John Groves, senior,
1807-1892

Another old settler of this district in the person of Mr John Groves, senior, passed away at his residence in Masterton this (Wednesday) morning. Mr Groves, who had reached the ripe old age of eighty-five years, came to the Colony from the Isle of Wight in June 1856. For the past twenty-five years he had been engaged sheep farming between Tenui and Castlepoint. Some year or two ago he became a cripple, which necessitated his coming to Masterton. The old gentleman was hale and hearty until a fortnight ago. The immediate cause of death was gangrene. The deceased leaves one son (Mr John Groves, of Tenui) three daughters (Mrs G. Speedy, of Wainui; Mrs McHutcheon, of Whakataki; and Mrs Belliss, of Tenui) about thirty-five grandchildren, and one great grandchild. 

Wairarapa Daily Times, 27 April 1892

John Groves, 1807-1892, will transcription

This is the last Will and Testament of me JOHN GROVES of Masterton in the Provincial District of Wellington in the Colony of New Zealand Settler  

I REVOKE all prior wills  

I APPOINT my son JOHN GROVES of the Mangapakeha in the said Provincial District Settler  ALEXANDER McHUTCHON of Whakataki in the said Provincial District Settler and GRAHAM SPEEDY of Wainui in the Provincial District of Hawkes Bay in the said Colony Settler Trustee and executors of this my will and who together with the Survivors of these there or his executor or administrators or other the Trustees or Trustee for the time being under this my will are hereafter referred to as "my said trustees" 

I GIVE DEVISE AND BEQUEATH all my real and personal estate of or to which I shall be seized possessed or entitled at my decease with my said Trustees upon the trusts and subject to the declaration following that is to say UPON TRUST to sell and convert into money my said estates or such parts thereof as shall be of a saleable or convertible nature and to get in the other parts thereof with power to sell by public auction or private contract together or in parcels subject to such terms as and conditions as to the title? or mode of payment of the purchase money or as to any other matter relating to the sale as my said trustees shall deem expedient and to fix reserved biddings and to buy in property offered for sale and to resell as aforesaid without liability to answer for any consequential loss and generally to effect the sale and conversion of my said estates on such terms and in such manner as they shall deem most advantageous

AND as to the moneys arising from the sale and conversion of my said estates I direct my said trustees in the first place to pay or retain thereout all the expenses incidental to the execution of the preceding trusts and powers and my debts funeral and testamentary expenses

SECONDlY I direct my said trustees to pay and 

I GIVE AND BEQUEATH thereout the following legacies namely to my grandsons 

• JOHN WILLIAM GROVES son of HENRY GROVES late of Waipukurau deceased 

• FREDERICK WILLIAM GROVES son of WILLIAM GROVES late of Castle Point Settler deceased the sum of Two hundred and fifty pounds each to my Grandson 

• ALBERT JOHN GROVES son of the said JOHN GROVES the sum of (L150) One hundred and fifty pounds 

To ELLEN LAW the wife of GEORGE LAW in the City of Wellington Artilleryman the sum of One hundred pounds 

To my housekeeper FRANCES GRAY of Masterton Widow the sum of One hundred pounds 

To the Institutional fund of the Masterton Hospital Contributors the sum of Twenty pounds

AND THIRDLY I DIRECT my said trustees to assign and pay and I give and bequeath the residue and remainder of my real and personal estate as follows 

• TO my daughter EMILY JANE the wife of the said GRAHAM SPEEDY one fourth part thereof 

• TO the children of my late daughter FANNY SPEEDY deceased wife of WILLIAM SPEEDY of Wainui aforesaid Settler one fifth part thereof in equal shares as tenants in common? 

• TO my said son JOHN GROVES one fifth part thereof 

• TO my daughter ELLEN the wife of the said Alexander McHUTCHON three twentieths parts thereof and

•  to my daughter LOUISA the wife of HUGH BELLISS one fifth part thereof PROVIDED and I hereby direct and empower my said trustees subject only and in the event of her husband the said HUGH BELLIS being alive where the same becomes payable to pay my said daughter Louisa her share as aforesaid in such ? and in such manner as they in their absolute discretion shall deem it prudent so as to ensure my said daughter LOUISA having the full benefit and use of the same so as to prevent her said husband from obtaining and spending any part thereof 

• AND I DIRECT and empower my said trustees to invest on mortgage and place at interest such part of the share of my said daughter LOUISA BELLIS which they in their discretion shall retain in their hands and pay to her the interest from time to time arising therefrom  

AND LASTLY I hereby declare that sections numbered 79 to 83 inclusive of the Trustee Act 1883 shall be herein implied and form part of this my will as freely and effectually as if they were set forth herein 

IN WITNESS I have herein subscribed my name this thirteenth day of October one thousand eight hundred and ninety.

(Signed) JOHN GROVES Senr

SIGNED by the said JOHN GROVES the testator and for his last will and testament in the presence of us present at the same time who at his request in the sight and presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses.

A E D'Arcy, Law Clerk, Masterton

Arthur Bunny, Solicitor, Masterton. (Arthur Rigby Bunny)

Original will and probate documents at https://archway.howison.co.nz/item/R22214068