Genealogy Chat

In the will it says he left money to his 'natural and lawful brothers & 2 of his next of kin--he was a widower without child and intestate.

But I have found him on the 1861 census living with his wife and grandson.

Does anyone know about wills of that time. I would have thought that the money would have been left to his adult children or grandchildren?
They can't all have died.

Perhaps the grandson was actually his wife's grandchild, and not his?

I'm confused...and not sure I'm following this right. You start off saying "in the will it says....." but then you say he was a widower and intestate.

So, if he wrote a Will he's entitled to leave his money/belongings to anyone he wishes and in his case chose his natural and lawful brothers.
But if he died intestate, and a widower, perhaps no other family member survived him except his brothers (his wife etc dying in the years between 1861 and 1871), or if any grandchildren were alive perhaps they were minors.

K

Intestate means without a will but you have mentioned the will.

What you see in Probate is not the full content of a Will and to see it in full a copy can be bought,,,,,,,there can infact be Codicils also........

These named brother etc could have been just acting trustees to minors and written details are in the Will as to what they need to do.

it says:
on 15/2.1871 Letters of Administration of all and singular the personal Estate and Effects of William Heron late of Scotland road Liverpool.... deceased ,who died 3/1/1871 at Scotland Raod aforesaid a widower without child or parent and intestate were granted at the district regiserty attached to HM Court of Probate at Liverpool to Thomas Heron of.... and George Heron of......., the natural and lawful brothers and two of the next of kin of the deceased , they having been sworn duly to administer.
Effects under £450 no leaseholds.

So maybe this isn't a will. Any advice would be welcome. Thanks

This was sent to me from someone on Genes Reunited saying it was a will.

Letters of Administration are not a will they are awarded to somebody who applies for them after the death of somebody who has not left a will. So the natural and lawful brothers have been awarde letters of administration to sort out his effects.

I think I have that right, somebody will correct me if I am wrong.) He probably didn't think he had enough money to need to leave a will.

ok thanks for that. That's sorts it.