4th March 1880
Last Will of Margaret Griffin
Widow of William Guilfoyle
From records of Notary Jean-Baptiste Delage
No. 5476
Quebec Archives Online

On this day, the fourth of March one thousand eight hundred and eighty,

before me the undersigned notary public for the Province of Quebec in the Dominion of Canada, residing in the City of Quebec, and Anthony Maher and John Griffin of the Parish of St. Catherine, County of Portneuf, farmers, witnesses to these presents, personally came and appeared: Mrs. Margaret Griffin, of said parish of St. Catherine, said County, widow of the late William Guilfoyle, in his life time, of the same place, farmer, who made as follows her last will and testament.

Art. 1. I give, devise and bequeath to my son Michael, all my property, real and personal, moveable and immoveable, which I may die possessed of, instituting him my universal legatee in full ownership, at the charge of paying my debts  specially the sum of ten dollars to Michael Griffin, that of eight dollars and fifty cents to Thomas Griffin, that of two dollars and fifty cents to Joseph Allard of Quebec, the account due to Godfroy Collin, dry goods merchant and that of forty dollars to Mrs. Julia Guilfoyle widow of the late Francis Conway; 2nd my funeral expenses, 3rd the legacies or sums which I was bound to pay to my son James and to my daughter Ellen by & in virtue of the last will of my said husband, 4th Moreover to pay to my said daughter Ellen another sum of eighty dollars which sum my said son Michael will have the right of paying into two equal yearly payments of forty dollars each & besides to give my bed and bedstead and chest of drawers; 5th and lastly of having a high mass said on the day of my burial & eight low masses for the repose of my soul.

Art. 2. I do name & appoint my said son Michael my testamentary executor & I revoke all last Wills previous to the present last Will.

The present Last Will and Testament received by Jean Baptiste Delage, the undersigned notary, in the presence of said witnesses, having been read to the testatrix by the said notary in the presence of said witnesses, she declared well to understand the same and has persisted in the same as containing her last will and intentions.

Thus done and executed at Ste. Catherine, dwelling of the said testatrix, on the day, month and year first above written under the number five thousand four hundred and seventy-six.

In testimony whereof the said notary & witnesses have signed in the presence of one another and in the presence of the said testatorx who has declared not to know how to write nor sign her name after the reading done.

Four marginal notes good & fourteen words erased are null.

Margaret Griffin, her mark;

Anthony Albert Maher, his signature;

John Griffin, his signature,

J.B. Delage, N.P., his signature.

 Translated and transcribed by Gerry Neville

Notes by Patricia Balkcom:  Margaret died in 1896 at the reported age of 85, sixteen years after writing this will so there may be an updated one.