| 7th July 1873 Last Will of Janet Goodfellow Wife of William Whillians | From records of Notary Edward George Cannon No. 7417 Quebec Archives Microfilm #1578 |
On the seventh day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy three, before us the undersigned Notaries Public residing in the City of Quebec personally came, appeared and was present Janet Goodfellow of the Parish of St. Gabriel de Valcartier in the County of Quebec, wife of William Whillians of the same place, Farmer, which said Janet Whillians being apparently in good bodily health and of sound and perfect mind, memory and understanding requested us the said Notaries to receive her last Will and Testament which she instantly made, dictated and named unto us word for word in manner and form following, that is to say:
II recommend my soul unto Almighty God hoping for a free pardon and remission of all my sins through the intercession of Jesus Christ, My Saviour.
I wish and direct that all my just debts be fully paid and satisfied by my Executor hereinafter named.
I give and bequeath unto my affectionate sisters Marion Goodfellow, wife of Henry Roark of Valcartier aforesaid, Farmer, and Margaret Goodfellow, wife of William Knox, after my decease all my wearing apparel.
And as to the rest and residue of all my property real and personal moveable and immoveable without any exception or reserve, which I may die possessed of, I give and bequeath the use and usufruct thereof unto my beloved husband the said William Whillians for and during his natural life only on the condition however that he will not marry it being my intention and will that should my said husband marry a second time, then and in that case all my said property real and personal moveable and immoveable shall belong to my brothers and sisters from the day of his second marriage, and I do hereby appoint in that case my said brothers and sisters my universal legatees.
And I do hereby order and direct that after the death of myself and of my said husband whatever property should remain if any the same shall be divided share and share alike between the relations of my said husband and of myself.
And I do hereby appoint my said husband sole executor of this my present last Will and Testament hereby revoking all former wills and codicils at any time heretofore by me made.
It was thus made, dictated and named by the said Janet Whillians, Testatrix, unto us the said Notaries on the day and year first above written, and the present last Will and Testament having been read, read over and over again lu et relu au long to the said Janet Whillians, Testatrix, by Mtre. E.G. Cannon one of us the said Notaries in the presence of Mtre. Cyprien Labrèque his confrere who was present all the time during the execution hereof, the said Janet Whillians declared to have perfectly heard and understood the said Will and Testament and persisted in the contents thereof.
Thus done and passed at the said City of Quebec in the office of Edward George Cannon, one of the undersigned Notaries on the day and year first above written under the number seven thousand four hundred and seventeen the said Janet Whillians having signed these presents twice read as aforesaid together with us the said Notaries in faith and testimony of the premises.
Janet Whillians, her signature;
C. Labrèque, N.P., his signature;
E.G. Cannon, N.P., his signature
Translated and transcribed by Gerry Neville
Notes by Patricia Balkcom: I have not found the date of Janet’s death, her husband, William, died in 1889.