WILL: Samuel Solcum; Northumberland, Saratoga co., NY surname: Slocum, Stevens, Wood submitted by Dianne G. Jonas (D50j100 @ aol.com) ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES(tm) NOTICE: All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.org/ny/nyfiles.htm *********************************************************************** THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF SAMUEL SLOCUM Saratoga County, New York, Northumberland, V.31, page 294 The last will and testament of Samuel SLOCUM, late of the town of Northumberland, deceased, relating to both real and personal estate, recorded on the 8th day of April, 1889. At the Surrogates Court, held in and for the County of Saratoga, at the Surrogates Office in the village of Saratoga Springs, on the 8th day of April, 1889. Present, Elias H. PETERS, Surrogate. Be it remembered that at the Surrogates Court, held in and for the County of Saratoga, at the village of Saratoga Springs, on the 12th day of March, 1889, Charles SLOCUM of the town of Saratoga, in the County of Saratoga, aforesaid, one of the person’s named as executor in a certain instrument in writing purporting to be the last Will and Testament of Samuel SLOCUM, deceased, appeared and presented said Will for probate, and at the same time made satisfactory proof that the said Samuel SLOCUM died on or about the 17th day of January 1889, being at the time an inhabitant of said county of Saratoga, and that he left him surviving, Nancy SLOCUM, his wife, Ruby J. WOOD, Melissa SLOCUM, George H. SLOCUM, Eliza A. STEVENS, Samuel SLOCUM and Charles SLOCUM, who are all and the only heirs at law and next of kin, of the said deceased and thereupon a citation was issued to the said heirs at law and next of kin, citing the to appear before our said Surrogate, at his office, in the Village of Saratoga Springs, in the County of Saratoga, on the 8th day of April, 1889 at 10 o’clock in the forenoon, to attend to proof and probate of said Will at which time and place, the petitioner the said Charles SLOCUM again appeared, and returned said citation with proof of the due and legal service of the same upon all to whom directed and no one opposing said Will was shown to the attesting witnesses thereto, and the proof was taken as follows: Saratoga Springs, ss: John MARSHALL of the town of Northumberland, in the County of Saratoga, being first duly sworn in open court, on his oath, does depose and say, that he and Abraham MARSHALL are subscribing witnesses to the last Will and Testament of Samuel SLOCUM, late of the town of Northumberland, in the County of Saratoga, aforesaid, deceased, and this deponent further says that the said deceased did, in the presence of this deponent and said MARSHALL, subscribe his name at the end of the instrument which is now shown to this deponent, and which purports to be the last Will and Testament of the said deceased, and which bears date on the day of September, in the year one thousand eight hundred and seventy six; that the said deceased did, at that time of subscribing his name to said instrument as aforesaid, declare the same to be his last Will and Testament; that this deponent and said Abraham did thereupon subscribe their own names at the end of said instrument , as attesting witnesses to the execution thereof, at the request of the said deceased, and in his presence, and in the presence of each other. That the said deceased, at the time of subscribing his name to said instrument as aforesaid, was upwards of twenty one years of age; that he appeared to be of sound mind and memory, and was not under restraint to the knowledge or belief of these deponents. That said Abraham MARSHALL is dead. Subscribed and sworn this 8th day of April, 1889, before me--J. MARSHALL. E.H. PETERS- Surrogate. And it appearing from the proof so taken, that the said instrument was duly executed, and that the said testator was at the time of executing the same, in all respects competent to devise real estate, and was not under restraint and our said Surrogate having inquired into the facts and circumstances, and being satisfied of the genuineness and validity of said instrument and no objections being made thereto, it is Ordered, Adjudged and Decreed, that the said instrument be and is admitted to probate, as and for the last Will and Testament of the said deceased, valid to pass both real and personal estate; and it is further Ordered that said Will be recorded with the proof thereof, which proof is herein before recorded, and said Will is in the words and figures following-to wit; In the Name of God, Amen--I, Samuel SLOCUM of the town of Northumberland, in the County of Saratoga and State of New York; of the age of seventy years, and being of sound mind and memory, blessed be Almighty God, for the same, do make, publick and declare this my last Will and Testament, in manner following, that is to say; FIRST; I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife, Nancy, to be accepted and received by her in lieu of dower, the sum of three thousand dollars, good and lawful money of the United States, or its equivalent in United States bonds or mortgages, on real estate, par value together with all the household furniture