The Life of Ellen Rigbye: Wills

Ellen Rigbye

Ellen Rigbye died a spinster in April 1842 at the age of 44 years. Although in the 1841 Census she was listed as a woman of "Independent Means" and she would have been a beneficiary of her mother's estate, she does not appear to have made a Will and I can find no record of any Administration of her estate.

Her mother Nanny (Norris) Rigbye had left her properties in Euxton and Ulnes Walton to Ellen and her younger brother John as Tenants-in-Common but with the instruction that if either died without children (lawful issue), the estate would pass to the survivor. So, as Ellen died unmarried and without children, her share of their mother's estate would have passed to her brother John automatically and there may not have been any need for any Administration of Ellen's personal estate.

NOTES:
1:	I may need to check further for Probate records as I have seen instances where a Will was not proved until as much as 30 years after the date of the person's death.