WILL: Asa Barnes: Leray, Jefferson Co., NY Surnames: Barnes, Barns, Parker, Taylor, Giles, Elmore, Kelsey, Wittiston submitted by Donna Barnes ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives (www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb) to store the file permanently for free access and not to be removed separately without written permission. ************************************************************************ Transcribed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Donna Barnes (donnab @ prodigy.net) - March 2002 ************************************************************************ Leray, Jefferson Co., NY Will book 1, pg 369 - 379 ( pages 374 thru 379 are numbered as 174, etc). Asa Barnes' Estate Order State of New York, County of Jefferson At a Surrogate Court held in and for the county of Jefferson at the office of the Surrogate in Watertown in said county on the 19th day of February 1851. Present Lysander H. Brown, Surrogate In the matter of proving the will of real and personal estate of Asa Barnes, deceased. Be it remembered that Gerrit S. Barnes of the town of LeRay in said County came before the said surrogate and made and filed his petition on oath on the 27th day of December 1850 stating and thereby the said surrogate was satisfied that Asa Barnes late an inhabitant of the said town of LeRay in said County and owning real and personal property had died after having made and published his last will and testament disposing of said estate and had therein named the said Gerrit S. Barnes as one of the executors thereof. That the said Asa Barnes left him surviving at the time of his death the following named heirs at law and next of kin and none others to wit: Russell Barnes and his wife Susan M. Barnes and Candace Parker wife of Daniel Parker of Alexandria in said county, Elvia Taylor wife of Clinton G. Taylor of Preemption Illinois, Pamelia Giles wife of Thomas Giles of Babcock Grove Dupage County, Illinois, Randall Barnes and his wife Mary Ann Barnes, Gerrit S. Barnes and his wife Maria E. Barnes of LeRay in Jefferson County, New York State Maria Elmore wife of John Elmore of Theresa in said County of Jefferson, Henry Kelsey and Rhoda Wittiston of the State of Illinois William Kelsey a sailor whose place of residence cannot be ascertained after diligent inquirey and Rhoda Barnes of the aforesaid town of LeRay and Pamelia Barnes of the town of Fowler? in the county of St. Lawrence and State of New York all of full age and Rosana Kelsey of the town of Alexandria in said County of Jefferson William Kelsey of LeRay aforesaid Antonette Kelsey of Theresa aforeasid and Maria Kelsey of Fowler? aforesaid and Thereas A Barnes of Watertown in said County of Jefferson minors under twenty one years of age having no general guardian. And by said petition that prayed that a citation might issue out of and under the seal of this court directed to the proper persons requiring them and each of them at such time and place as should be in said citation mentioned to appear and attend the probate of the said last will and testament and that such farther or other proceedings might be had in the premises as would be requisite to the proving and recording of the said last will and testament and granting probate and letters testamentary thereof. Therefore the said surrogate being satisfied of the truth of the matters stated and set forth in said petition on reading and filing the consent in writing of Luther J. Dorwin to be appointed special guardian for the said minors in the premises did appoint the said Luther J. Dorwin such special guardian for the sole purpose of appearing for and taking care of the interests of the said minors in the matter of proving the last will and testament and did also issue a citation under his hand and official seal directed to the persons above named and to Luther J. Dorwin as special guardian as aforesaid stating places of residence respectively and that Gerrit L. Barnes one of the executors named in said will had applied to said surrogate to have said will proved as a will of real and personal estate and requiring them to be and appear personally before the said surrogate at his office in the village of Watertown in said County of Jefferson on the nineteenth day of February in the year eighteen hundred and fifty-one at ten o'clock in the forenoon then and there to attend the probate of the said last will and testament the said citation bearing date the twenty seventh day of December in the year eighteen hundred and fifty. Thereupon the process was continued until the return day thereof when the parties appeared in court before said surrogate at his said office and it was satisfactorily proved to said surrogate by affidavits then filed that said citation had been duly served on all said parties either by personal service or by publication in the Albany Argus, the State paper according to law and no one offering any objections to the probate of said will the said surrogate thereupon proceeded to hear the proofs and allegations of the parties in the premises. The said will having been produced and Oliver Douglas and Joseph Boyer the only subscribing witnesses to said will having been duly sworn testified as such witnesses and their testimony after having reduced to writing was carefully read over to them and subscribed by them respectively and the same was recorded as follows in this Book. Whereupon the said surrogate being satisfied by said proofs and examinations that at the time of making said will the said Asa Barnes was of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding of full age and not under any restraint and competent to make a will that said will was duly made and published as a will of real and personal property doth order adjudge and decree that the said will be and the same is hereby proved