Last Will &
Testament of Stephen Mead
Contributed
by Donna (Race) Kneip
??????
?????? ???? the October Term of the Court held at the Court House in Norwalk
within and for the County of Huron and State of Ohio on the Thirteenth of
October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty one before
the Judges thereof came Charles B. Stickney Counsel and presented to the Court
for Proof and approval the last will and Testament of Stephen Mead, late of Fitchville in said County Deceased. Which
said Will and proceedings thereon and in the words and figures following to
wit:
Will
I
Stephen Mead of Fitchville Huron County and State of
Ohio do make and publish this my last Will and Testament in manner and form
following that is to say It is my will that my funeral expenses and all my just
debts be fully paid. I give devise and
bequeath to my beloved wife Hannah Mead in lieu of her dower the farm on which
we now reside situated in the Township County and State aforesaid containing
about one Hundred and twenty two acres of land during her natural life if so
long she remains my widow. And also all
my live Stock horses cattle hogs, ? by me now owned
and kept on the farm aforesaid shall be the property and at the disposal of
said Hannah Mead after satisfying all legal claims against my Estate likewise
all household furniture and such other items not particularly named or
otherwise disposed of in this will shall be at her disposal. And at the death of my said wife all the
property hereby devised and bequeathed her as aforesaid or so much thereof as
may then remain unexpended shall be divided among my Children as follows. First Fifty Dollars to each of my three sons viz Levi Mead, Leander Mead and Lewis S. Mead and to the
heirs of my deceased daughter Dorcas Campbell as
follows, fifty dollars to the youngest Stephen M. Campbell and ten dollars to
each of the others Darius Campbell, Robert Campbell and Peter N Campbell and
furthermore be it understood that the heirs of the said Dorcas
Campbell are not to come into possession of the above named legacies until
after the decease of my wife Hannah and not until said Heirs shall become
twenty one years of age. And the
remainder of my whole Estate above mentioned after satisfying the above named
legacies shall at the decease of my wife Hannah be equally divided among my
children now living namely Laura Wilbor, Olive Van Dusen, Ann Eliza Van Dusen, Levi
Mead, Lovinia Mead, Mariah Mead, Martha Mead, Leander
Mead, and Lewis S. Mead. I also give and
bequeath to my beloved wife Hannah Mead all my Real Estate lying and being in
the town of Mt. Washington county of Berkshire State of Massachusetts which
shall be hers and at her disposal and ??actly?
I hereby constitute and appoint De. Morris Pratt and my said son Levi Mead to
be the Executors of this my last will and testament revoking and annulling all
former wills by me made and satisfying and confirming this and no other to be
my last will and testament. In testimony whereon I hereunto set my hand this eighth day of
December AD 1835.
Stephen Mead
Signed
published and declared by the above named Stephen Mead as and for his last Will
and testament in presence of us who at his request have signed as witnesses to
the same
Henry
Morgan
James
Burn
(Election)
“Personally
appeared in open Court Hannah Mead and made her Election to take under the
provisions in the last Will and Testament of said Stephen Mead dec’ I Hannah Mead do hereby elect to take under the
provisions of the last will and Testament of Stephen Mead dec’
dated the 8th day of December 1835 Oct. 13 1851
Hannah her ?????
X
Mark
(Proof)
Attest. C.B. Stickney.
The
State of
We
De Morris Pratt & James Burn, who being duly sworn in open Court this 13,
day of Oct. AD 1851 depose and say that we were present at the execution of the
last will and testament Stephen Mead dec’ hereunto
annexed that we saw the said Testator subscribe said will & heard him
publish and declare the same to be his last will and Testament and that the
said Testator at the time of executing the same was of full age and of sound
mind and memory and not under any restraint and that I the said James Burn
signed the same as a witness at his request and in his presence and in the
presence of Henry Morgan who signed the same at his request and in the presence
of DeMorris Pratt and I the said De Morris Pratt do
further say that I was present but did not see said Henry Morgan sign said will
as a witness but that his signature thereto
so ?????? written by him is his genuine
signature and that the said Henry Morgan has become deceased since the
execution of said will.
D M. Pratt.
James
Burn
Sworn
to and subscribed in open Court the 13th day of Oct. 1851
Geo. S. Tambling Dept. Clk.
(Order)
The
last will and Testament of Stephen Mead late of Fitchville
in said County deceased was this day produced in Court and James Burn one of
the subscribing witnesses to said will appeared in open Court and on oath
Testified to the due execution of said Will also appeared in open Court De. M
Pratt and Testified to the signature of Henry Morgan the other subscribing
witness who has since deceased and that he was present at the Execution of said
will and testified to the due execution of said will which said testimony was
reduced to writing and by them respectively subscribed and filed with said will
and it appearing from said testimony that said will was duly attested ??????
????? and that said testator at the time of Executing
the same was of Full age and of sound mind and memory and not under any
restraint. This ordered by the Court
that said will and testimony be recorded whereupon De Morris Pratt and Levi
Mead the Executors in said will ????? appeared in open Court and signified their acceptance of the
?????? of Executing said will This therefore ordered
that Letters Testamentary be passed to them on giving bond in the sum of $600
with Isaac Prayor & Philander Au????/ their sureties conditioned according to law the Court
appoint Z Green, Hezekiah Johnson, Seth Weeks ????????? the
widow Elect to take ??????? the will.
Transcribed by Susan Kimes Burgess, May 1, 2006, contributed by Donna Race Kneip 2007, (?? are placed where writing is difficult to decifer)