| 21st June 1861 Last Will of Honoria McDonough Widow of Christopher Flanagan | From records of Notary John Doyle No. 516 Quebec Archives Online |
On the twenty first day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty one, at the request of Honoria McDonough of the Township of Stoneham, widow of the late Christopher Flanagan in his lifetime of the Settlement of Stoneham in the County of Quebec, Farmer, we, the undersigned Notary Public and witnesses hereinafter named went to the house and residence of Matthew Aylward Hearn of the City of Quebec, Esquire, Advocate, situate in St. Lewis Street in the Upper Town of Quebec, where being we found the said Honoria McDonough in good bodily health and of sound and disposing mind, memory, judgment, and understanding as appeared to us the said Notary and witnesses, who did declare and say, that considering the certainty of death and the uncertainty of the hour thereof, she was desirous of making her last will and testament, which she accordingly dictated and named word for word to the Mtre. John Doyle the undersigned Notary in the presence and hearing of Francis O’Brien of the City of Quebec, student at Law, and James O’Brien, also of the City of Quebec, student at Law, witnesses expressly called for the execution of this present will, in manner & form following, that is to say: –
I recommend my soul to Almighty God supplicating forgiveness for my sins.
I direct and order that all my just and lawful debts and funeral expenses be paid and satisfied out of my estate as soon as possible after my decease as convenient by my Executor hereinafter named.
I will devise and bequeath unto my son Richard Flanagan thirty acres of land to be taken from a larger portion of land situate in the above mentioned Settlement of Stoneham and being lot number three in the third range, commencing the head of the said lot, bounded by the lot owned by one McCarthy and running across the same which is bounded by the lot owned by Mr. Shadgate, together with all the clearances within the limits of the said thirty acres.
I will devise and bequeath unto my son Christopher Flanagan thirty acres of land to be taken from a larger portion of land, in the above mentioned Settlement of Stoneham and being lot number three in the third range, the said thirty acres bounded by the above mentioned thirty given to my son Richard Flanagan, with what clearances and buildings there may be thereon.
I will, devise, and bequeath unto my daughter Ellen Flanagan, widow of the late Patrick Whelan in his lifetime of Quebec, thirty acres of land to be taken from the said lot number three, the said thirty acres, bounded by the said thirty acres given to the said Christopher Flanagan.
I will, devise, and bequeath to my son Henry Flanagan fifty acres of land to be taken from the said lot number three, the said fifty acres bounded by the portion bequeathed to my daughter Ellen Flanagan.
I will, devise, and bequeath to my son George Flanagan thirty acres of land to be taken from the said lot number three, the said thirty acres bounded by the portion bequeathed to my son Henry Flanagan.
I will, devise, and bequeath unto Christopher Flanagan, son of John Flanagan, thirty acres of land to be taken from the said lot number three adjoining the portion bequeathed to George Flanagan.
I further will, devise, bequeath unto my son Henry Flanagan forty acres of land to be taken from a larger portion of land to me belonging and forming lot number two in the Third Range of the Township of Stoneham, in the District of Quebec abutting the fifty acres herein before bequeathed.
I further will, devise & bequeath unto my son George Flanagan forty acres of land to be taken from lot number two & adjoining the portion bequeathed to the said Henry Flanagan abutting the thirty acres herein before bequeathed to the said George Flanagan.
I further will, devise & bequeath unto the said Christopher Flanagan, my grandson, son of John Flanagan, twenty acres of land to be taken from the said lot number two, and adjoining the portion bequeathed to the said George Flanagan and abutting the thirty acres hereinafter bequeathed to the said Christopher Flanagan.
I further will, devise & bequeath unto my said son Richard Flanagan one hundred acres of land to be taken from the said lot number two, and adjoining the thirty acres above bequeathed to him.
To have and to hold the said parts & portions of land so given unto the said, Richard Flanagan, Christopher Flanagan, Ellen Flanagan, Henry Flanagan, George Flanagan & Christopher Flanagan, son of John Flanagan from the day of my decease forever, to this only proper use benefit and hold of for ever.
As for the execution of this my last will and testament I hereby nominate and appoint Richard Coady of Stoneham, Farmer, to be my Executor into whose hands I divest myself of all my property according to law, hereby revoking all other wills & codicils by me made previous hereto, declaring this to be my last will and testament.
Thus done, dictated and named by the said Testatrix to the undersigned Notary in the presence and hearing of the above named witnesses, word for word, the said Testatrix hath declared the same to be conformable to her last will & intentions, these presents first read and read over again lu et relu to the said Testatrix by the undersigned Notary in the presence and hearing of the said above mentioned witnesses, the said Honoria McDonough having to these presents first duly read, set & subscribed her name and signature in the presence of us the said Notary & witnesses who have also signed in the presence of the said Testatrix & in the presence of each other, these presents remaining of record in the Office of the said John Doyle under the number five hundred & sixteen.
Twelve words erased are null; Six marginal notes are good.
Honoria McDonough, her signature
Witnesses:
Francis O’Brien, his signature
James O’Brien, his signature
John Doyle, Notary, his signature
Transcribed by Gerry Neville, April, 2011
Notes by Patricia Balkcom: Honora lived another nine years (until Feb. 20, 1870) after this will was written. In that time, at least two of her children mentioned in the will predeceased her – Richard (1864) and Henry (1862). Mathew Aylward Hearn, in whose house the will was written, was her son-in-law, husband of Margaret Flanagan. Three of her children – William, Bridget, and Thomas were not mentioned in her will.