WILL:
WRITTEN 8 JULY 1703, KINGSTON, JAMAICA. 1
PROBATE: 14 NOV. 1706, LONDON, ENGLAND. 2
(in the form of a letter to brother John)
Kingston, Jamaica, 8th July 1703. Dear Brother. It is now about a week since I received two letters from you, the one dated in November the other in January, in which I had one inclosed from sister de Bary. I am just crawld out of a very severe ffeaver, and after that ffeaver an Ague, which by the help of God and the Jesuits Bark is gone, but shall be some time before I recover my strength. About three weekes since had a letter from you wife who has been sick of a ffeaver but recovered. (Here follows a passage in cypher). He serve her in everything lyes in my power. And now I must tell you that on the fourth instant by the packett Boat I received a letter from my Brother Otgher with an account of my Mother's death. When I consider how little advantage she had of liveing it is my opinion she is in the happier state now. I here send you a coppy of part of the letter that my brother Otgher sent me. Pray take noe notice of haveing received any letter from me -- it will doe me a diskindness.
"She has made me (he writes) her sole executrix, but your brother John has thought fitt to enter a Caveat against my Administring, and will perhaps make me spend some money which would have done you and others good. There will be nothing comeing to him, and indeed his circumstances is very bad. He hath done very ill to come from his wife and children at Carolina to serve the Coll: who is but in bad circumstances himself. He thinketh to frighten me by his rough course, and force me to comply with him, but he hath mistaken his man. Your mother's estate is already by losses and by her weakness greatly reduced -- which is none of my fault. She has left you 20(l) for mourning and 1/5 of the Residue, you allowing 360(l) out of it which she formerly advanced you. I doubt not something will be comeing to you but can make you noe dividend till I have done with your brother. Your brother is to pay 620(l) which he had advanced to him before he is to have his 1/2 of the estate. I am sure he will be a debtor to the estate and, if he crosse me, can charge him with more. I heare he lodgeth in the Fleet, where he will have noe good Councell given him. But I value not the worst he can doe."
The Baggs just goeing so cannot inlarge. Since we are all mortall, and a little I have to expect, I here tell you I make you my sole executor in case of Mortality, designing to make my will and leave you all I can lay claime to. My service to honest Tony, and all friends who ask after (me). I am in hast, dear Jack, your truely loving brother, Ben Dogett. To Mr John Doggett, Probatum decimo quarto Novembris, 1706, juramento Johanis Dogett fratris, unici executoris in humodo testamento nominat. Commissary of London, Will Book, 1706-7, fo. 166.
RETURN
Sources:
1. Cited in his will.
2. Dated in his will as researched by James. D. Doggett.
Page last updated 6 October 2008.