On this day, the eighth of May one thousand eight hundred and forty six, before us the undersigned Notaries Public duly admitted and sworn in and for this part of the Province of Canada heretofore constituting the Province of Lower Canada, residing in the City of Quebec in the said province, personally came and appeared Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Joseph Wolff commanding the Second Battalion of Militia of the County of Quebec who being in good bodily health and of sound and perfect mind, memory and understanding did request us the said Notaries to receive and write down his last will and testament which he instantly made, published, dictated and named word for word unto us the aid Notaries in manner and form following:
I recommend my soul to Almighty God hoping for a free pardon and remission of all my sins through the intercession of my Blessed Saviour Jesus Christ.
I will and direct that all my just debts be fully paid and satisfied out of my estate and property by my executrix hereinafter named.
I will and direct that immediately after my decease a lawful inventory of all the goods, chattels and property moveable and immoveable of and comprising the community or communauté de biens existing between myself and Hana Kasel Ehlert, my wife be taken and closed in due form of law and that after my decease the said Hana Kasel Ehlert my said wife do have and enjoy the whole of my property moveable and immoveable in usufruct during her natural life.
I give and bequeath unto Charlotte Mary Eliza Boles Wolff, my daughter, the usufruct during her life of all my right title and interest in that lot of land known as lot No. Thirteen in the First Range or Concession of the Township of Templeton, the same to go and to belong after her death to her children lawfully begotten to whom I give and grant the same in full and absolute property. I likewise bequeath unto Caroline Amelia Wolff, my daughter, the usufruct during her life of all my right and title and interest in the other lot of land known as lot Number Twenty in the same range of the said township of one hundred acres of land in superficie the same to go and to belong after her death to her children lawfully begotten – and should the said Charlotte Mary Eliza Boles Wolff and Caroline Amelia or either one or the other die without children as aforesaid, then and in such case it is my will and intention that the property or lot of land thus enjoyed by the deceased under and in virtue of my present last will and testament do fall back and revert to their then surviving brothers and sisters.
And after the decease of the said Hana Kasel Ehlert my said wife, I give and bequeath the whole of the rest and residue of my property moveable and immoveable unto my children James Fitzgerald Wolff, Jacob George Alexander Wolff, Alexander Arthur Wolff, Charles Stewart Wolff, the said Charlotte Mary Eliza Boles Wolff, the said Caroline Amelia Wolff, and Margaret Maria Wolff now wife of John Parker Esquire, to be divided between them share and share alike. Provided however that those of my said children who have already received certain sums of money or property in lands or otherwise as is established by the books, papers and documents in the possession of the family shall be found to compensate with my estate and succession and their other brothers and sisters for what they shall have received in advance that is to say de supporter ou moins prendre as the law directs in such cases.
But I wish it to be well understood that the particular legacies herein before made to my daughters Charlotte Mary Eliza Boles Wolff and Caroline Amelia Wolff and heir children are made exclusive of their respective shares in my estate and succession and without prejudice thereto.
Lastly I name and appoint my said wife Hana Kasel Ehlert executrix of this my last will and testament hereby revoking and cancelling all former wills and codicils at any time heretofore by me made and declaring the present to be my only true last will and testament.
It is thus made, dictated and named word for word by the said Alexander Joseph Wolff, Testator, unto us the said Notaries and after wards the said will and testament having been read over and over again lu et relu to the said Testator by one of us the said Notaries the other being present, he declared that he has perfectly heard and understood the same and found it to contain in every respect his true last will and intention & therefore persisted in the contents thereof.
Done and passed at the City of Quebec in the day and year above written in the office of Louis Panet one of the said Notaries where he undersigned his colleague attended for the purpose and was present all the time – the said Alexander Joseph Wolff Testator having signed these presents first twice duly read aforesaid.
Three words erased are null. One marginal note approved is good.
A.J. Wolff, his signature;
R.G. Belleau, N.P., his signature;
L. Panet, N.P., his signature
[Translated and transcribed by Gerry Neville]
Notes by Patricia Balkcom: Alexander died in 1863 at the reported age of 81, so there may be a later will.