Amanuensis Monday: 1781 Will of Cornell Smith of Hempstead, Queens County, New York

WILL OF CORNELL SMITH OF HEMPSTEAD, QUEENS COUNTY, NEW YORK

Signed May 28, 1781

Proved July 28, 1781

New York County, New York:  Will Liber 34, Pages 257-259

His Excellency James Roberston Esquire Captain General and Governor in Chief in and over the Province of New York and the Territories depending thereon in America, Chancellor, and Vice Admiral of the same, and Lieutenant General of his Majestys Forces.

To All to whom these Presents shall come or may in any wise concern.  Sendeth Greeting.

Know ye that at Queens County on the Twenty Eight day of July last past before Samuel Clowes Esquire thereunto Delegated and appointed, the last Will and Testament of Cornell Smith, Deceased, (a Copy whereof is hereunto annexed), was proved and is now approved, and allowed of by me; and the said Deceased, having whilst he lived and at the time of his Death, Goods Chattels and Credits within this Province, by means whereof the proving and registring the said Will, and the granting Administration of all and singular the said Goods Chattels and Credits, and also the Auditting allowing and final discharging the Account thereof doth belong unto me; The administration of all and Singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of the said Deceased, and any way Concerning his will, is granted unto Marsey Smith, Uriah Bedel and Richard Matthews, the Executrix and Executors in the said Will Named who are duly sworn well and faithfully to Administer the same, and to make and Exhibit a true and perfect Inventory of all and Singular the said Goods Chattels and Credits, and also to Render a Just and true account thereof when thereunto Required.  In Testimony whereof I have Caused the Prorogative Seal of the Province of New York to be hereunto affixed at Fort George in the City of New York the First day of August One thousand seven hundred and Eighty one. --- Jam Bayard Jun

Know all men by these presents that I, Cornel Smith, of the Township of Hempstead in Queens County and Province of New York, Yeoman, being this twenty Eight day of May in the year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty One, weak in Body but of sound mind and memory for which I bless Almighty God, and not knowing how soon it may please the Lord to take me away by Death thefore I do make and Ordain this present writing and no other to be my last Will and Testament as followeth.

First I do Recomend my Soul to God who gave it and my Body I Committ to the Earth to be Buried with a Desient Burial at the Discretion of my Executors herein after named, and as touching my worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased the Lord to bless me with.  I will devise and dispose of in the following manner.

Item.  I will and bequeath unto my loveing and well beloved Wife, Mercy Smith, my best feather Bed and furniture, two Cows and Calves, two horses and Farming Utensils, ten sheep and Thirty pounds in Money all at her Own disposall in Lue of her Right of Dower; and my Will is and I do Order and direct that my said Wife shall have the use of all my household Goods and four Cows, and the use and profits of my Dwelling house and Land that is to say, all the Land belonging to my homstead that Derived unto me from my Deceased Father, and also the Lott of Salt meadow and upland that I Bought of Abijah Bedel so long as she shall remain my Widdow towards the Education and bringing up of my Children, untill my younger Sons shall be twenty one years of age.

Item.  I will and Bequeath unto my Daughter, Susannah Smith, one Feather Bed, Beding, and appurtenances thereunto belonging to her own disposall.

Item.  I will and bequeath unto my Son, Amos, my Gun and Cuttash and the sword that was my Son Elijah’s.  I give unto my Son John to their Disposall.

Item.  My will is and I do order and Direct my Executors to sell all the Remainder of my moveable Estate not above disposed of, and the Money arising therefrom to be disposed of in the following manner.

First the above said sum of Thirty pounds to my said Wife as aforesaid and to my said Daughter Susannah the sum of sixty pounds in money to be at her own disposall, and my will is and I do order that all my Just Debts together with my funirall Charges be fully paid out of the money arising from my moveable Estate as aforesaid.  It is to be understood that my Negro Slaves is to be sold as my moveable Estate.

Item.  I will and bequest unto my Son, Jacob Smith, all the Remainder of the Farm and Land that I Bought of Nehomiah Sammis only Excepting the south part that I have already Conveyed unto my Son, Cornell Smith Juner, and to the Remain unto the said Jacob Smith and to his Heirs and assigns for ever.