in the dwelling house in which we now reside. I also give, bequeath and devise unto her, the free use and occupancy of the dwelling house in which we now reside, the door yard, garden and orchard south of the dwelling house, during her natural life. SECOND; I give and bequeath unto my son George H. SLOCUM, the equal, undivided half part of the farm on which I now reside, supposed to contain about one hundred and eighty eight acres of land;(said equal undivided half part, to consist of the north half, including the dwelling, door yard and orchard, herein willed to my wife during her natural life, together with one half of the wood lot attached to, and being now a part of said one hundred and eighty eight acres); providing the said George H. shall furnish wood for the use of one fire, cut and piled in the wood house and furnish hay, provender and pasture, for the use of one horse during her life. THIRD; I give and bequeath unto my daughter Melissa, the sum of two thousand dollars, currency of the State of New York. FOURTH; I give and bequeath unto my grand children, Samuel L. STEVENS, Roma STEVENS, John STEVENS, and Laura STEVENS, children of my daughter Eliza Ann, together with any other child or children, that she may have hereafter, the sum of four thousand dollars, to be equally divided between them, share and share alike (at my death), when they shall respectively arrive at the age of twenty one years, the interest accruing in the portion of each, to be paid the mother yearly and each year, until such majority to be expended in their support or education by said mother if living; or in case of its death, the guardian or trustee as the case may be, for such purpose. FIFTH; I give and bequeath unto my grand children, Theresa SLOCUM and Frederick SLOCUM, the sum of five hundred dollars each, to be paid them when they shall arrive at the age of twenty one years; the interest accruing yearly from my death to be paid and appropriated as directed in item three. SIXTH; I give and bequeath unto my grand daughter Ruby J. WOOD, daughter of my daughter Mary Jane, the sum of five hundred dollars, to be paid and appropriated to the mother or guardian, as in item three. SEVENTH; The reason why I have not remembered in this my last Will and Testament, my son Charles SLOCUM, is, I have given him already the sum of four thousand five hundred dollars; and my son Samuel SLOCUM Junior, the sum of forty five hundred dollars; and my daughter Ruby Jane, relict of William WOOD, deceased, I have given the sum of two thousand two hundred dollars and I also have given my daughter Melissa, beside the bequest above mentioned, the sum of two thousand dollars. EIGHTH; Should the above legacies exceed the amount of my real and personal property, not bequeathed in the above instrument, and the payment of all my just debts, if any there be, the costs of the probate of this Will, and the erection of a suitable monument on my lot in PROSPECT CEMETERY, not to exceed the sum of seven hundred dollars. (should said monument not be erected during my life time). The deficiency to be deducted from the several legacies, equally, except the legacy to my wife, which must be paid in full. And should there be a surplus over and above discharging the above legacies, and the requests above in this item, I hereby order my executors hereinafter named, to divide such such surplus equally among my children, share and share alike to wit; Ruby Jane, Eliza Ann, Melissa, Charles, George H. and Samuel SLOCUM, Junior. NINTH; And lastly--I hereby nominated and appoint my sons Charles SLOCUM and Samuel SLOCUM jun. to be the executors of this my Last Will and Testament, hereby revoking all former Wills by me made; hereby empowering them to collect all moneys due me in book account, or bonds and mortgages or stocks of any kind also to sell, dispose of and convey any or all of my real estate, not otherwise disposed of by this my last Will and Testament, for the faithful discharge of the duties herein imposed upon them trusting to them honesty and fidelity, and the love and affection I have for them, and each and every one of my children. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this day__ of September, in the year of our Lord, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Seventy Six. Samuel SLOCUM (L.S.) The above instrument consisting of one full sheet, was at the date thereof, signed, sealed, published and declared, by the said Samuel SLOCUM, as and for his last Will and Testament, in presence of us, who at his request, and in his presence, and in the presence of each other, have subscribed our names as witnesses thereto. On the third page "my son Charles SLOCUM" was interlined before signature. Abraham MARSHALL, Northumberland, Saratoga Co., N.Y. John MARSHALL, Northumberland, Saratoga Co., N.Y. Saratoga County, ss: I, Elias H. PETERS, Surrogate of the County of Saratoga, do hereby certify the foregoing to be a true record of the last Will and Testament of Samuel SLOCUM, late of the town of Northumberland, in the County of Saratoga aforesaid, deceased, relating to real and personal estate, together with the proof thereof. Recorded on the 8th day of April, 1889. E.H. PETERS, Surrogate.