Dated 22 May 1849
In the name of God I MARY HAMILTON Widow of the Reverend ANDREW THOMAS HAMILTON formerly of Earlsgift in the County of Tyrone Clerk being of full age and sound mind and memory but feeling and knowing that no one can tell when the appointed hour may come am most anxious to arrange and dispose of my worldly affairs that at that awful moment when the Lord in his great Mercy may choose to call me I may be free from all worldly care and be enabled to look to the blessed Saviour and rejoice I do therefore make this my last will and testament hereby revoking any Will or Wills by me at any time heretofore made. And my said dearly beloved husband having left all he possessed totally at my disposal I hope to leave and dispose of it as I am sure he would have wished I nominate and appoint my nephew JOHN ROBERT BOYD of Stephens Green in the City of Dublin sole Executor of this my Will and leave and bequeath unto him the sum of three hundred pounds sterling which I request he will accept as a small mark of my esteem I leave and bequeath unto my dear sister FRANCES BOYD Widow of JOHN BOYD Esquire late of Stephens Green aforesaid the sum of one hundred pounds sterling I leave and bequeath unto ELINOR SOPHIA WARHOLL (?) otherwise PEMBERTON youngest daughter of the late CHRISTOPHER ROBERT PEMBERTON and ELINOR his wife one hundred pounds sterling I leave and bequeath unto WALTER HAMILTON PEMBERTON brother of the said ELINOR SOPHIA WARHOLL (?) the sum of one hundred pounds sterling I leave and bequeath unto my dear friend the Reverend EDWARD MARKS of the City of Dublin the sum of one hundred pounds and to his wife my dear friend JOICE ANNE MARKS the sum of fifty pounds sterling I leave and bequeath unto Sir JOHN HAMILTON LIGHTON Baronet and THOMAS LIGHTON sons of the late Reverend Sir JOHN LIGHTON deceased and to whom I have been Guardian the plate and house linen which did belong to their father the said Sir JOHN LIGHTON and which I purchased from him to be equally divided between them share and share alike and which plate is deposited in an Oak Chest marked No. 1 I leave and bequeath unto CHRISTOPHER ROBERT LIGHTON and ANDREW LIGHTON also sons of said Reverend Sir JOHN LIGHTON [and to whom I have also been Guardian] the plate and house linen which did belong to my said dear husband to be equally divide between them share and share alike and which plate is deposited in a Chest marked No. 2 I leave and bequeath unto the said ANDREW LIGHTON my gold repeating watch and in order to make my dear wards equal as far as possible I leave and bequeath unto the said THOMAS LIGHTON the sum of twenty guineas to purchase a watch I leave and bequeath unto the said Sir JOHN HAMILTON LIGHTON and THOMAS LIGHTON all books with the LIGHTON name in or on them to be equally divided between them I leave and bequeath unto the said CHRISTOPHER ROBERT LIGHTON and ANDREW LIGHTON all my other books and my pictures to be equally divided between them except the Miniature picture of my said dear husband which I leave and bequeath unto the said CHRISTOPHER ROBERT LIGHTON And after payment and satisfaction of the foregoing legacies and bequests and of my lawful debts I leave devise and bequeath all the Rest Residue and Remainder of my property real freehold and personal of what nature or kind soever and wheresoever situated unto the said Sir JOHN HAMILTON LIGHTON, CHRISTOPHER ROBERT LIGHTON, THOMAS LIGHTON and ANDREW LIGHTON to be equally divided between them share and share alike and to their respective heirs executors or administrators the shares or share of such of them as shall be under age to be paid to them or him respectively on attaining their respective ages of twenty one years And in the meantime to be invested by my said executor in Government Stock or securities or as placed out at interest upon landed or real security so as to justify and accumulate until such shares or share shall respectively become payable as aforesaid and to be then paid or transferred with such accumulations And in case either or any of them the said Sir JOHN HAMILTON, LIGHTON CHRISTOPHER ROBERT LIGHTON, THOMAS