Last Will And Testament Of Laura Ingalls Wilder:
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File transcribed and contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by:
Phyllis Rippee wchs@getgoin.net
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KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:  That I, the undersigned Laura Ingalls
Wilder, being in good health, sound and disposing mind and desiring to make
disposition of my affairs while in health and strength, do hereby make,
publish and declare the following to be my last will and testament, in
manner and form, following to wit:
        1. I direct payment of all my just debts and funeral expenses.
        2. I will and bequeath to my daughter, Rose Wilder Lane all my
Copyrighted Literary property and the income from same for and during her
natural life and at her death I direct that said Copyright Literary
property and the income from same be given to the Laura Ingalls Library of
Mansfield, Missouri.
        3. I further direct that the beneficiary under the aforesaid
bequest shall pay the sume of TEN AND NO/100 DOLLARS ($10.00) annually to
the De Smet Cemetery Association of De Smet, South Dakota, for the care of
the Ingalls family lot and that siad beneficiary further pay the sume of
TEN AND NO/100 DOLLARS ($10.00) annually to the Mansfield Cemetery
Association of Mansfield, Missouri, for the care of the Wilder family lot.
          4. I will and bequeath all the balance of the property that I may
die possessed of whether it be tangible, intangible, real, personal or
mixed to my daughter, Rose Wilder Lane.
        5. I hereby constitute and appoint N.J. Craig of Mansfield,
Missouri to be the Executor of this my last will and testament.

        IN WITNESS WHEREOF I HAVE HEREUNTO SET MY HAND TO THIS MY LAST WILL
AND TESTAMENT, CONSISTING OF TWO PAGES.  THIS THE 6TH DAY OF FEBRUARY,
1952.

                                     (SIGNED)

WITNESSES: (SIGNATURES)
____________________

Laura died in 1957.  Her estate consisting of stocks (abt. $10,000); bonds
($27,000); bank account which included insurance policies ($11,800) and
copyrights (estimated at $30,000) was settled in 1958.

When Rose Wilder Lane died in 1968, her heir was an "adopted son", Roger
McBride.  Mr. McBride claimed that once the copyrights to Laura's books
were bequeathed to Rose, the became her exclusive property.  Therefore,
Laura could not return from the grave and hand the literary rights over to
the Laura Ingalls Wilder Library.  Thus, he became the literary heir to
Laura's work, which he transformed into the "Little House" series on
television.