25th April 1884
Last Will of Michael Woodlock
Husband of Mary Anne McLaughlin

From records of Notary Edouard Antill Panet
 No. 2553
Transcribed from the Original at the Quebec Archives

On this twenty fifth day of the month of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty four at the hour of ten of the clock  in the afternoon, before Mtre. Édouard Antill Panet the undersigned Notary Public duly commissioned and sworn in and residing and practising in the Parish of Saint Raymond in the County of Portneuf and Province of Quebec, and in the presence of Arthur G. Hebert, Esquire, Doctor of Medicine and Cleophas Guinnot, Esquire, Merchant, both residing in the said Parish of Saint Raymond, the witnesses called and required by the Testator hereinafter named for the purposes thereof, personally came and appeared Mr. Michael Woodlock of the Parish of St. Gabriel of Valcartier, Farmer, who being of sound and disposing mind, memory, judgment, and understanding as it appeared unto us, Notary and witnesses, from his words and actions, yet knowing and considering the certainty of death and the uncertainty of the time thereof and being desirous of regulating his worldly affairs whilst yet he had the health and strength so to do, hath named, dictated and nominated a fait dicté et nommé unto us said Notary and witnesses his last will and testament in the manner and form following:

1º I recommend my soul to Almighty God my Creator in the humble hope that he will receive the same to his favor through the merits and intercession of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.

2º I will and order that all my just debts, funeral and testamentary expenses be first paid by my Executrix hereinafter named.

3º I will and order that my body be committed to the grave to be interred in a manner suitable to my station in life and according to the rites and solemnities of the Holy Roman Catholic Church and faith, leaving it however to my Executrix to fix and arrange the manner and expense of my funeral as well as the quantity o low masses to be said for the repose of my soul.

4º I give, devise and bequeath to Dame Mary Anne McLaughlin my well beloved wife the whole of my property, moveable and immoveable, real and personal, ready money, regrets and actions, bank shares, and all the property of any nature or kind soever, without exception, which I may die possessed of, in full property and ownership to be by her used, enjoyed and disposed of as she may see fit and proper from and after the moment of my decease. I hereby instituting her my residuary legatee and devisee in full ownership and execution of this my present last will and testament and hereby revoking and repealing all other & former last wills and codicils by me heretofore made wishing, willing, and desiring that the present alone be followed and executed after my decease.

Thus named, dictated, and nominated fait dicté et nommé by the said Testator of his own free will and accord to the said undersigned Notary, in the presence of the said above named witnesses, on the day, month, year and hour first above written in the office of the said undersigned Notary, the said Testator persisting therein after the reading thereof by the said Notary to him, in the presence of the said witnesses, as fully to embody and contain his last will and intentions.

In testimony whereof the said Testator hath signed with and in the presence of the said undersigned Notary and witnesses who have each signed with and in the presence of each other and in the presence of the said Testator, these presents being the number two thousand five hundred and fifty three of the original deeds remaining of record in the office of the undersigned Notary.

Michael Woodlock, his signature;

C. Guinnot, his signature;

A.E. Hebert, M.D., his signature;

E.A. Panet, N.P., his signature

Transcribed by Gerald Neville,, 2011

Note by Patricia Balkcom:  This will was written shortly after Michael’s marriage to Mary Anne in 1884.  He died in 1927, so it is possible there are later wills.