| 13th January 1842 Last Will of Francis Ireland Husband of Hannah Hopper | From records of Notary Dominique Lefrançois Quebec Archives Microfilm #4M01-4795 |
In the year one thousand eight hundred and forty two, the thirteenth day of January at the hour of seven in the evening at the request of Mr. Francis Ireland, we the undersigned Notaries Public for the Province of Lower Canada residing in the Parish of St. Ambroise of Young Lorette and the undersigned witnesses and hereafter named, we have transported ourselves at the residence and domicile of the said Francis Ireland situated in the Parish of St. Ambroise in the First Concession of Valcartier then and there being we have found the said Francis Ireland in a room making front to the main road, being in bed sick, sound in mind, memory, judgment and understanding, as it appeared to us the undersigned Notaries and the witnesses above mentioned and undersigned, by his words, discourse and maintenance, which considering the certitude of death and the uncertainty of his last hour fearing of being attained before having disposed of his last will and to direct same by Mtre. Dominique Lefrançois Notary Public, in presence of the undersigned and named witnesses, his last Will and Testament in the manner and form as follows:
Firstly – As a Christian has recommended his soul to God the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost supplicating his Divine bounty to pardon him his sins and to take him in his everlasting Paradise.
Secondly – I will and order the said Testator before every thing that his lawful debts be paid and wrongs by him made, if any, be satisfactorily repaired by his executor hereafter named.
Thirdly – Gives and bequeaths the said Testator to William Smith and to Anna Ireland his wife, two lots or parcels of land situate and being in the Seigniory of St. Gabriel at the place called Valcartier, containing each three arpents in front by thirty arpents in depth, bounded in the front by the road between the Third and Fourth Concessions, in the rear by unconceded lands, on the North West by the lands granted to the late Andrew Stuart and John Neilson Esquires, and on the South East by the lands of the late Jacob Pozer or his representatives, together with the house, barn, stable and other appurtenances and dependencies and by him being charged to pay to Christian Hoffman or his heirs whatever sum or sums that may be due to him the said Christian Hoffman in virtue of a Deed of Sale made by him to the said testator with legal interest on the said sum or sums and also Lots et ventes and cens et rentes due upon the aid land that the said Testator has purchased by deed paper by Mtre. Louis Panet and his colleague Notary at Quebec the second of April one thousand eight hundred and thirty six for all rights legitimate moveables and immoveables in future succession of her Father and Mother as it is his last wish.
Fourthly – Gives and bequeaths the said Testator to Richard White and Barbara Ireland his wife a lot of land situates in the Second Concession South East of Jacques Cartier River containing four arpents and six perches in front by thirty arpents in depth, bounded in front by Mr. Plante’s road and in the rear and the end of said depth by the road called Chemin du Vallon on the East by Thomas Sébastien and on the North East by the representatives Green à la charge to pay the cens & rentes to the Seignior for all rights legitimate moveables and immoveables in the future succession of her Father and Mother as it is his last will.
Fifthly – Gives and bequeaths the said Testator to Hopper Ireland his son a lot of land situate and being in the Seigniory of St. Gabriel at the Second Concession of the said Settlement called Valcartier being the South Eastern half of their lots of land acquired from the said James Green by the said Testator of which the said Hopper Ireland will have three arpents front by thirty depth bounded in front by the main road of Valcartier and on the North East to George Thompson à la charge to pay the cens & rentes to the Seignior for all rights legitimate moveables and immoveables in the future succession of her Father and Mother as it is his last will.
Sixthly – Gives and bequeaths the said testator to Frances Ireland his daughter three arpents of land front and thirty arpents depth situate and being in the Seigniory of St. Gabriel at the Second Concession of the aid Settlement called Valcartier making part of the three lots of land acquired by James Green as above mentioned with the houses, barns, stables, and other dependencies à la charge to pay the cens & rentes to the Seignior for all rights legitimate moveables and immoveables in the future succession of her Father and Mother as it is his last will.
Seventhly – Gives and bequeaths the said testator to Jane Neilson and Francis Ireland his grand children the equal share of three arpents front by thirty depth situate and being in the Seigniory of St. Gabriel at the Second Concession of the said Settlement of Valcartier making part of three lots of land acquired by James Green as above mentioned à la charge to pay the cens & rentes to the Seignior for all rights legitimate moveables and immoveables in the future succession of her Father and Mother as it is his last will.
And as to the property of all his moveable things that belong to him actually and that may be found to belong to him and that he may leave at his decease, without any reserve whatever of any nature that may be and to whatever sum that the moveables may amount and whatever description that they may be, also comprising, all the money and debts due, notes & obligations, gives & bequeaths them the said Testator to Anna Hopper his wife whom he makes and institutes by his last will his universal legatee for for by her to enjoy, do and dispose of the said moveable property in all right of property as she may deem fit and proper as it is his last wish.
And to execute and to accomplish his present Testament or Will has named his son Hopper Ireland whom he prays to render him that service in the manner above mentioned. Revoking the said Testator all other Testament or Will or Codicil that he might have made before the present, to which he declared to be his true intention and last will. This done and made, directed & named by the said Testator to the said Mtre. Dominique Lefrançois, Notary Public, in the Parish of St. Ambroise in the Fief of St. Gabriel and the First Concession of Valcartier in presence of Robert Mailhot Esquire and Mr. Michael Gough of the above Parish, witnesses to which requested and called by the said Testator and after having read and reread the present Will and Testament in presence of witnesses above mentioned & undersigned to the said Testator who said to well and truly understand and comprehend, persisted as being his true intention and last will wishing and intending that it may be executed according to its whole form and tenure and in all its contents and the said Testator sign and as also the said witnesses with the Notary after reading made and remade the day and year aforesaid – and reading made and re-made.
Seventeen words erased are null and three notes in the margins good.
Francis Ireland, his signature;
R. Mailhot, his signature;
Michael Gough, his signature;
Dom. Lefrançois, N.P., his signature
Transcribed by Gerald Neville, May, 2011
Note by Patricia Balkcom: Francis died two days after writing this will. Those mentioned in his will: William Smith – his son-in-law, married to daughter, Hannah Ireland; Anna Hopper – his wife (also called Hannah Hopper). Richard White and Barbara Ireland – not sure, but suspect this is his daughter. Hopper Ireland – son. Frances Ireland – daughter. Jane Neilson – granddaughter (daughter of Hopper Ireland and Mary Watt, wife of Cornelius Neilson). Francis Ireland – grandson (son of Hopper Ireland and Mary Watt).