, John (John II, John the President, and Col. John) and Ann. Paul, like his parents and his son, lived in Paget.

In his will Paul mentions his son John who is not yet twenty-one. John receives one acre of common land at Hungry Bay. John is also to have his father's personal effects, including his seal ring, paying his sister twenty pounds. When Paul's sister, Bridget, wife of Jonothan Turner, dies, Paul is to give John his right to a share of land in Pembroke. His daughter Ann, is to receive the northern half share which was given to Jane, his late wife, the daughter of Mr. John Nicholls, when she reaches the age of 21 years or marries. She also receives the kitchen chamber and the use of the whole house and furniture belonging and standing in the porch chamber as well as thirty pounds. The Negroes and a shallop [a small open boat propelled by oars or sails and used chiefly in shallow waters] are to be divided equally between John and Ann, and if John dies without issue, Ann is to have the Mansion House and land. Paul then gives his friends William Green and Copeland Lea twenty pounds each to buy mourning rings in remembrance of him. In a later codicil he gives his daughter Ann four trees to build a house. The will was proved 26 June 1689.

William Green was probably the William Green who died in 1692 and who was married to Mary Watlington. This William was a half-brother of Elizabeth Green who was married to Capt. George Brent of Stafford County, Virginia. George and Elizabeth Green Brent were the grandparents of the George Brent who married Paul Trimingham's granddaughter, Catherine in 1730. In his will in 1692 William Green mentions his nephews and niece, children of Eliabeth and George Brent. Paul's sister Ann is not mentioned in his will, but her husband John is one of the witnesses to the codicil. The witnesses to his will are Peter Prudden, Sam Daffy and Nathaniel Butterfield - his daughter Ann's future husband.

When Paul wrote his will, the handwriting style was still the same as that used in his father's will, and difficult to read today. By the time his son John died in 1735, the handwriting had become much easier to read. Only the first page of Paul's will is shown above.

Bermuda Archives, Will Book 3, part 1, p.68-71. The contents of the will are from the abstract of the will by Julia E. Mercer in her Genealogical Notes, Microfilm Reel 605, p.10.


Related links
Trimingham family of Bermuda