LIGHTON or ANDREW LIGHTON shall die in my lifetime or before attaining the age of twenty one year’s respectively it is my will that the share or shares of him or them so dying and all accumulation thereon shall go to and be divided amongst the survivors if more than one share and share alike or to the survivor if only one and to be paid at such time as herein fore provided with respect to their or his original shares or share And in case all of them the said Sir JOHN HAMILTON LIGHTON, CHRISTOPHER ROBERT LIGHTON, THOMAS LIGHTON and ANDREW LIGHTON shall happen to die in my lifetime or before attaining the age of twenty one year’s then I leave and bequeath the other moiety or equal half part of all that said residue and remainder of my property as aforesaid unto JAMES JOHN HAMILTON only son of General Sir JOHN HAMILTON [Brother of my said dear husband] and EMILY his wife and I leave and bequeath the other moiety or equal half part of said residue and remainder of my property as aforesaid unto both of the daughters of the said JOHN BOYD and FRANCES his wife as shall be living I think it right and necessary here to mention that the diamonds contained in a round case in said Chest marked No. 1 [above mentioned] have been by an arrangement with the late Lady LIGHTON deposited with me upon trust to be given to the wife of her eldest son that said Sir JOHN HAMILTON LIGHTON whenever he shall marry but in case he shall not marry then that upon his death they shall be given to the wife of the eldest surviving son himself with a request that he will preserve and retain the same in the family The remaining jewels and trinkets which belonged to the said Lady LIGHTON and are also in said Chest are to be divided as equally as can be amongst her said sons CHRISTOPHER ROBERT LIGHTON, THOMAS LIGHTON and ANDREW LIGHTON And in case I shall not be enabled during my life to fulfil those trusts so committed to me I have to request and direct that my said executor shall undertake and see them fulfilled I desire that my funeral may be quiet private and now having finished all my worldly directions and requests I pray that the Lord will give me his heart and that at the appointed time I may be found watching Amen – so be it Witness my hand and seal this fourth day of September one thousand eight hundred and forty
MARY HAMILTON
Signed and sealed in presence of us
JOSEPH CHAMBERLAYNE CHAMBERLAYNE Maugersbury House Gloucestershire
GEORGE MORRIS Milford near Lymington, Hants
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“Derry Clergy and Parishes” by Rev. James B. Leslie
page 192 – Donagheady, Co Tyrone
Rectors – 1781. – ANDREW THOMAS HAMILTON installed Oct. 5, (F.F.). He was the son of JAMES HAMILTON, arm., of Strabane, matric. Magd. Hall Oxford, Mar. 23, 1773, aged 17, B.A. 1776; Ord. D. Sep. 30, 1781 Derry, ? P. 1781, Rector Donagheady 1781-1825; died at Earlsgift, May 26, 1825 (D.E.M.), buried in the family vault at Leckpatrick.
“Derry Clergy and Parishes” by Rev. James B. Leslie
page 197 – Donaghmore, Co Donegal
Rectors – 1816. – Sir JOHN LIGHTON, Bart., inst. June 22 (F.F.) Was younger son of Sir THOS. LIGHTON, created 1st Bart. 1791; b. Jan. 1, 1792, succeeded his nephew, Sir THOS, as 4th Bart. 1817; m. in Donagheady Church Jan. 23, 1817, MARY, 2nd Daughter of Dr. CHRISTOPHER ROBERT PEMBERTON, of George St., Hanover Square, London, niece of Rev. ANDREW THOMAS HAMILTON of Earlsgift (B.N.L.). Tablets in Donaghmore Church are inscribed – “Sacred to the memory of MARY HAMILTON LIGHTON, wife of the Rev. Sir JOHN LIGHTON, Bart., eleven years Rector of this parish, who followed his beloved wife to the grave, April 5th, 1827, aged 52 years.” He had issue, including (1) Sir JOHN HAMILTON, 5th Bart., d. unm. 1844; (2) Sir CHRISTOPHER ROBERT, B.L. of Merville, Dublin, 6th Bart., m. 1880, HELEN FRANCES HOULDSWORTH; (3) THOMAS, d. unm. 1852; (4) ANDREW.
Freeman’s Journal 7 June 1843 – Marriage
On the 2d inst, at Beverley, CHRISTOPHER ROBERT, second son of the late Rev. Sir JOHN LIGHTON, Bt. to MARY ANNE ELIZABETH, only daughter of the late Rev. DIGBY JOSEPH STOPFORD RAM, of Brookville, Co Cork.