WILL: Abraham A. Mereness;  Sharon, Schoharie co., NY 
surname: Mereness, Casler, Fraats, Morford

submitted by Theodora A. Mereness Haines (theodora3 at juno.com) 
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Submitted Date: May 8, 2005
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Source: Www.sampubco.com
Schoharie Co. Will Book Vol. 15 page. 149
Written: March 30, 1892

[words in square brackets are comments of Theodora Mereness Haines (TMH)]

"Will of Abraham A. Mereness
I Abraham  A. Mereness of the town of Sharon, County of Schoharie and state of 
New York, being of [sound?] mind and [memory?], do make, [unreadable] publish
and [unreadable] this to be my last Will and Testament, that is to say:
First. After all my lawful debts are paid and discharged, I give, devise and 
bequeath to my son Abram Mereness my farm situate in the town of Sharon in
said County, and State, being the farm where I now reside, containing one
hundred and fourteen acres of land, and said Abram Mereness is to pay the
following legacies.

2nd I give to my son [Edwin?] Mereness One thousand and thirteen dollars

3rd I  give to my son Peter Mereness Four hundred and thirteen dollars

4th I give to my son Norman Mereness Five hundred dollars

5th I give to my [blank] Charles Mereness Fie hundred forty one dollars

6th I give to my son John Mereness Two hundred dollars

7th I give to my grandson Walter Mereness One hundred and fifty dollars, not
to have it untill[sic] he is 21 years of age [Is this Walter (b. in 1873), s/o
Levi Mereness (1834-1879) and Almina Empie? Walter would be 19 years old. Levi
is not mentioned in Abraham's  Will, most likely because he d. in 1879].

8th I give to my grandson Howard Mereness One hundred dollars [Is this Howard
(b. 1878], s/o Abram II (1836-1925) and Eliza Ann Fraats? Howard would be 14
yeas old.

9th I give to my daughter [Emma?] Morford Five hundred dollars

10th I give to my daughter Maria Fraats Seven hundred dollars.

11th I give to my daughter Elizabeth Casler one hundred dollars

12th I give to my daughter-in-law Eliza [Fraats, w/o Abram?] Mereness Fifty 
dollars.

13th All of the above legacies are to be paid one year after my death except
No. 7, which is not to be paid before he is 21 years of age.

14th I give all my household furniture to my three daughters to be equally 
divided between them as they may agree.

15th I give to my son Abram Mereness all the farming utensils and tools that I 
may own that is on my farm.

16th I give to my three daughters the cows and young stock that I may own at
my death.

Likewise, I make, constitute and appoint Norman Mereness of the town of
Sharon, County of Schoharie, State of New York, to be Executor without bail
[bond?] of this my last Will and Testament, hereby revoking all previous wills
by me made.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto [subscribed?] my name and affixed my seal, 
the 30th Day of March in the year One thousand Eight hundred and Ninety two.
Abraham A. Mereness L.S.

The above instrument consisting of one sheet, was at the date thereof
subscribed by Abraham A. Mereness in the presence of us and each of us; he at
the time of making such subscription, acknowledged that he made this [same?]
and [declared?] the said instrument so subscribed by him, to be his last Will
and Testament, whereupon we [then?] and there, at his request, and in his
presence and the presence of each other, subscribed our names as witnesses
thereto.

Geo. [Braman?] residing at [Seward?] NY.
Christiana [Branan?], residing at [Seward?] NY.

AND

PAGE 150, combination of printed and handwritten document:
Schoharie County--Surrogate's Court
IN THE MATTER OF PROVING THE WILL OF)
Abraham A. Mereness late                                      )
of town of Sharon, NY deceased.                           )
Schoharie County, ss.:
George [Bramon?] of Seward County of Schoharie and Christiana [Braman?] of
Seward in the County of Schoharie, being first duly sworn in open court, do
depose as follows:

That they are the subscribing witnesses to the last will and testament of
Abraham A. Mereness late of the town of Sharon Schoharie County, deceased, and
which will bears date on the 30 day of March 1892, and which will, with our
signatures thereto, is now exhibited to us. That at the time aforesaid the
said Abraham A. Mereness did in our presence sign his name at the end of the
said instrument and declare the same to be his last will and testament, and we
thereupon, at his request, and in his presence and in the presence of each
other, signed our names as attesting witnesses thereto. That at the time when
said testator signed said will and declared the same to be his last will and
testament as aforesaid, and at the time when we signed the same as witnesses
thereto as aforesaid, the said Abraham A. Mereness was of sound mind and
memory, of full age to execute a will of real estate, and was not under any
restraint, to the knowledge, information of belief of these deponents.
[Signatures]
Geo. [Braman?]
Christiana [Braman?]
Sworn and subscribed this 9th day)
of December 1899 before me.        )
 [signed] Watson Lamont Surrogate.

At a Surrogate's Court, held in and for the County of Schoharie, at the 
Surrogatae's Office, in the Village of Cobleskill on the 9th day of December
1899. Present: Watson Lamont Surrogate.

IN THE MATTER OF THE PROBATE OF THE LAST WILL)
AND TESTAMENT OF                                                             )
Abraham A. Mereness deceased                                                 )

Satisfactory proof having been made of the due service [blank underline] of
the citation heretofore issued in this matter requiring the proper persons to
appear in this Court on the 9th day of December 1899, and attend the probate
of the last will and testament of Abraham Mereness late of the town of Sharon
deceased, bearing date the 30th day of March 1892 and Norman Mereness
petitioner and sole Executor in [said?] will [unreadable], having appeared and
submitted said will for probate and Abram Mereness appearing personally and as
special guardian of Howard Mereness, a minor, and Lloyd [Morford], Earl
[Morford], Laura [Morford] and Peter [Morford], minors, appearing by James
[W.] [Morford] their duly appointed special guardian, and Elizabeth [Casler?]
appearing by [Crawford?] [Casler?] her husband, and the probate of said will
not being contested after taking the depositions of the subscribing witnesses
to said will, and due deliberation being had thereon, and it appearing upon
the proofs taken that said will was duly and properly executed, that the said
testator at the time of executing the same was in all respects competent to
devise real estate and was not under restraint, and the Surrogate being
satisfied of the genuineness and validity of said will, it is ordered,
adjudged, and decreed, and the Surrogate, by virtue of the power and authority
in him vested, doth order, adjudge and decree that said last will and
testament was duly and properly executed, that the same is genuine and valid;
that said last will and testament and the proofs and examinations taken in
relation to the same be recorded; that said will be admitted to probate and
that the same be and it hereby is established as a will of real and personal
estate.

And is further ordered that letters testamentary of said will be and they are 
hereby granted to said Norman Mereness, he having taken the required oath.
And on his application to have two disinterested persons appointed to estimate 
and appraise the personal property of said deceased, it is ordered that Eugene 
Putman and Stephen Borst be and they are hereby appointed such appraisers.
[signature]
Watson Lamont
Surrogate

STATE OF NEW YORK ) ss.
SCHOHARIE COUNTY,)
I, Watson Lamont Surrogate in and for said County, do hereby certify that the 
foregoing is a true copy of the last will and testament of Abraham A. Mereness 
deceased, which will was duly admitted to probate before me on the 9th day of 
December 1899, as a will relating to real and personal estate, pursuant to the 
statutes of the State of New York, in such cases made and provided; and I
further certify that the proofs and examinations taken in relation to the
execution thereof are herein recorded.
[signature]
Watson Lamont Surrogate

Additional Comments:
words in [square brackets] are comments of Theodora Mereness Haines