| 10 August 1847 Last Will of Father Hugh Paisley | From the Notary Alex-Benjamin Sirois Duplessis Record #3705 (Original in French) Quebec Archives Microfilm #4M01-5751 |
On the tenth of August one thousand eight hundred and forty seven in the afternoon, at the request of Hugh Paisley, Priest, Curé of the Parish of Ste. Catherine of Fossambault, presently at the General Hospital near the City of Quebec, we, Notaries Public for the Province of Canada, known as Lower Canada, residing in the City of Quebec and the undersigned witnesses went to the General Hospital where being in a room on the first floor, we found the said Mr. Hugh Paisley sick of body but of sound mind, memory, judgment and understanding as it appeared to us the said Notary and witnesses by his speech and his behavior who recommended his soul to God in face of death, made, dictated and named his last will and testament in the manner following:
Firstly, I wish and desire that my body be interred in the said Parish of Ste. Catherine de Fossambault and for my funeral expenses and payment of my debts to be at the discretion of my Testamentary Executor hereinafter named.
Secondly, I give and bequeath all that belongs to me such as furniture as well as the harvest of a lot of land previously given to my long time and faithful servant Peter Cullen, of whatever nature and value they may be, with the exception of the particular legacies later made, to be sold and employed in the manner later declared.
Thirdly, I give and bequeath to John Paisley, my brother, residing in the Township of Lochaber, near La Petite Nation, my silver watch and gold medal that were given to me by the Irish Catholics of Quebec when I was charged with their care.
Fourthly, I give and bequeath to Elizabeth Paisley, my niece, daughter of the said John Paisley, the sum of ten pounds currency for her to enjoy in full ownership.
Fifthly, I give and bequeath to the Fabrique [Corporation] of the Parish of Ste. Catherine de Fossambault all the liturgical vestments that belong o me for by the said Fabrique to enjoy in full ownership.
Sixthly, and as to the residue of all my said goods and rights of whatsoever nature and value and wheresoever being and situate, I give and bequeath to Mr. Joseph Laberge, Priest, Curé of the Parish of Ancienne Lorette and to Mr. Charles Felix Cazeau, Secretary of La Grandeur, Monseigneur Archbishop of Quebec, for them to employ the said residue to assist my servants and the poor of the Parish of Ste. Catherine de Fossambault according to their discretion without being held to account for what they do.
Seventhly, I name and appoint as Executors of my present last will and testament, Messrs. Joseph Laberge and Charles Félix Cazeau into whose hands I divest and disseize myself of my goods according to the custom, revoking all other wills and codicils that I may have made before this one and declaring this alone as containing my true intentions and last will.
Thus done, dictated and named word for word by the said Mr. Hugh Paisley, the Testator, to Alexandre Benjamin Sirois, Notary, in the presence of Mr. Thomas Bédard, Priest, Chaplain of the General Hospital, and Mr. Narcisse Beaubien, Priest, Vicar of the Parish of St. Roch, witnesses called for the effects of the presents, and after the present will and testament had been read and read over again to the said Testator by the said Mtre. Sirois, the witnesses present, he declared to have well heard and understood and persisted therein, on the day and year above written, and the said Testator signed along with the said witnesses and with us, the said Notary. The reading done and re-done.
Two marginal notes approved are good. Five words erased are null.
H. Paisley, Priest, his signature;
Ths. Bédard, Priest Chaplain, his signature;
N. Beaubien, Priest, his signature;
A.B. Sirois dit Duplessis, N.P., his signature
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NOTE: According to Marianna O’Gallagher, Father Paisley died of typhus while tending to those on Grosse Isle. He was 52 years old.
Extract from the newspaper:
Died. At the General Hospital, on Sunday morning at half-past 2 o’clock, the Rev. Mr. Hugh Paisley, Curé of Fossambault, of disease contracted whilst administering the rites of religion to the sick at the Marine Hospital.
The Quebec Mercury, Vol. XLIII, No. 98, Tuesday. August 17, 1847.
Transcribed by Gerald Neville, January, 2012