| 20th September 1906 Last Will of John Todd Husband of Clara Boyd | From records of Notary Cyrille Renaud No. 3403 Translated from the Original Will at the Quebec Archives |
On this twentieth day of September one thousand nine hundred and six, before me Cyrille Renaud, Public Notary, residing in the Parish of St. Ambroise of Jeune Lorette, undersigned, personally appeared John Todd, Farmer residing in the Parish of St. Gabriel of Valcartier, who being of sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding hath requested us the said Notary and witnesses to write down and receive in due form of law his last will and testament which he has declared in manner and form following, that is to say:
1º I desire that all my just debts, funeral and testamentary expenses be paid as soon as possible after my death.
2º I give and bequeath to my five children, George Greenleaf, John Howard, Collin Henry, Elsie Mary, Louisa Ellen Todd all my moveable and immoveable properties wherever the same may be found and whatever the same shall amount hereby constituting my said children my universal legatees. The immoveable property shall not be sold nor mortgaged by one or more of my said children except when the youngest of my children shall be of age of twenty one years.
3º I nominate, constitute and appoint Henry Rourke, Senior, as Executor of this my will and testament.
4º I revoke all will and testament I may have heretofore made and I declare the present to be my only true last will and testament.
Done & passed at St. Ambroise under Notarial Number three thousand four hundred and three. And after the reading of the said will to the Testator by the said Notary in presence of Joseph Renaud, Joiner, and Joseph Drouin, Labourer, both of the Parish of St. Ambroise, witnesses requested for the validity of said will, the Testator, the Notary and witnesses have signed in the presence of each other.
John Todd, his signature;
Joseph Renaud, his signature;
Joseph Drouin, his signature;
Cy. Renaud, N.P., his signature
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Transcribed by Gerald Neville, 2011
Note by Patricia Balkcom: It is strange that John’s wife, Clara, is not mentioned in this will as the five children listed were all under 5 years of age. John would have been about 32 years old when he wrote this will. I have been unable to find his burial record but it appears he died before 1911 as Clara is listed as a widow in the 1911 census and her mother-in-law, Mary Todd, is living with her and the five children.