John FRYER - (Abt. 1726 - Abt. 1771)

There was a baptism in the parish of Arlingham, Gloucestershire, of a John FRYER on 15th October 1726, the son of John FRYER of Overton.

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As the eldest son, John, a yeoman, inherited much of his father's estate and even more after the death of his mother as outlined below in the will of his father (John FRYER 1695-1757)...

In the Name of God Amen I John Fryer of Overton in the Parish of Arlingham in the County of Gloucester Yeoman being sick and weak in Body But Blessed be God of a Sound mind memory and Understanding Do make Publish and declare this to be my Last Will and Testament in manner following (that is to say) First I Give and Devise unto my Eldest Son John Fryer All and every my Freeheld Closes Pieces? and Parcels of Arable Land Meadow and Pasture ground with their and every of their Hereditaments thereto belonging situate lying and being in the aforesaid Parish of Arlingham To Hold to my said son John Fryer his heirs and Assigns forever Charged and Chargeable nevertheless with the Payment of the Several Legacies or sums of money by ? hereinafter given to my sons and Daughters Thomas Fryer Elizabeth Fryer Hannah Fryer Joseph Fryer and Sophia Fryer and payable to them in manner following ( that is to say ) To my son Thomas Fryer the sum of Thirty Pounds to be paid to him at his age of Twenty Four Years or day of Marriage which shall first happen To my Daughter Elizabeth Fryer the sum of thirty Pounds to be paid to her at her age of Twenty one Years or day of Marriage which shall first happen To my Daughter Hannah Fryer and son Joseph Fryer the sum of thirty Pounds a piece Likewise to be paid to them at their several Ages of One and Twenty Years or days of Marriage which shall first happen To my Daughter Sophia Fryer the sum of Thirty Pounds to be Likewise Paid to her at her age of One and Twenty Years or day of Marriage which shall first happen Also I further Give and Devise unto my said Son John Fryer after the Death of my dearly beloved wife Mary All that Moiety of and in all That Close of Meadow or pasture ground situate lying and Being in the aforesaid Parish of Arlingham and usually? called or known by the name of Towny Mead with its Hereditaments to Hold to my said Son John Fryer his heirs and Assigns forever Charged and Chargeable nevertheless with the payment of the Sum of Forty Pounds unto my Daughter Sophia Fryer and I Do hereby Accordingly Give and Bequeath unto my said Daughter Sophia Fryer the sum of Forty Pounds Charged and to be paid to her out of the Last devised promise? in Six Months after the death of my Mary my said Wife in case my said Daughter Sophia shall have attained her age of Four and Twenty Years And in case She shall not have Attained her said Age of Twenty four Years at the death of my said Wife Then I do hereby order and direct that her said Legacy of Forty pounds shall not be paid to her till She have Attained her said age of Twenty four Years Provided always and my Will is that in case any or Either of my said sons and Daughters Thomas Fryer Elizabeth Fryer Hannah Fryer Joseph Fryer and Sophia Fryer shall happen to die before their said several Ages or days of Marriage Then I Give and Devise the Legacy of him her or them so dying and unmarried as aforesaid unto my said son John Fryer his heirs and Assigns for ever Also I Give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Mary Wife of Robert Knight and to my son Richard Fryer one Guinea apiece to be paid them in Six Months after my death Also I Give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Ann the Wife of James Wildy ? the Sum of Five Pounds of Lawful British money to be Paid her in Six Months next after my Death I Do hereby Will order and direct that my Executrix by me hereinafter named do and Shall in Two Years next after my Decease pay to my Sister Hannah Fryer the remaining part of a Legacy of Fifty Pounds which is now due to her from me and given her on? my late deceased fathers Will Also I Give to my said Son John Fryer One Silver Cup All the rest residue and Remainder of my Goods Credits? Chattels and Personal Estate whatsoever and wheresoever My debts Legacies and funeral Expenses being first Paid and Discharged I Give and Bequeath unto my dearly beloved Wife Mary Also? I do hereby make nominate Constitute and appoint to be whole and Sole Executrix of this my Last Will and Testament And I do hereby revoke and make void all former and other Wills by me heretofore Either made or declared In Witness whereof I have to this my Last Will and Testament contained in one whole Sheet of Paper and Part of Another Sheet to the first Sheet I have set my hand and to the second or Last Sheet I have set my Hand and Seal this Seventeenth day of August In the year of our Lord One Thousand seven Hundred and Fifty Six

Signed Sealed Published and declared by the Testator himself to be his Last Will and Testament in the Presence of Us And also Attested by us in the Sight and Presence and at the request of the said Testator and in the Presence of each other

[signed] John Fryer

Matthw Tuder
George Wilkins
Tho Hodges

24th Day of December 1757

The above named Mary Fryer Relict & Sole Executrix was duly sworn before me
Tho.s Parker Surr.

This Will was Proved the 24th day of December 1757 before the Worshipful James Benson Doctor of Laws Vicar General in Spirituals of the Right Reverend Father in God James by Divine Permission Lord Bishop of the Diocese of Gloucester and his Episcopal Consistory Official Principal lawfully Constituted by Mary Fryer Relict and Sole Executrix ? to whom ? having first sworn will and faithfully to Administer the said Will and also to Exhibit and Inventory and Render an Account

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It appears that John did not marry and died in his 40's without issue, although there is some discrepancy about the year of his death. John was buried in St Mary the Virgin's Churchyard in Arlingham, Gloucestershire, in the same tomb as that of his parents, John FRYER (b. abt 1695) and Mary (nee KING). Here are the details.

From photographs (taken by the author), one side of the tombstone reads...

In Memory of
JOHN FRYER of Overton in
this Parish Yeoman who Died
Jan 1st 1764 aged 62 Ys
Also of MARY Relict of JOHN
FRYER who died May 17, 1767
aged 66 Years
Also of JOHN their Son Yeoman
who died April 10th 1772? in? the?
43rd Year of his Age.

Details recorded in the document, 'Arlingham: Memorial Inscriptions' by MLK Curtis (1993), are as follows...

(238) In memory of / JOHN FRYER, of Overton, in / this parish, yeoman, who
died / Jan. 1st 1764, aged 62 yrs. / Also of MARY, relict of JOHN /
FRYER, who died May 17, 1767, / aged 66 years. / Also of JOHN, their
son, yeoman, / who died April 10th 177., in the / 43rd year of his
age. // [Opposite side illegible]. // In memory of / ...., wife of
RI.... / ..... , of Overton, who died .....r 20th 18.., / ... years. //
............ Also of / JOSEPH FRYER / who died July 12th 179., / aged
54 years. (* 238).

Tomb with flat top ; inscription incised; sides and ends of red and
grey sandstone, base and top of shelly limestone.

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The Arlingham parish registers recorded the burial as follows...

Burials 1771
John Fryer Aprl 13th
Rev'd M Bowen

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Photographs of the tomb can be seen in the Gallery.

Specific images showing the side of the tomb with John's memorial inscription can be seen at the links below:
Image 1
Image 2
Image 3
Image 4

Photographs of St Mary the Virgin's Church in Arlingham can be viewed in the Gallery as can photographs of Arlingham itself and a video clip of the view overlooking Arlingham.

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