Leonard Brown's Will
This will represents the final disposal of his grandfather's (Jonathan Brown) farm in Washington County, New York. As Leonard had no direct descendants, he directed that, if none of his nieces or nephews named in his will had an interest in acquiring the property, it could then be sold at auction and the proceeds distributed. The executor of the will complied with this direction by eventually selling the said property in 1907.
Dated September 9, 1904
| I, Leonard Brown, in the County of Washington, and State
of New York, being in good bodily health and of sound
mind and memory and being desirous of settling my
worldly affairs and directing how my estate shall be
disposed of after my decease, while I have strength and
and capacity to do so, do make, publish, and declare
this my last Will and Testament, hereby revoking all
former wills by me made.
First: I direct that all my just debts and funeral expenses shall, by my executor hereinafter named, be paid out of my estate as soon after my decease as shall by him be found convenient. Second: I give and bequeath to my nephew Leonard J. Brown, of Dresbach, Minnesota, son of my brother, Jerod Brown, now deceased, the sum of three hundred dollars ($300.00) in money, payable within one (1) year after my decease; to have and to hold the same to himself, his heirs, executors, administrators and assigns forever. Third: I give and bequeath to Leonard Palmer, son of Lawrence Palmer of Glens Falls, N.Y., the sum of fifty dollars ($50.00) in money, payable within one (1) year after my decease; to have and to hold the same to himself, his heirs, executors, administrators and assigns forever. Fourth: I give and bequeath to my friend, Addie Palmer, daughter of George H. Palmer, residing at South Glens Falls, N.Y., the sum of fifty dollars ($50.00) in money, payable within one (1) year after my decease, for the services and many acts of kindness rendered and performed for me and my family; to have and to hold the same to herself, her heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns forever. Fifth, I give and bequeath to Leonard M. Nelson, a son of Myra Pratt-Nelson, the sum of One Hundred Fifty Dollars ($150.00) in money. I also give and bequeath to Jay Nelson, Olive Nelson, Willis Nelson, and Myra Nelson, children of the said Myra Pratt-Nelson, each the sum of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) in money; to have and to hold the same to them and each of them, the said children to the said Myra Pratt-Nelson, their .... and assigns forever. The said legacies and each of them shall be payable within one (1) year after my decease the said Myra Pratt-Nelson having lived and resided with my, as a part of my family, from childhood until she reached her majority and by reason thereof I take and interest in her said children. Sixth: I give and bequeath to my nephew, Leonard Leslie Brown, of Winona, Minnesota, (a son of my brother, Nathan,) the sum of Three Hundred Dollars, in money, to be paid within one (1) year after my decease; to have and to hold the same to himself, his heirs, executors, administrators and assigns forever. Seventh: I give and bequeath to my niece, Dora Brown, (the daughter of my brother Nathan), the sum of five hundred dollars ($500.00) in money, to be paid to her within one (1) year after my decease; to have and to hold the same to herself, her heirs, executors, administrators and assigns forever. Eighth: All the rest, residue and remainder of my estate, real, personal, or mixed, of which I shall die seized and possessed, or to which I shall be entitled at the time of my decease, I give, devise, bequeath and dispose thereof in the manner following: - the same shall be divided into four (4) equal parts or shares and divided and distributed between to and among my brother Nathan Brown, and to the children of my brothers and sisters hereinafter named, as are now deceased to the end that the children of a deceased brother or sister hereinafter named shall take a one-fourth (1/4) part or interest in the said residue of my estate, per stirpes. To my brother Nathan Brown, a one-fourth part or share thereof and if my said brother Nathan should die before I do, then, I give, devise and bequeath the share and portion of my estate that my brother, Nathan, would have taken and received, to the children living at the time of my decease, per stirpes, so that the children of my brother, Nathan, living at the time of my decease, shall take the one-fourth share and interest thereof that my brother Nathan, would have taken, had he lived: And to the three children of my brother, Jared, who is now deceased, a one-fourth share and interest of the said residue of my estate, per stirpes, so that the three children of my said brother, Jared, shall take a one-fourth share and interest thereof, the names of said children now being unknown to me, except one son of Jared Brown, hereinbefore mentioned: to the four children of my brother, Reynolds Brown, now deceased, whose names are to me now unknown, a one-fourth part or share and interest thereof; and to the the children of my sister, Sarah Wilson, now deceased, are to me unknown and number of the children of said Sarah are also to me unknown. To be equally divided between, to and among them, the said Nathan, and if he be dead, to his said children as aforesaid, and to the children of the said brother, Jared, and to the children of the said sister, Sarah, share and share alike, per stirpes, so that the said brother Nathan, or his said children aforesaid, shall take and receive a one-fourth part or share of the residue of my said estate, per stirpes; that the children of the said brother Jared, shall take and receive a one-fourth share of my said estate per stirpes; and the children of my said brother, Reynolds, shall, together, shall take and receive a one-fourth share and interest in the residue of my said estate per stirpes, and that the children of my sister, Sarah, together shall take and receive a one-fourth share and interest in the residue of my said estate per stirpes. To have and to hold the same to them, and each of them, their heirs, executors, administrators and assigns forever. Ninth: I am not unmindful of the fact I have other nephews and nieces living, children of sisters, now decease, but I do not consider them (except as herein provided) entitled to share in any portion of part of my estate and I do not intend that they hall benefit or profit thereby and for that reason do not provide for them in this, my last Will and Testament. Tenth: I hereby authorize, empower and direct my executor hereinafter named, to contract for, sell and convey any and all of the real-estate of which I shall die seized and possessed, or to which I may be entitled at the time of my decease, wherever the same may be situate, and to execute and deliver, as such executor a good and sufficient deed or deeds of conveyance therefore, to the purchaser or purchasers thereof, for such sum or sums of money to be paid therefore and upon such terms and conditions as to him shall seem proper, just and advisable, and such sale shall be made upon the best terms and for the highest price that my said executor hall be able to obtain therefore, and may be at public of private sale, as in his judgment he shall deem best, but no private sale thereof shall be had or made until after three (3) weeks' written notice thereof shall be be given to each of persons interested in the residency of my estate, which notice may be made by letter, duly mailed with postage paid thereon, to each of the persons interested in the said residue of my estate, and such notice shall state in substance the price offered for such real-estate and the intended purchaser's name, and the amount to be paid therefor, and should any of my relative desire to purchase the said real-estate at a sum greater than that offered by such person or private sale and pay therefor under such terms as my executor shall direct, then he may convey the same to such person so offering the largest sum. Lastly, I hereby make, constitute and appoint Workman McCotter to be the sole executor of this my Last Will and Testament and also appoint him the trustee of any trust herein created for the term therein specified. In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my seal this 9th day of September, 1904. |
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| Leonard Brown | |
| We, whose names are hereto subscribed, do certify
that on the 9th day of September, 1904, Leonard Brown,
the testator, subscribed his name to this instrument in
our presence, and in the presence of each of us, and at
the same time in our presence, and hearing, declared the
same to be his Last Will and Testament and requested us
and each of us to sign our names thereto as witnesses to
the execution thereof, which we hereby do in the
presence of the testator and of each other on the same
date write opposite our names, our respective places of
residence.
J. A. McCormick, Granville, N. Y. |
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