| 19th February 1916 Will of Robert Davidson Husband of Mary Ann Cleary | From Notary Records of Cyrille Renaud No. 6825 Transcribed from the original at the Quebec Archives |
On this nineteenth day of February one thousand nine hundred and sixteen, before me Cyrille Renaud, Public Notary residing at Loretteville, personally appeared Robert Davidson, Farmer, residing at St. Gabriel of Valcartier, who being of sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding hath requested me the said Notary to write down and receive in due form of law his last will and testament which he has declared in manner and form following, that is to say:
1º I desire that all my just debts, funeral and testamentary expenses be paid by my Executrix hereinafter named as soon as possible after my death.
2º I give and bequeath to my wife Mary Ann Cleary all my moveable and immoveable properties wherever the same may be found and to whatever the same shall amount hereby constituting my said wife my universal legatee at the charge and conditions following:
-1- To leave and bequeath my immoveable properties to any one or three sons according to the disposition of her last will.
-2- In the case of second marriage of my wife, the immoveable properties shall belong to my sons as aforesaid and the moveable properties shall be divided between all my children in equal shares. But if my said wife not contract a second marriage, at her death, my daughter Elizabeth Davidson, wife of John Théberge, shall have the sum of fifty dollars and my other daughter Mary Davidson, wife of Mr. Tobin, shall have the sum of one hundred dollars, and the remainder shall follow the dispositions of said will of my wife or donation deed.
I nominate and appoint my said wife as Executrix of this my will and testament and I declare the present to be my true last will and testament.
Done and passed at St. Gabriel under notarial number six thousand eight hundred and twenty five after the reading of the present will by the Notary to the Testator in presence of Jos. E. Verret, Doctor, and John Murphy, Farmer, the first of Loretteville the second of Valcartier, the Testator, the Notary and witnesses have signed in the presence of each other.
Robert Davidson, his signature,
Dr. J.E. Verret, his signature;
John Murphy, his signature;
Cy. Renaud, N.P., his signature
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Transcribed by Gerald Neville, 2011
Notes by Patricia Balkcom: John died six weeks later on March 29th at the age of 55 years. He and his wife had three sons as mentioned in the will: David, James and Cornelius. They had four daughters: Mary, Elizabeth, Georgina, and Julia (who had died in 1911).