| 24th September 1881 Will of Bridget Aylward Widow of John Flanagan | From records of Notary James Walsh, No. 1237 Quebec Archives Original Records |
On the twenty fourth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eight one, at the request of Dame Bridget Aylward of the City of Quebec, Province of Quebec, Canada, widow of the late John Flanagan in his lifetime of the Parish of Charlesbourg, Quebec, Farmer, We the undersigned Notaries Public duly commissioned and sworn, residing in the City of Quebec aforesaid went to the residence of the said Bridget Aylward, situate in St. Stanislaus Street in the Upper Town of the City of Quebec where we found the said Bridget Aylward, sick of body but of good sound mind, memory, judgment, and understanding as appeared to us said Notaries who did declare and say that she was desirous of making her Last Will and Testament and which she accordingly made, named, and dictated to us said Notaries in the manner and form following, and which I James Walsh one of said undersigned Notaries have herein reduced to writing in presence of our colleague Edouard Bégin, the other of said Notaries, as dictated to us by the said Bridget Aylward, that is to say:
I hereby will, devise, and bequeath unto my son, Christopher Michael Flanagan, of said City of Quebec, Stevedore, the parcel or tract of land situate in the Parish or place called Stoneham in the County of Quebec consisting of forty acres, and bearing the Number 3 d (no. 3 d) of the Official Plan and Book of Reference for the Parish of St. Edmond de Stoneham to have and to hold the same unto my said son Christopher Michael Flanagan in full and absolute property from the day of my decease.
I hereby give, devise, and bequeath unto my daughter-in-law, Margaret Gracey, of said City of Quebec, widow of my son, the late Richard Flanagan in his lifetime of the same place, Inspector of Fuel on the Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa and Occidental Railway, all my right, title, interest, and claim into or from that certain parcel or tract of la nd situate in Charlesbourg in the County of Quebec being the lot designated under the number four hundred and fifty four on the Official Plan and Book of Reference for the Parish of Charlesbourg, to have and hold the same unto the said Margaret Gracey in full and absolute property from the day of my decease.
I hereby devise and bequeath unto my daughter Mary Elizabeth Flanagan the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars currency, to be taken and paid out of the obligation for the sum of two hundred and forty dollars and thirty two cents granted to me by Matthew Aylward Hearn, of said City of Quebec, Esquire, Advocate, by deed before J.B. Parkin, Notary at Quebec on the sixth day of February eighteen hundred and seventy nine.
I also give and bequeath to my daughter Mary Elizabeth Flanagan all mourning dresses and apparel and also a pair of silver candlesticks. And I bequeath to my grand-daughter Henrietta Ousler my silver cake basket. It is my earnest wish and desire that the sum of sixty dollars currency be paid as soon after my decease as possible, to Mr. Alexander Grant of said City of Quebec, Grocer, being the amount due by me to him for groceries supplied to myself and family when said sum of sixty dollars shall be taken out of the obligation granted in my favor by Matthew Aylward Hearn herein above mentioned.
And the balance of said obligation being the sum of thirty four dollars, I hereby will and bequeath the same to my sister Ann Aylward, wife of Patrick Hearn of said City of Quebec, & yeoman.
And for the execution of this my Last Will and Testament, I hereby appoint Mr. Daniel McSweeney of the said City of Quebec, Teacher, to be my Testamentary Executor, into whose hands I hereby divest myself of all my said property according to law hereby revoking all former Wills and Codicils by me heretofore made declaring the present to be my Last Will and Testament.
It was thus done on the day and year first above written and recorded under the number twelve hundred and thirty seven of the minutes of James Walsh, one of us said Notaries, in presence of our said colleague, she declared that the same contained her last wishes and hath signed theses presents after due reading hereof as aforesaid in presence of us said Notaries who also have signed the same in presence of said Testator and in presence of each other, these presents first duly read as aforesaid.
Two marginal notes approved as good.
Bridget Aylward, her signature
Edouard Bégin, Notary, his signature
James Walsh, Notary, his signature
Transcribed by Gerry Neville – March 2011
Notes by Patricia Balkcom: Bridget died 5 days after writing her will. She was about 63 years of age.