Will of John Bemister
from Newfoundland will books volume 6 pages 3-5 probate year 1893

Last Will and Testament of
John Bemister of Harbor Grace
Sheriff Nor Dist deceased.

      I John Bemister Sheriff of the Northern District of the Colony of Newfoundland, being about to leave my house on duties connected with my office and believing it possible in the Providence of Almighty God that I may never return do make this my last will and testament and desire it may be so received. After payment of all my lawful debts I wish the money and property of which I may die possessed to be divided amongst my children as hereafter named.

The money and assets are as follows
my Life Policy Mortgage of the property held by Dr. Allan Three hundred and Eighty pounds.
Two Debentures of Five Hundred Dollars each in possession of the Commercial Bank.
One Debenture in the name of Julia Chancey Bemister of Six hundred and forty dollars.
Two hundred and sixty pounds loaned to the Trustees of the Methodist Church at Harbor Grace at Five pr Cent pr annum.
One hundred pounds due by William Hawker Carbonear at five pr cent pr annum in part payment of the House and premises purchased by him there.
Any balance which may be due me on running account at the Commercial Bank or from certain lawyers as appears in my official records, and by the list at fort.
Also Two hundred pounds advanced Hannie Louisa Woods. And one hundred and fifty pounds advanced Maria Shepperd Ladner out of their portion of the estate.

This is named so as to enable the executors to carry out the ideas already expressed to my children. The mortgage, Life Policy and Debentures are in my writing desk, the official account books are in the closet in my office in the Court House. My desire is that there shall be invested in the name of my daughter Julia Chancey a sufficient amount the interest of which with the rent of the (my) premises at New Perlican shall amount to at least Fifty pounds per annum and shall be available for her support during the time she may remain unmarried. The Debentures in her name and the money advanced to the Trustees of the Harbor Grace Circuit already named shall be a part thereof.
I do not wish my Brother Reuben to be dispossessed of the premises at New Perlican, but desire that the Executors and he shall value them and he pay fiver pr cent on the valuation as annual rent, keeping them in repair, but should he at any time purchase them or leave them so that they may be sold without any inconvenience to him, the purchase money shall be invested and the interest made available for the above specified purpose, the balance then remaining shall be equally divided between my daughters Maria Shepperd Ladner Hannah Louisa Woods and Isabel Ann Patience Prine each one third, deducting from the said Maria Shepperd Ladner one hundred and fifty pounds & Hannah Louisa Woods two hundred pounds as before referred to -

In the event of the marriage of the said Julia Chancey the whole of the Estate is to be realized and equally divided amongst the four children one fourth to each deducting the amounts advanced as just named. On the death of the said Julia Chancey (if unmarried) the amot. appropriated for her use shall be divided between her sisters say one third each. And in the event of the death of either (or all of them) that trust shall be divided as the husbands if surviving shall see best, this is not to prevent the said Julia Chancey from giving any little amount to either of her nephews or nieces should the desire to do so not exceeding in the whole one hundred pounds.

Notwithstanding any thing to the contrary I bequeath Bensons Commentary or the value thereof to my Grandson John Bemister Ladner.
My Gold watch and chain to my grandson John Bemister Prine.
My old watch and gold seal to my daughter Julia Chancey
And Violin to any son which my daughter Hannah Louisa Woods may have.

All other property as if deferred is to be equally divided amongst my children either in kind or value reserving to Julia Chancey enough should she wish it to keep house. The (illegible) given her.

I bequeath the piece of land at the foot of Abbotts Meadow in Carbonear willed to me by my late Father, to the children of my brother Reuben to whom the rest of the property belongs.
I appoint my sons in law Henry J B Woods and Rev. George Prine Executors to this will.
Signed at Harbor Grace this 30^th day of August 1883. (Sgd) J. Bemister. -

September 1^st 1885. Since the foregoing was written changes have taken place And the amounts advanced to my children are Maria S. Ladner two hundred and fifty pounds, Hanna Woods two hundred pounds, Isabel Prine three hundred and twenty five pounds as per rect of the Carbonear water Company in my desk. These amounts are to be deducted from their portion of my estate So that each may have an equal share.
Dr. Allan has paid off portion of the mortgage -
And a portion of the amt. advanced to the Methodist Church has been paid, the amount due by each appear in my small account Books -
The amts are Insurance Policy, Debentures Four hundred & ten Pounds. Amount in Savings Bank as pr. Book Union Bank as per rects due of the Trustees of the Methodist Church as per book, due of Dr. Allan due of lawyer as per a/c. any other amounts as per my book, in dividing amongst the children add to the above the whole amount which I have advanced to Maria Hanna and Isabel. Amtg. to seven hundred and seventy five pounds, deduct the amt for Julia divide the remainder equally between the others, deducting the amounts which each has received. I should have said that William Hawker has paid off the money before named. (Sgd) J. Bemister. Harbor Grace, September 1^st 1885. I consider the foregoing, bearing date 30^th August 1883 and Sept 1^st 1885 as my last will and Testament and affix my name (sgd) J. Bemister in presence of (sgd) H. W. Trapnell (sgd) T. W. Rogers.

      I certify the foregoing to be a correct copy of the last will and Testament of John Bemister deceased

Registrar

(Listed in the margin next to this will the following)
Fiat
Jos I Little J
Probate
granted to
Rev. Geo Prine
& G. J. Edwards
the exors.
Dated
Feb 22: 1893
Estate
sworn under
$12,500.00