approved established and confirmed as a good and valid will of real and personal estate and that the same be recorded and the same with the proofs thereof taken and certificate thereon endorsed is recorded on the day and year first in this order mentioned in the office of the said surrogate in the book kept for that purpose which record follows immediately in this book and it is also ordered that Letters Testamentary issue to Randall Barnes and Gerrit S. Barnes the executors named in said will they having first taken the oath prescribed by law. Recorded Feb. 19, 1851 Lysander H. Brown, Surrogate Witness Lysander H. Brown Surrogate of said County the day and year first in this order written. Lysander H. Brown Surrogate Asa Barnes' Estate Will In the name of God Amen. I Asa Barnes of the town of LeRay in the County of Jefferson and state of New York of the age of sixty seven years being of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding do hereby make publish and declare this to be my last will and testament in the manner and form following, to wit: First I will and direct that my executors hereinafter named pay all my just debts and funeral charges as soon after my decease as conveniently may be. Second I give and bequeath to my son Russel Barns one cow the sum of five hundred dollars having been paid to him by me in full of his position in my real and personal estate. Third I give and bequeath to my daughter Elvia wife of Clinton G. Taylor the sum of ninety dollars to be raised out of my personal estate. Fourth I give and bequeath to my daughter Candace wife of Daniel Parker the sum of fifty dollars to be raised out of my personal estate. Fifth I give and bequeath to my daughter Pamelia wife of Thomas Giles the sum of fifty dollars to be raised out of my personal estate. Sixth I give and bequeath to my daugher Theresa one bedstead one bed and bedding one set of chairs and one hundred and fifty dollars in cash to be raised out of my personal estate. Seventh I give devise and bequeath to my daughter in law Susan M. Barnes wife of my son Russel Barnes and to her heirs or assigns forever a certain dwelling house and lot of land situate in the village of Theresa county and state aforesaid containing one quarter of an acre being the same premises which were conveyed to me by Samuel Stocking and his wife of the city of Utica and Norris M. Woodruff and his wife of the village of Watertown and for a more particular description of said premises reference to said conveyance may be had. Eighth I give devise and bequeath to my daughter in law Mary Ann Barns wife of my son Randall Barnes her heirs or assigns forever all that certain piece of land situate in the town of LeRay in the county and state aforesaid containing seventy six acres two rood and one perch of land being the same premises which were conveyed to me by William Taggart and Ann his wife by deed bearing date the 25th day of March 1833 which deed is recorded in the office of the clerk of Jefferson County in Liber No. 2 of deeds page 530 and on the 24th day of December 1833 at two o'clock p.m. Ninth I give devise and bequeath to my said daughter in law Mary Ann Barns her heirs or assigns all that certain piece of land situate in the said town of LeRay in the county and state aforesaid and containing fifty acres and 97/100 it being the same premises which were conveyed to me by Henry B. Hastings and his wife and the same lately owned and occupied by said Hastings. Tenth I also give and bequeath to my said daughter in law Mary Ann Barns her heirs and assigns (after payment of my debts legacies and funeral charges) what may remain of all my stock of cattle horses sheep hogs and other domestic animals wagons carriages harnesses and all farming utensils and dairy tools of every description and which shall be on my farm on which I shall own at the time of my demise. Eleventh I give devise and bequeath to my said daughter in law Mary Ann Barns wife of my son Randall Barns her heirs or assigns all that certain piece of land situate in the said town of LeRay county and state aforesaid estimated to contain fifty eight acres two roods and seven perches it being the same land which was conveyed to me by Moss Kent by deed bearing date the 21st day of July 1835 and which deed was recorded in the office of the clerk of the county of Jefferson on the 14th day of November 1836 at 9 o'clock a.m. in Liber x 2 of deeds page 253 but this gift devise and bequeath is made by me under the express condition that my said daughter in law Mary Ann Barns shall within eight years from the date of this will pay or cause to be paid unto my daughter in law Maria Barns wife of my son Gerrit S. Barns or to her legal representatives the sum of one thousand dollars and to secure the payment thereof I make the same chargeable upon the said fifty eight acres two roods and seven perches of land and it is my will and order that in case of the non payment or absolute refusal to pay the said sum of one thousand at the time above that in that case this devise shall be null and void and on that event happening then I hearby give devise and bequeath the said land (in this article mentioned) to my daugher in law Maria Barns wife of my son Gerrit S. Barns her heirs or assigns forever. Twelfth I give devise and bequeath to my daughter Maria Barns wife of my son Gerrit S. Barns her heirs or assigns all that certain peice of land situate in the town of LeRay county and state aforesaid being part of lot No 323 of Great lot No 4 of Macombs purchase and containing eleven acres and 65/100 it being the same land which was conveyed to me by William Phelps and Elvia his wife by deed bearing date the 17th day of June 1833 Thirteenth I give and bequeath to my daughter in law Maria Barnes wife of my son Gerrit Barns two good cows one bedstead bed and bedding for