Item.  I will and Bequeath unto my Son, Amos Smith, all the Land that I purchased of my Brother, Johnathan Smith, Deceased, it being about ten acres, and also all the Land that I purchased of Jonathan Smith Juner, Deceased, adjoining to the said ten acres, and also a pece of plain land and hollow ground that I purchased of Silvanus Smith, all which said three pieces I do give unto my said son, Amos Smith, and to Remain unto him and to his Heirs and assigns forever.

Item.  I will and bequeath unto my two youngest sons, namely John Smith and David Smith, my Homestead whereon I now live and appurtenances, that is to say, my Dwelling House and Land near and adjoining that Derived unto me from my Father, Jonathan Smith, Deceased, which my Wife is to have the use of as aforesaid together with my Salt of Salt meadow and upland sittuate on Coes Neck that I bought of Abijah Bedel and a small Hay House on said neck to be Removed thereon, and also five acres of wood land, part of the land that I purchased of Samuel Clowes and James Wood, adjoining to the west side of the path that leads to Samuel Motts mill, all which I do give unto my said Sons, John Smith and David Smith, to be Divided Equill between them and Remain unto them and to Each of their Heirs and assigns for ever.  But my Will is that if either of them should Dye before theay shall arive to be twenty one years of age not then having Lawfull Issue that the Deceased sons part shall Remain unto the survivor of them and to his Heirs and assigns forever, but in Case both of my last named Sons should dye under the age of twenty one years not then having Lawful Issue, that then all the Land and meadow that is herein given unto them shall be equilly Divided amongst my surviving Sons and amongst their Heirs and assigns for ever.

Item.  I will and bequeath unto my Sons, Cornell Smith, Jacob Smith, and Amos Smith, my lott of Salt meadow and upland lying on Coes Neck that I purchased of Elijha Bedel, excepting a Small House thereon, to be equally Divided amongst to them shear and shear alike, and Remain unto them in severalty, and to their Heirs and assigns for ever, but if either of them should Dye under the age of twenty one years, not then haveing Lawfull Issue, that then the Deceased Sons part shall be Equilly Divided between the survivors of them and between their Heirs and assigns for ever.

Item.  I will and bequeath unto my Sons, Cornell Smith and Amos Smith, all the Remainder of the wood Land not above disposed of that I bought of Samuel Clowes and James Wood as aforesaid, equilly to be Divided between them and Between their Heirs and assigns forever and my will is that if my said Daughter, Susannah, should dye before she shall come to be Eighteen years of Age or Day of marridge, that then the said sixty pounds in money given unto her shall be divided between my said wife and my Daughter, Mary Rainer, to their own Disposall, and whereas I have given to my wife the sum of Thirty pounds and money as is above mentioned, thereofore my will is that she shall have the Sum of Thirty pounds more in Money out of my Moveable Estate and to be at her Own Disposall, and further my Will is that all the Remainder of my moveable Estate not above disposed of shall be Divided Equill amongst my said wife and my two Daughters, Mary Rainer and Susannah Smith, shear and shear alike and to their own Disposall.

Lastly, I do hereby ordain, Constitute, and appoint my loveing Wife, Mercy Smith, and my trusty Friends, Uriah Bedel and Richard Mathews, both of the Township of Hempstead, to be the Executors of this, my last Will and Testament, giveing them or the Survivors or Survivor of them full power and authority to Execute the same and every Article herein Contained.

In Witness hereunto the said Cornel Smith hath sett to his hand and fixed his Seal the year and Day above written.  --- Cornel Smith X his mark

Signed, Sealed, pronounced, and Declared by the said Cornel Smith to be his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who submitted to the same as Witnesses in his presence and in the presence of Each other. 

