26th December 1899
Last Will of Mary Ireland
Wife of Matthew Brown

From records of Joseph-Désiré Marcoux
Record No. 3789
Transcribed from Quebec Archives Online

On twenty sixth day of the month of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety nine, before me Joseph Désiré Marcoux the undersigned Notary Public for the Province of Quebec residing and practising in the Parish of Beauport, personally came and appeared Mrs. Mary Ireland, wife of Mr. Matthew Brown, farmer, of the said Parish of Beauport.

Who in view of death has requested me the said Notary to receive her present last will which she did and doth hereby name and dictate to one the said Notary, in the presence of the two undersigned witnesses as follows, to wit:

Firstly, I do hereby give and bequeath unto Mr. Matthew Brown my beloved husband, the usufruct of all the moveable and immoveable property which I will die possessed of wherever may be situated and of what nature and value whatsoever it may be to hold and begin to enjoy the same at the time of my decease, and I give my said husband the right and power to give the property of my moveables and immoveables to one or two or all my children born from my marriage with him the said Matthew Brown at his discretion and the way he will see fit and proper and by share alike or not as he will judge and decide.

And I institute the said Matthew Brown my universal usufructuary legatee and I appoint him the Executor of my present last will; and I revoke all former wills and codicils which I may have made previously to this one which contains my true last will and intent.

It was thus made, named and dictated by the said Mary Ireland the Testatrix, to me the said Notary in the presence of Mr. Antoine Chalifour, farmer, and Mr. James Gurry, insurance agent, both of the said Parish of Beauport witnesses and her present last will having been read by the said Notary to the said Testatrix in the presence of the said witnesses she has declared to well hear and understand the same & she persisted in same in her dwelling in the said Parish of Beauport, on the day, month and year first above written, under the number three thousand seven hundred and eighty nine.

And the said Mrs. Mary Ireland the Testatrix has signed together with us and in presence of us the said Notary and witnesses who have signed in the presence of the said Testatrix and in the presence of each other and after all and every the formalities required by the law for the execution of the authentic last wills have been fulfilled.

Two marginal notes approved good. Thirteen words struck out are null.

Mary Ireland, her signature;

Antoine G. Chalifour, his signature;

James F. Gurry, his signature;

J.D. Marcoux, N.P., his signature

Transcribed by Gerald Neville, June, 2011