| 8th April 1840 Last Will of William Knox Husband of Mary Arthurson | From records of Notary William de Lery No. 2824 Quebec Archives Microfilm #4M01-5067 |
On this first of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and On the eight day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty, before us the undersigned Notaries Public duly admitted and sworn in and for the Province of Lower Canada, residing in the City of Quebec, personally came and appeared in the office of William de Léry, one of us the undersigned Notaries, William Knox of Valcartier, Farmer, apparently in good health of body and of sound and perfect mind, memory and understanding who did make, publish, dictate and name this her last will and testament in the words following, that is to say:
Firstly and principally, the Testator doth recommend his soul into the hands of Almighty God, her Creator, hoping for a free pardon and remission of all his sins thro the intercession of his Blessed Son our Saviour, his body he commits to the earth to be interred in a manner suitable to his situation in life at the time of his decease.
Secondly, the Testator doth will and direct that at the time of his decease all his just debts, funeral expenses and wrongs, if any there be, be fully paid and satisfied by his Executrix hereinafter named.
Thirdly, the Testator doth give, devise, and bequeath unto Mary Arthurson, his dear and beloved wife, the usufruct and enjoyment during her life time of all and every the property, moveable and immoveable, goods, monies, chattels, effects and things which he the said Testator shall be entitled to, to have and to hold the same during her natural life from the time of the decease of the said Testator without however being bound to, at any time after the said demise of the Testator, make or cause to be made all or any inventory whatsoever of the said property to be by her enjoyed during her said natural life.
And as to the full and entire property, l’entière propriété, of the said property moveable and immoveable, goods, plate, monies, chattels, effects and things of the said Testator doth give and bequeath the same, subject to the aforesaid enjoyment, to his legal heirs hereby instituting the said legal heirs his universal & residuary legatees. The said legal heirs to have and to hold the said property moveable and immoveable, goods, monies, chattels, effects and things, subject as aforesaid from the said demise of the said Testator forever.
The said William Knox to have and to hold the said property moveable and immoveable, goods, monies, plates, chattels, effects and things as aforesaid from the time of the decease of said Testatrix in full property forever.
And lastly, the said Testator doth nominate and appoint the said Mary Arthurson, his said wife, Executrix of this his true last will and testament in the hands of whom he doth hereby divest himself of all his said property hereby revoking all other and former wills, testaments & codicils he may or might have made.
Thus done, dictated and named word for word by the said Testator unto the said William de Léry, Notary, aforesaid his colleague Mtre. Alex. Lemoine present, read the present last will and testament having been read over and over again to the said Testator, he did declare the same to contain his true last will and mind and did sign his name together with the said Notaries in faith & testimony thereof.
One mariginal note signed is good and three words struck out are null.
William Knox, his signature;
Alex. Lemoine, N.P., his signature;
Wm. de Léry, N.P., his signature
Transcribed by Gerald Neville, May, 2011