Hannah Whaley X her mark

Moses Cornelius

Richard Ellison

Queens County

Be it Remembered that on the Twenty Eight Day of July One thousand and seven hundred and Eighty One, personally came and appeared before me Samuel Clowes, Surrogate of the said County, Richard Ellison of Hempstead in said County, yeoman, and being duly affirmed, Declared that he did see Cornell Smith Sign and Seal the within Written Instrument, purporting to be the Will of the said Cornell Smith, bearing date the Twenty Eight Day of May one thousand seven hundred and Eighty One, and heard him publish and Declare the same as and for his last Will and Testament; That at the time thereof he the said Cornell Smith was of sound Disposing mind and memory, to the best of the Knowledge and Belief of this Deponent; and that his name subscribed to the said Will is of his own proper hand Writing which he subscribed as a Wittness to the said Will in the Testators Presence.  And that he, this affirmanant, did see Hannah Whaley make her mark, and Moses Cornelius the other wittnesses to the said Will subscribe their names as wittnesses thereto in the Testators Presence.  --- S Clowes Surrogate

Amanuensis Monday: 1894 Will of Zopher L Hawkins of Brooklyn, Kings County, New York

WILL OF ZOPHER L HAWKINS

Written April 23, 1894

Proved June 15, 1914

Kings County, New York, Will Book 476: 489-492; Surrogate's Court

I, Zopher L Hawkins, of the City of Brooklyn, in the State of New York, being of sound and disposing mind and memory, do hereby make, publish and declare this to be my last Will and Testament, in manner and form following, that is to say:

First.  After the payment of my just debts and funeral expenses, I give, devise and bequeath all my estate, both real and personal, of which I shall die seized or possessed (including all policies of life Insurance) unto my beloved wife, Margaret A Hawkins, for her own use, absolutely and forever.

Second.  I hereby nominate, constitute and appoint my said wife, Margaret A Hawkins, the sole Executrix of this, my last Will and Testament.

Lastly.  I hereby revoke, and declare to be null and void, all other and former Wills by me at any time made.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal on this Twenty Third day of April, in the year one thousand eight hundred and ninety four.

Zopher L Hawkins (Seal)

Signed, sealed, published and declared by the Testator, Zopher L Hawkins, as and for his last Will and Testament, in the presence of us, who, at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other, have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses thereto, on the Twenty Third day of April 1894.

Alfred E Irwin ---  799 Putnam Ave. Brooklyn  N.Y.

Vincent Rosemon ---  272 Keap St. Brooklyn, N.Y.

***

I was acquainted with Zopher L Hawkins, now deceased.

That the subscription of the name of said decedent, at the end of the instrument now shown to me, and offered for probate as the last Will and Testament of the said Zopher L Hawkins, deceased, and bearing the date the 23rd day of April, in the year one thousand eight hundred and ninety-four, was made by the said decedent at the City of New York, in the presence of myself and the other subscribing witness.

That at the time of making such subscription, the said decedent declared the said instrument so subscribed by him, to be his last Will and Testament, and I thereupon signed my name as a witness, at the end of said instrument, at the request of said decedent, and in his presence.  I also saw Alfred E Irwin, the other subscribing witness, sign his name as a witness at the end of said Will, and know that he did so at the request and in the presence of said decedent.

That the said decedent, at the time of executing the said instrument, was over the age of twenty-one years, of sound mind and memory, and not under any restraint, and competent in every respect to make a will.

Subscribed and affirmed to this 7th day of May, 1914.  Vincent Rosemon

***

Thomas S Irwin, being duly sworn and examined before a Surrogate's Court of the County of Kings, deposes and says, I am acquainted with Alfred E Irwin, the incompetent witness herein, he being my brother.  I am also acquainted with his manner and style of handwriting, having often seen him write, and I verily believe that the signature, purporting to be his, subscribed to the instrument in writing now produced and shown to me, purporting to be the last Will and Testament of Zopher L Hawkins, deceased, bearing date the 23rd day of April, 1894, is the proper signature and the true and genuine handwriting of my said brother, Alfred E Irwin, the incompetent witness herein.

Deponent further says, my said brother, Alfred E Irwin, has been judicially declared incompetent and is at present confined at the Manhattan State Hospital at Wards Island, New York City.

