| 12th July 1899 Will of Curtis Billing Husband of Margaret Ann Brown | From records of Notary Edward O’Brien No. 7924 Transcribed from Quebec Archives Online |
On this twelfth day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety nine, before me Edward O’Brien, Notary Public, residing in the Parish of Beauport, the undersigned and in presence of Messrs. Thomas Brown, Farmer of Valcartier, and Joseph Vezina, Gardener of the Parish of Ange Gardien, witnesses purposely called, and also undersigned, personally came and appeared Mr. Curtis Billings, Farmer, residing in the Parish of Beauport, who being of sound mind, will, memory and understanding, as appeared unto us the said Notary and witnesses, hath made, dictated and named unto me, the said Notary, in presence of the said witnesses, his last will and testament, as follows:
I recommend my soul to Almighty God, my Creator, entreating him through the merits of His Blessed son, my Saviour Jesus Christ for a free pardon and a remission of all my sins and offenses, my body I commit to earth to be interred in a descent and respectable manner.
I give, devise and bequeath unto my son Curtis John Billings, the sum of three hundred dollars & one cow or twenty dollars, to my daughters named Mary Alice Billings, wife of Herbert Wolff of Charlesbourg, the sum of forty dollars and to each of my other daughters namely Anne Charlotte Billings, Caroline Louise Billings, and Emily Frances Billings, the sum of one hundred dollars to be paid to the above named as follows: to my son Curtis John Billings, three hundred dollars & the cow as soon as he purchases a farm in his own name or intends making an advantageous use of his money according to the Codicil of his mother. The girls’ shares of one hundred dollars and forty dollars, payable to them after my death if I have not paid them myself before. But Caroline Louise Billings and Emily Frances shares of one hundred dollars to be paid to them at the time of their majority respectively. The interest on the above sums of money to be paid to my said children above named from the day of my death, my Executor to place the money I have in the Bank in the names of my said children in the proposition above mentioned should I not do so myself while I am living. As to the residue of all my property either moveable and immoveable, real or personal, of which I may die possessed of, I give, devise and bequeath the same unto my son Walter Billings, Farmer, of Beauport to have and to hold the same in full and entire property at and from the day of my death constituting him my universal and residuary legatee and appointing him the Executor of this my last will and testament. My son the said Walter Billings shall be bound to keep in his house, feed and clothe his brother and his sisters above named as long as they wish to remain, provided they work for him according to their sex and capacity, as they are now doing. I hereby specifically revoke all former wills & codicils I may have made before this my last will and testament, to which alone I adhere as containing my last intentions & will.
It was thus done, dictated and named by the said Testator to me the said Notary, in presence of the said witnesses, at the residence of the said testator on the day, month and year first above written, under the number seven thousand nine hundred and twenty four, of the minutes of the undersigned Notary. In faith and testimony whereof the said Testator hath signed with the said witnesses and the said Notary. The said witnesses having been all the time present. The said Testator and witnesses and the said Notary signing in the presence each one of the other, after the reading of the said will and testament after fulfilling all the requirements of the law.
Twenty four words erased null, one marginal note good.
Curtis Billings, his signature;
Thomas Brown, his signature;
Joseph Vezina, his signature;
Ed. O’Brien, N.P., his signature
Transcribed by Gerald Neville, 2011
Note by Patricia Balkcom: Curtis died in 1906 at the reported age of 76 years. His wife predeceased him in 1900.