| 24th January 1910 Last Will of Mary Johnston Wife of Matthew John Smith | From the Notary Records of Edouard Antill Panet #8911 Transcribed from the Original at the Quebec Archives |
On this twenty fourth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and ten at the hour of ten of the clock in the forenoon, before Mtre. Édouard Antill Panet, the undersigned Notary Public, duly commissioned and sworn in and residing and practicing in the Parish of Saint Raymond in the Province of Quebec and in the presence of Franklin John Gray, of Portland, Maine, Salesman, and James Garvin, of the Parish of Saint Raymond, Farmer, witnesses specially requested by the said Testatrix and by her request, at the special instance and request of Dame Mary Johnston, wife of Matthew John Smith, of the said Parish of Saint Raymond, Farmer, I the undersigned Notary repaired to the residence in the said Parish of Saint Raymond of the said Mary Johnston and there finding her ill in bed, but of sound and disposing mind, memory & judgment as it appeared unto us said Notary and witnesses from her words and actions yet knowing and considering the certainty of death and the uncertainty of the time thereof, and being desirous of regulating her worldly affairs whilst yet she hath the breadth and strength left to do so, hath named, dictated and nominated unto us said Notary and witnesses her last will and testament in the manner and form following:
1º I recommend my soul to Almighty God, my Creator.
2º I will and order that my body be buried in a manner suitable to my station in life.
3º I give, devise and bequeath to William John Smith my son, two milch cows.
4º I give, devise and bequeath to my well beloved husband Matthew John Smith the whole of my property, real and personal, ready money, moveable and immoveable, and all other property I may die possessed of, without exception or reserve, hereby instituting him my universal legatee and devisee in full property and Executor of my present last will and testament and hereby revoking and repealing all other and former last will and codicils heretofore made and I wish that my said husband do leave to our son Charles James Smith, after his death, the whole of the property he will have inherited from me.
It was thus named, dictated and nominated by the said Testatrix of her own free will and accord unto us the said Notary in the presence of the said witnesses and the Testatrix persisted herein after the reading thereof as fully to embody and contain her last will and intentions.
Thus done and passed at Saint Raymond in the residence of the said Testatrix on the day, month, year and hour first above written.
In testimony whereof the said Testatrix declaring her inability to sign or write her name hath made her usual mark of a cross with and in the presence of the said undersigned Notary and witnesses who have undersigned with and in the presence of the said Testatrix and in the presence of each other, after the same having been first duly read by the said Notary to the said Testatrix in the presence of said witnesses, these presents bearing the number eight thousand nine hundred and eleven of the original deeds remaining in the office of the undersigned Notary.
Mary Johnston, her mark;
James Garvin, his signature;
F.J. Gray, his signature;
E.A. Panet, N.P., his signature
Transcribed by Gerald Neville, February, 2012