| 16th July 1887 Last Will of Edward Cassin Husband of Bridget O’Reilly | From records of Notary James Walsh No. 1733 Transcribed at the Quebec Archives |
On this sixteenth day of the month of July in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty seven,
Before me, James Walsh, the undersigned Public Notary residing in the City of Quebec in the Province of Quebec, Canada, and in the presence of the undersigned Francis Gallagher, Teacher, and Daniel James Kelly, Clerk, both of the City of Quebec, witnesses expressly called for the due execution of these presents personally came and appeared Edward Cassin of the Parish of Saint Gabriel of Valcartier in the County of Quebec, Province of Quebec, Farmer, who being of good sound mind, memory, and understanding as appeared to us said Notary and witnesses by his conversation and demeanor, declared unto us said Notary and witnesses that he was desirous of making his Last Will and Testament which he accordingly made, named, and dictated to us and which said Notary have herein reduced to writing in presence of said witnesses as declared to us by the said Testator in the manner and form following, that is to say:-
I recommend my soul to Almighty God, supplicating forgiveness for my sins through the merits of Jesus Christ my Saviour.
I will, devise, and bequeath to the condition & obligation hereinafter mentioned, to my son, Edward Cassin Junior, of the said Parish of Saint Gabriel of Valcartier, Farmer, all my property real, personal, moveable and immoveable of whatsoever nature & kind and wheresoever the same may be found of which I may die possessed (with the exception of these moveables which belong to my daughter, Bridget Cassin, to wit: a sofa, a chest of drawers, a table, a bedstead and bed clothes and bed and other articles which she brought to my house). To have and to hold the same unto the said Edward Cassin, my son, with full and absolute property from the day of my decease, hereby constituting him my sole universal legatee, expressly subject however by him to payment of four hundred dollars to my said daughter, Bridget Cassin, payable in five years from the day of my decease in and by five yearly payments of eighty dollars each installment.
I hereby order and direct that my funeral shall be conducted in such a manner that there shall be no display of vanity made to incur unnecessary expense, and I also forbid my executor hereinafter named to allow the use of any spirituous liquors at my wake. And for the execution of this my Last Will and Testament I hereby appoint my brother, Thomas Cassin, of the said Parish of Saint Gabriel of Valcartier, to be my Testamentary Executor into whose hands I hereby divest myself of all my said property from the day of my decease according to the law.
And I hereby revoke all former wills or codicils by me heretofore declaring the present to be my Last Will & Testament. It was thus done, named and dictated by the said Testator in presence of said witnesses and after these presents have been first read over to him by said Notary in presence of said witnesses, he declared the same contained his last wishes.
Thus done and executed at the said City of Quebec on the day and year first above written at the residence of Francis Gallagher, one of the said witnesses, and signed by the said Notary & witnesses in presence of said Testator and in presence of one another, the said testator having declared that he did not know how to write or sign his name when requested so to do by said Notary in presence of our witnesses, these presents of record under the number one thousand seven hundred and thirty three of the minutes of said Notary.
Twenty two words erased are null & three marginal notes are good.
Edward Cassin, his mark
Frs. Gallagher, his signature
Daniel Kelly, his signature
James Walsh, N.P., his signature
Transcribed by Gerald Neville, April, 2011
Notes by Patricia Balkcom: Edward died four months later at the age of 76. His wife had died in 1880. When he wrote his will, Edward had eight surviving children. Bridget was the only unmarried daughter, and Edward Jr. was the youngest son.