Amanuensis Monday: Eliza M. Johnston - Last Will & Testament

Amanuensis Monday – Eliza M. Johnston Last Will & Testament

Elizabeth Mariah London Johnston

Born:  9 Mar 1834 Luzerne Co, PA

Died:  8 Jun 1914 Clearfield Co, PA

Buried:  Rumbarger Cemetery Find-A-Gave

Father:  Truman Beaman London

Mother:  Sally Maria Slawson

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I, Eliza M. Johnston, of Du Bois, Pennsylvania, being of sound mind, memory and understanding, do make, publish an declare the following to be my last will testament, hereby revoking all former wills by me at any time heretofore made.

First, I direct that all my just debts and funeral expenses be paid and discharged as soon after my decease as may be.

Second, All of my estate, real, personal and mired, of whatsoever nature and wheresoever situate, I give, devise and bequeath, share and share alike, unto my ten children: Mary M. Winslow, Susan C. Weaver, James K. Johnston, David C. Johnston, George McClelland Johnston, William T. Johnston, John A. Johnston, Eva Eliza Lenkerd, Joseph S. Johnston, Charles L. Johnston, and the heirs of my daughter Nancy Johnston Taylor, to wit: - Grover J. Taylor, Bessie Kauffman and Freda Steinmetz, who shall together have one share thereof, or the one-eleventh part.

Third, I nominate and appoint my sons, Charles L. Johnston and Joseph S. Johnston, to be the executors of this my last will and testament, and direct that they shall sell my real estate within three years from the date of my death, at public or private sale and at such price or prices as t them shall seem just and right, and make good and sufficient deeds of conveyance therefor, and divide the proceeds thereof as specified in the second item hereof.

                In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 2nd day of July 1909. 

                                                                         Eliza M. Johnston (signature)(seal)

                Signed, sealed, published and declared by the above-named Eliza M. Johnston, as and for her last will and testament, in the presence of us, who, at her request and in her presence, and in the presence of each other, have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses thereto.

                                                                            Wm. G. Jones (witness)

                                                                            C. P. Hayward (witness

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Eliza died in June of 1914, but the final accounting was not filed with the Court until April of 1921, nearly seven  (7) years later.  The sale of her real estate did not occur until January 1921 although her will directed it to be sold within three years of her death.  The debits to the estate including the sale of real estate were:

1. Cash on hand - $90.00
2. Cash in Deposit Nat. Bank of Du Bois, Pa - 732.00
3. Notes & Int. of Chas. L. Johnston & Susan C. Beard & J.S.Winslow  - 1705.74
4. Cash in First Nat. Bank of Reynoldsville, Pa -  732.32
5. Cash rec'd from sale of properties as dir. by will - 3100.00
6. Cash sale of stock Reynoldsville Water Co. - 40.60
7. Cash, net rentals after deducting expenses  - 551.38

Total $6952.04
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The estate expenses including payments to the undertaker ($201.50), tombstone ($115.00) county recorder, cemetery sexton, legal services, medical services and miscellaneous came to $447.50.
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Payments to heirs on 15 Jan 1921:  Charles L and Joseph Johnston each received $740.52 as their one-tenth share of the estate plus commission as co-executor.  Siblings James, David, George, William and John Johnston, Susan Weaver Beard, and Mrs. J. O. (Eva Eliza) Lenkerd each received $558.48 as their one-tenth share.  Daughter Mary Johnston Winslow died in Jun of 1914 and her children, Bruce, James, William & Merton Winslow, Eva Van Why and Ella Yates each received $93.08.  The children of daughter Nancy Johnston Taylor, Bessie Taylor Hoffman, Grover Taylor and Freda Taylor Steinmetz each received $184.04.

Amanuensis Monday: Last Will & Testament of Dr. Elmer H. Rogers

Last Will & Testament of Dr. Elmer H. Rogers

IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN.

                I, Elmer H. Rogers, of the City of Trenton, County of Mercer and State of New Jersey, being of sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding, do make, publish and declare this, my last will and testament, in manner following, to wit:

                FIRST:  I direct that all my just debts and funeral expenses be paid as soon as may be reasonable after my decease.

                SECOND:  I give, devise and bequeath unto my wife and children, or the survivor of them, all of my property, real and personal, to be used and enjoyed by them, or the survivor of the, during their natural lives, said property to be, by my executors hereinafter mentioned, invested in real estate and first bond and mortgage.

                THIRD:  Upon the decease of my said wife and children, if the said children die without leaving lawful heirs of the body, I direct that my executors, hereinafter mentioned, shall invest the sum of Five thousand dollars, the income thereof, to be paid to William H. Bowers during his natural life.

                FOURTH:  Upon the decease of my said wife and children, if the said children shall died without leaving lawful heirs of the body, I direct that my executors, hereinafter mentioned, shall invest the sum of Five thousand dollars, the income thereof to be paid to Otto Goldy during his natural life.

                FIFTH:   I give, devise and bequeath upon the death of my wife and children, if the said children shall die without leaving lawful heirs of the body, all the rest and residue of my estate to my two sisters, Mary Rogers and Ella Rogers.

                SIXTH:  I give, devise and bequeath to my two sisters, Mary Rogers and Ella Rogers, the sum of Five thousand dollars, above directed to be invested for the use and benefit of William H. Bowers, when the said William H. Bowers is deceased.

