| 26th November 1890 Last Will of John Bowles Wife of Winnifred McLaughlin | From records of Cyrille Tessier Record No. 8054 Transcribed from the original at the Quebec Archives |
On the twenty sixth of November one thousand eight hundred and ninety, before the undersigned Notaries Public for the Province of Quebec, Canada, residing in the City of Quebec, personally came and appeared Mr. John Bowles of the Parish of St. Gabriel of Valcartier, Farmer, who has made as follows his last will and testament:
I give, devise and bequeath to my son Charles the following properties:
1º – the half lot of land First Concession of St. Gabriel of Valcartier, purchased from the Sheriff of Quebec, measuring two and a half arpents in width upon fifteen arpents in depth, bounded south and west by Hugh McLaughlin, east by James Bowles and North by the main road.
2º -another half lot of land divided by the main road, bought from Samuel Clark, being partly in the First and partly in the Second Concessions, measuring two and a half acres in width by a depth of fifteen acres or thereabouts, and
3º – nine acres of land adjoining this last described lot between the lands of James Lannin to the east and of John McLaughlin to the north, subject to a payment of a sum of two hundred dollars in part extinguishment of the mortgages held on my lands.
4º, I give and bequeath to my son William the following lots of land:
1stly a lot of land measuring five arpents by fifteen, First Concession of said St. Gabriel of Valcartier, which I acquired partly from my father and partly from Maher, and
5º another lot of land situate in same concession at the rear of the lot lastly mentioned and described, measuring five arpents by nine, which was purchased from Mr. Neilson with the buildings subject to the payment of a sum of one hundred and fifty dollars in part extinguishment of the mortgage held on my lands.
6º I give and bequeath to my said two sons Charles and William the lot of land called the Mountain lot bought from Maher on the First Concession of said St. Gabriel de Valcartier.
7ºIn bequeathing the above lots to my said sons, I mean to give them the rights of property I may have on them, that is to say, one undivided half, my wife with whom I am community of property being owner of the other half.
8º I give and bequeath to each of my daughters Kate and Rosa Ann a sum of fifty dollars each which will be paid to them by my said son William, i.e., to Kate two years and Rosa Ann four years after my decease without interest.
9º I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Winnifred McLaughlin the usufruct and enjoyment during her natural life to the properties bequeathed to my said son William and I hereby giver her, my said wife, the residue of my property, real and personal, moveable and immoveable, which I may possessed of, instituting her my residuary legatee in full ownership and the sole executrix of my will.
This last will and testament received by Cy. Tessier Notary in the presence of G.F. C., de Léry his colleague, having been read to the Testator by the first named Notary in the presence of his said colleague, he has declared well to understand the same and has persisted in the same as containing his last intentions.
At Quebec, Office of the said Cy. Tessier under the number eight thousand and fifty four of his records. In testimony whereof the Notaries have signed in the presence of one another and of the Testator who has declared not to know how to write his name, after the reading done according to law.
Ninety four words erased null & three marginal notes good.
John Bowles, his mark;
G.F.C. de Léry, N.P., his signature;
Cy. Tessier, N.P., his signature
Transcribed by Gerald Neville, 2011
Note by Patricia Balkcom: John died one year later on the 18th of December 1891 at the reported age of 72 years. John and his wife, Winnifred, had 11 children, 2 predeceased him. The oldest five children are not mentioned in the will – John, Mary, James, Ellen and Hugh.