Subscribed and sworn this 11th day of June, 1914.  Thomas S Irwin

***

Deposition as to Handwriting

John L Barker, Jr., of Brooklyn, New York, being duly sworn and examined before a Surrogate's Court of the Court of the County of Kings, deposes and says:

I was acquainted with Zopher L Hawkins, late of the County of Kings, City and State of New York, and with his manner and style of handwriting, having often seen him write, and I verily believe that the signature, purporting to be his, subscribed to the instrument in writing now produced and shown to me, purporting to be the last Will and Testament of Zopher L Hawkins, deceased, bearing date the 23rd day of April, in the year one thousand eight hundred and ninety-four, is the proper signature and the true and genuine handwriting of the said Zopher L Hawkins, and that he died at Brooklyn, N.Y., at 1340 Pacific Street, on April 27th, 1914, and I was present at his funeral.

J E Barker Jr

***

Satisfactory proof having been made of the due service of the citation herein upon, or due appearance herein by, all persons entitled to notice of this proceeding, and Leroy W Ross, Esq., Special Guardian, having appeared in person, and Alfred E Irwin, subscribing witness herein, being incompetent, and his testimony having been dispensed with by an order bearing date the 26th day of May, 1914, and his handwriting having been proved by the deposition of his brother, one Thomas S Irwin, on file herein, and the hand writing of the Testator having been proved by the deposition of one John L Barker, Jr., on file herein, and the other subscribing witness to said last Will and Testament, Vincent Rosemon, having been sworn and examined and his examination reduced to writing and filed, and it appearing by such proof that the said Will was duly executed, and that the Testator, at the time of executing it, was in all respects competent to make a will and not under restraint; and this Court being satisfied of the genuineness of the Will and the validity of its execution; and the Probate thereof not having been contested;

It is ordered, adjudged and decreed, that the instrument offered for probate herein be, and the same hereby is, admitted to probate (except as to the infant Donald J Hawkins, who was born May 10th, 1900, and after the execution of the Will herein, and is therefore in no way affected by the same) as the last Will and Testament of the said Zopher L Hawkins, deceased, valid to pass real and personal property, and that the said Will, with the proofs thereof, and this Decree be recorded, and that Letters Testamentary be issued to the Executrix who may qualify thereunder, and that the said Executrix pay to Leroy W Ross, Esq., Special Guardian, the sum of Twenty-five dollars, as and for his costs and allowances herein, and that the said Will be filed and remain in the Surrogate's Office.

Herbert T Ketcham, Surrogate

Birth Certificate Mix Up?

I try to collect the birth records for all children born to a couple.  An exact date of birth helps identify the children in later records.  The location of the births over the years reveals the migratory pattern of a family.

I copied the birth certificates for seven children born to Patrick Francis ODonnell (1857-1931) and Delia Joyce (1862-1929) in Bayonne, Hudson County, New Jersey:

Francis Patrick ODonnell, January 25, 1888
John ODonnell, July 9, 1890
James Richard ODonnell, June 3, 1892
Marguerite ODonnell, October 18, 1894
Joseph Peter ODonnell, June 11, 1897 ("William" on birth certificate)
Mary Ellen ODonnell, June 1, 1899
Katherine ODonnell, March 5, 1904

Baby number 1, Frank born 1888

Baby number 2, John born 1890

Baby number 3, James born 1892

Is this baby number 4?  Maggie born 1894

Baby number 5, William born 1897
Thereafter known as Joseph

Baby number 6, Mary born 1899

Baby number 7, Katharine born 1904

When reviewing these birth certificates later, I realized that I had the wrong Marguerite ODonnell.  I had a birth record for Maggie ODonnell, born October 18, 1894 in Bayonne to James ODonnell and Ellen Gallagher.  On my next trip to the New Jersey State Archives, I searched for the birth record of the correct Marguerite ODonnell.  I did not find it.

Upon further review, I think that the birth certificate for Maggie, daughter of James and Ellen, is actually the record for Marguerite, daughter of Patrick and Delia.  This birth certificate flows in order with the rest of the children- Marguerite was child number 4.  The midwife was the same- A Weyel.  The address appears to be similar to where the other children, except the first one, were born- Rail Road Avenue in Centreville, Bayonne.  And October 18, 1894 is the birthdate used by Marguerite ODonnell.

Patrick ODonnell, wife, and children in 1910.

Only six children are listed.  John ODonnell had died the year before.

The midwife may have confused Patrick and Delia's daughter with another baby born around the same time.  In the 1900 census in Bayonne, there is a Margaret ODonnell, born in August of 1894, living with her parents, John and Helen.