©Bryan Phillips Jul 2024 

Wills and inventories are a marvellous source of information for local and family historians. Our super transcriber Shirley Chick has just completed the will of Edward Damer 1703. This gives a wealth of information on the Damer family fifty years before Joseph bought the Milton Abbas estate in 1752.

Here is just a fraction:

“…. my Cousin John Trevillian, my son in Law Thomas Pittman and Joseph Damer the son of my rother George Damer, joyntly and to the survivor of them in trust, for the use and behoofe of Edward  Damer my grandson when he shall attain the age of Twenty one years or is marryed by the consent of the said trustees for his life, and ~ the Issue Male of his body lawfully to be begotten; and failing such ~ issue I give and bequeath my said house to my said Trustees and the survivor of them to the use and behoofe of my grandchild Edw(ard): Pittman in like sort, and to the heirs male of his body lawfully to be begotten ~ and fayling such issue; I give and bequeath my said house to my said Trustees to the use of my grandchild Joseph the son of my Son Joseph Damer deceased and to the Issue male of his body a ~ lawfully to be begotten and failing such issue then to the use and behoofe of my right heirs for ever Item give unto my Sister Mary Yeat twenty Shillings 20 and to be paid to her during her life also I give unto y cousin Samuell Damer and my Cousin Robert Colmer to each of them Five pounds; also I give to my sister in Law Joan Jefferyse   “

We were hoping that a descendant of the Damer family might help us by writing a history of this important and wealthy Dorset family. We have already gathered a huge quantity of information.

If anyone is interested please contact us here.