| 26th June 1889 Last Will of Hannah Ireland Wife of William Smith | From records of Notary John Buckworth Parkin No. 2065 Translated from the Original at the Quebec Archives |
On the twenty sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty nine, before the undersigned Notary Public for the Province of Quebec, Canada, residing and practising in the City of Quebec, and the witnesses hereinafter named, personally came and appeared Mrs, Hannah Ireland, wife of William Smith of the Parish of St. Gabriel of Valcartier, in the District of Quebec, in the said Province, Farmer, who, being in good bodily health and of sound and perfect mind, memory, judgment and understanding as was manifest to us the said Notary and witnesses from her appearance, demeanour and conversation, declared unto us that she was desirous of making her last Will and Testament, which she instantly made, and which I the said Notary have herein reduced to writing in manner and form following. to wit:
I will and direct that all my just debts be paid and satisfied out of my estate by my executors hereinafter named as soon as possible after my decease.
I give, devise and bequeath unto my husband, the said William Smith, the usufruct and enjoyment of all my property real and personal, moveable and immoveable that I may be possessed of at the time of my decease, to be by him enjoyed for and during his lifetime.
And upon the decease of my said husband I will and direct that my property shall belong to and become the property of my son Richard Smith, of Valcartier aforesaid, Farmer, now residing with me, in full and absolute property from thenceforth forever, hereby constituting him my universal legatee, subject to the usufruct aforesaid.
I hereby revoke and make void any and all wills and codicils by me at anytime heretofore made, declaring the present to contain my only true last wishes and intentions.
I do hereby name and appoint my said husband and the said Richard Smith to be the Executors of my present last will and testament, into whose hands I divest myself of all my property from and after my decease.
It was thus made, named and dictated word for word by the said Testatrix to John B. Parkin, the said Notary, on the day and year first above written at the City of Quebec aforesaid, in the presence of Matthew Aylward Hearn, Advocate, and James Cannon, Advocate, both of Quebec, called in as witnesses for the effect hereof, the said Testatrix having declared not to know how to write or sign her name, requested to do so by the said Notary, has made her ordinary mark of a cross in the presence of the said Notary and witnesses, who have signed in her presence and in the presence of each other, these presents having been duly read to her by the said Notary in the presence and hearing of the said witnesses, and recorded in the office of the said John B. Parkin under the number two thousand and sixty five.
Hannah Smith, her mark; .
A. Hearn, his signature;
J. Cannon, his signature;
J.S. Parkin, N.P., his signature
Transcribed by Gerald Neville, 2011
Notes by Patricia Balkcom: Hannah lived 23 years after this will was written (1912), so there may be a later will. She and William had 12 known children, but only the youngest son, Richard is mentioned in the will. Hannah was reportedly 98 years old when she died.