                SEVENTH:  I give, devise and bequeath to my two sisters, Mary Rogers and Ella Rogers, the sum of Five thousand dollars, above directed to be invested for the use and benefit of Otto Goldy, when the said Otto Goldy is deceased.

                EIGHTH:  I hereby constitute, nominate and appoint Mary Olivia Rogers (signature) executrix of this, my last will and testament.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this eighth day of May, A.D., nineteen hundred and five.

                                                                Dr. Elmer H. Rogers (signature)

                SIGNED, ACKNOWLEDGED AND DECLARED by the said Elmer H. Rogers, as and for his last will and testament, in the presence of us (both being present at the same time) who, at his request, in his presence and in the presence of each other, have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses.

                                                                                J. Lefferts Conard (signature)

                                                                                Sara A. Conveny (signature)

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Dr. Rogers died nearly two years later at the age of forty-eight on 11 Apr 1907.  It appears the will was written and drawn up by J. Lefferts Conard.  I found a John L. Conard in the 1900 Trenton census who listed his occupation as "attorney."  Mary Olivia, the wife of the deceased started probate on 17 May 1907.  

There are a couple of interesting facts on this will that have changed my perspective, the main one being the bequest for his wife's brother, William H. Bowers or William A. as I have found him in most listings.  William is one of my brick walls and I had long assumed him to be a person of substance and education as the Bowers evidently came from money and prominence.  I know that he lived in Washington, D.C. as late as 1943 due to legal proceedings filed on the estate and published in the Trenton Evening Times.  I have never been able to find him in a census since the 1870 census at the age of one.  In fact, at one time I believed he had died as a child.  I am now having to question my prior assumptions and ask myself whether he might have been either indigent or institutionalized.  In any case, it appears that Dr. Rogers was supporting him in some fashion.

The second item of interest was the bequest for Otto Goldy who is a mystery person.  I have only been able to find one other mention of him and it was a small ad in the Trenton Evening Times listing the Rogers' former house on Warren Street and listing him as the contact.  This person will take further investigation.

All in all, this will was a great find and while it did not give me a lot more information, it did give me more to ponder.  And such is a genealogists' plight.....

Amanuensis Monday: Inventory-Estate of Levi H. Rogers, Deceased

Amanuensis Monday:  Inventory-Estate of Levi H. Rogers, Deceased

I received this Will and Estate inventory from the New Jersey State Archives for Levi H. Rogers, my husband’s 3x great-grandfather.  He was originally from Bucks County, PA and was a farmer, civil engineer and conducted a store¹.  In his later years he moved to Trenton, NJ where he died on 4 Feb 1892 at the age of sixty-five.  I particularly like the way everything is listed down to the detail especially "12 chickens," etc.  Additionally, there are notes with interest due from several people including two of his own sons, Irvin and Benjamin Rogers.  Here is the transcription of his will and estate inventory² :

A True and Perfect Inventory and Appraisement

Of the Goods, Chattels, Rights, Credits and Effects of ……………………………………

Levi H. Rogers deceased, late of the County of Mercer, made this Ninth day of March A.D. 1892

By Jane E. Rogers Adm. and Henry R. Hill and Benjamin Satterthwait Appraisers.

Four (4) Cows valued at                     100.00

One (1) ton hay                                  12.00

Wheat in mow &part thrushed              33.00

Corn in crib                                        12.00

½ Interest in 8 acres wheat                 45.00

½ interest in 3 acres rye                      30.00

150 Bu potatoes                                 30.00

12 Chickens                                         6.00

2 Straps bells                                         .50

One (1) Sleigh                                       5.00

Wagon Body                                           .25   

J. R. Elrath Note Interest                     924.00

I. Rogers Note Interest                        500.00

B. H. Rogers Note Interest                  229.63

Ida & Sylvester Taylor                         511.82                   2424.20

                Jane Eliza Rogers, Adm

                Benjamin Satterthwait and

                Henry R. Hill, Appraisers

State of New Jersey

Mercer County,    Jane E. Rogers, Administrator of Levi H. Rogers, deceased being duly affirmed according to law, saith that the annexed writing contains a true and perfect inventory of all and singular the goods and chattels, rights, credits and effects of the said deceased, so far as they have come to her possession of any other person or persons for her use, to her knowledge.

Affirmed and subscribed, the 19^th day of March A.D. 1892 before me, J. W. Don (signature) Surrogate.

State of New Jersey,

Mercer County,

Benjamin Satterthwait one of the appraisers of the annexed inventory, being duly affirmed according to law, saith that the goods, chattels, rights, credits and effects, therein set down and specified were by him appraised at their just and true respective rates and values according to the best of his judgment and understanding; and that Henry R. Fill the other appraiser whose name is thereto subscribed; was present at the same time with this deponent and consented, in all things, thereto; and that they appraised all things that were brought to their view for appraisement.

Affirmed and subscribed the 19^th day of march, A,D. 1892 before Me. J. W. ?, Surrogate.  Benjamin Satterthwait (signature)

 

¹Genealogical & Personal Memorial of Mercer County, New Jersey, edited by Francis Bazley Lee, Volume 2. Page 749.

²New Jersey State Archives, Secretary of State’s Will & Inventories (Mercer Co) 5034K.