the same. Fourteenth I give and devise to my wife Rhoda for her support and maintainance until her decease or marriage whichever event shall first happen one third of all my real and personal estate subject to the legacies made by me in this will. I also devise to my said wife Rhoda during her natural life or marriage as aforesaid the use and possession of one third of the dwelling house and out houses on the farm where I now reside together with the privileges and appurtenances thereunto belonging. Fifteenth I give and bequeath to my wife Rhoda all my household goods and furniture which shall remain in my dwelling house on the farm where I reside at the time of my demise subject to the several legacies made by me in this will. Sixteenth I do will and declare that the devises and bequests herein before made to my wife Rhoda and by me meant and intended to be in lieu for and satisfaction of all and every claim and demand of dower and thirds which she could or by law might have at the time of my decease or in or to my estate and effects real or personal or any part thereof. Seventeenth I will and direct that all the meat flour and provisions of every kind which shall be and remain in my dwelling house at the time of my decease for the use of my wife and family and that the same shall not be inventoried by my executors or any account taken thereof in the settllement of my estate. Eighteenth I do hereby nominate and appoint my two sons Randall Barns and Gerrit S. Barns executors of this my last will and testament and hereby expressly revoke all and every former will by me made. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the thirty first day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-nine. (L. S.) Asa Barns Subscribed sealed and declared by the testator Asa Barns to be his last will and testament in the presence of us who at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as witnesses. Oliver Douglas of the town of LeRay Jeff. County N.Y. Joseph Boyer of the town of LeRay Jeff. County N.Y. Certificate State of New York County of Jefferson Surrogate Court: Before Lysander H. Brown, Surrogate I Lysander H. Brown Surrogate of the County of Jefferson do certify upon proofs and examinations taken before me at my office in Watertown in said County on the 19th day of February in the year 1851 by the oaths of Oliver Douglas and Joseph Boyer the subscribing witnesses to the foregoing will. That said will was duly executed that the testator at the time of executing the same was in all respects competent to devise real estate and to bequeath personal property of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding of full age and not under any restraint and that said will has been duly proved approved established and confirmed as a good and valid will of real and personal estate. And I further certify that said will with the proofs thereof taken and the certificates therein endorsed are recorded in the office of said surrogate in the book kept for recording wills testaments and codicils. In witness whereof I have hereunto affixed my seal (L. S.) and subscribed my name this 19th day of February in the year 1851. Lysander H. Brown Surrogate Will and Certificate recorded Feb. 19, 1851 Lysander H. Brown, Surrogate Testimony State of New York Jefferson County Surrogate Court Before Lysander H. Brown Surrogate in the matter of proving the will of the real and personal estate of Asa Barnes deceased. County of Jefferson Joseph Boyer of the town of LeRay in said county being first duly sworn deposeth and saith that on the thirty first day of January 1849 at LeRay aforesaid he saw Asa Barnes deceased subscribe the instrument now shown to this deponent and which purports to be the last will and testament of Asa Barnes late of the town of LeRay in said county deceased bearing date the 31 st day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty nine. That on the day of the date aforesaid and at the time of signing the same he heard the said Asa Barnes declare the same to be his last will and testament and that he this deponent and Oliver Douglas the other subscribing witness did then subscribe their names hereto as witnesses at the request and in the presence of the said Asa Barnes and of each other. That at the time thereof the said Asa Barnes was of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding of full age and not under any restraint and competent to make a will. Joseph Boyer Sworn and subscribed before me Feb. 19th 1851 Lysander H. Brown Surrogate. State of New York Jefferson County Surrogate Court Before Lysander H. Brown Surrogate in the matter of proving the will of the real and personal estate of Asa Barnes deceased. County of Jefferson Oliver Douglas of the town of Leray in said county being first duly sworn deposeth and saith that on the thirty first day of January 1849 at LeRay aforesaid he saw Asa Barnes deceased subscribe the instrument now shown to this deponent and which purports to be the last will and testament of Asa Barnes late of the town of LeRay in said county deceased bearing date the 31 st day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty nine. That on the day of the date aforesaid and at the time of signing the same he heard the said Asa Barnes declare the same to be his last will and testament and that he this deponent and Joseph Boyer the other subscribing witness did then subscribe their names thereto as witnesses at the request and in the presence of the said Asa Barnes and of each other. That at the time thereof the said Asa Barnes was of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding of full age and not under any restraint and competent to make a will. Oliver Douglas Sworn and subscribed before me Feb 19th 1851 Lysander H. Brown Surrogate Please note: The name Barnes is seen as both Barns and Barnes