16th March 1878 Last Will of Patrick Cassin Husband of Ann Boyle | From records of Notary Paul T. Picard No. 331 Quebec Archives Online |
On this day the sixteenth of March in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy eight, at the requisition of Patrick Cassin, Esq. of the Parish of St. Gabriel of Valcartier, farmer, I the undersigned Notary accompanied by the witnesses herein after named & subscribed, of the said parish, who being in weak bodily health, but of sound mind, memory & understanding as to us appeared by his manner and conversation hath requested of us the said Notary to receive and reduce into writing this his Last Will and Testament which we the said Notary in the presence of the said witnesses have taken down as dictated to us by the said Patrick Cassin, word for word, for the Province of Quebec in the Dominion of Canada residing in the parish of St. Ambroise of La Jeune Lorette, as follows, that is to say:
Iº I recommend my soul to God asking him to give me the everlasting beatitude by the merits of Jesus Christ, my Saviour.
IIº I wish that after all my just and lawful debts shall have been paid and satisfied with codicil, I hereby charge my executors that a sum of money shall be paid to the Curé of the Parish of St. Gabriel of Valcartier to be by him employed for the saying of two High Masses and the quantity of six low masses as soon as possible after my decease.
I do hereby give and bequeath unto my children herein after named, viz., Margaret Ann, Clara, Martha, Mary Jane and Elizabeth all the property moveable and immoveable that I may possess of the day of my decease, and to be equally divided between them at the death of my wife to whom I leave the enjoyment & benefit of my said property moveable and immovable only during her life time.-
And for the executors of the present my Last Will and Testament do hereby appoint and nominate said William Neilson and John Billings, both of the said Parish of St. Gabriel of Valcartier, in favor of whom I do in conformity to the law and custom of this Province and divest myself of all my property for the ends hereof revoking all other wills and codicils and testaments that I may have made prior to the present, my Last Will & Testament to which alone do adhere as containing my true instructions and Last Will.
Thus done and dictated word for word & published & declared by the said Testator for & as his Last Will & Testament to & in the presence of the said Notary and James McGlone and Mr. Arthur Wolff witnesses expressly called for the effect hereof, in the day and year first above written under the number three hundred & thirty one (331) of the minutes of said Notary.
In faith & testimony whereof the said testator has signed his name where requested so to do in the presence of the said Notary & the said witnesses who have hereunto set and subscribed their respective names and signatures.
Words erased are null. Marginal notes approved as good.
Patrick Cassin, his signature
James McGlone, his signature
Arthur Wolff, his signature
P. Picard, his signature
Transcribed by Gerry Neville, February, 2010
Notes by Patricia Balkcom: Patrick died two weeks later on the 30th of March, 1878 at the age of 61. His wife, Ann Boyle lived 42 years longer to the age of 100. Three of Patrick’s children predeceased him. His surviving five daughters are mentioned in the will. Patrick was a very involved member of St. Gabriel’s Church in Valcartier and was often mentioned in the minutes of the church’s meetings.