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A Collection of Newfoundland Wills
(B)
Thomas Blake

Disclaimer: The wills for volumes 1 and 2 are not made from the original will books, but rather from a set of books written up from the originals about 100 years later. The 1846 hand written will book that we are putting up along with the wills from the volume 1 will book, is not the original will book. It was made, probably within a decade of the death of the testators, but it is not an exact replication from the original will book.

 

Will of Thomas Blake
from Newfoundland will books volume 1 pages 493 & 494 probate year 1847

In re Thomas Blake      deceased.

In the name of God Amen. I Thomas Blake of Saint John's in the Island of Newfoundland Tinman and Copper Smith being of sound mind and intellect do make this my last will and testament. Imprimis, I commend my soul to the mercy of Almighty God and leave to my children the disposal of my body after my death desiring that I should be laid to rest near the remains of my beloved wife.

  • Item, I bequeath to my son William my ship or Brig called the "United Brothers" of Saint John's aforesaid of the burden of about eighty tons or thereabouts with all her apparel tackle and furniture to his sole use and benefit.
  • Item, I bequeath to my daughter Margaret my interest in the dwelling house I reside and in all other houses lands and messuages to which I may have any title at the time of my decease subject to the payment of one hundred pounds currency to my grandson Cornelius Canning and of two hundred pounds currency to my grand daughter Mary Canning when they have respectively arrived at the age of twenty four years and no sooner.
  • Item, I give and bequeath unto my daughter Margaret aforesaid all my goods chattels furniture monies and whatever debts may be due to me at my decease she paying all claims lawfully to be made on me.
  • Item, my will and desire are that the above sums of one hundred pounds bequeathed to my grandson Cornelius Canning and of two hundred pounds bequeathed to my grand daughter Mary Canning and every part thereof shall be retained in the hands of my said daughter Margaret untill each respectively shall have attained the age of twenty four years if she my said daughter Margaret shall think proper; and it is my wish and desire that the said Cornelius and Mary Canning should continue to reside with my said daughter Margaret and that my said daughter Margaret be charged with their maintenance and that therefore she hold the said monies so bequeathed them as aforesaid without interest or use money; but should they be compelled or choose to leave her they shall not ever in that case be entitled to receive any interest for the same. But if my daughter Margaret should die before they shall have attained the age of twenty four as aforesaid that then she shall provide fully for the payment of said legacies to them at such time and in such manner as to her shall appear prudent and advisable.
  • Item, my will and desire are that if my said grandchildren or either of them should die before my said daughter Margaret that in that case she my said daughter Margaret should retain the legacy here bequeathed the deceased for her sole use and benefit. And further my will and desire are that my sister Mary should reside with my said daughter Margaret who is hereby charged with her maintenance and in whom I implicitly rely for to render her latter days easy and comfortable. And further it is my will that my said daughter Margaret be the sole executrix of this my last will and testament given under my hand and seal in Saint John's Newfoundland this nineteenth day of June 1844 four.

Thomas his X mark Blake (LS)
Signed sealed and acknowledged in presence of us John Foristall,   John V. Nugent, Thomas Waldren.

Saint John's Newfoundland Sepr 5th 1844 four.
I further add this as a codicil to the above testament and will. That is to say I bequeath to the abovementioned Margaret Blake my daughter the schooner Triton of Pictou of the burden of ninety four tons or thereabouts with all her tackle and furniture Boats tackle and appurtenances, if she shall be in my possession at my decease. Thomas his X mark Blake (LS)
Signed sealed and acknowledged in presence of us, John Roche,    James Brown    John Conners.

Saint John's Newfoundland December 30th 1845 five.
I add this as another codicil to the foregoing, that is to say I bequeath to my beloved pastor the Right Reverend Doctor Fleming the sum of ten pounds and to the Reverend John Foristal the sum of five pounds, and further revoke the bequest of the Brig the "United Brothers" to my son William and bequeath her to my daughter Margaret and I hereby constitute her my said daughter Margaret as my sole heiress and executrix she being charged to pay the legacies before bequeathed to Cornelius and Mary Canning after the manner before prescribed in my will.
Given under my hand and seal in Saint John's aforesaid on the day above written. Thomas his X mark Blake (LS)
Signed sealed and acknowledged in presence of us, John Roche,   John Conners,   Michl Conners.

Certified correct
D.M. Browning
Registrar


Will of Thomas Blake
from Newfoundland will book labeled, "REGISTRY OF WILLS 1846," pages 17 to 22 probate year 1846.

In the name of God Amen. I Thomas Blake of St. Johns in the Island of Newfoundland Tinman and coppersmith. Being of sound mind and intellect do make this my last Will and Testament. Imprimis I commend my soul to the mercy of Almighty God and leave to my children the disposal of my body after my death, desiring that I should be laid near the remains of my beloved wife.

  • Item, I bequeath to my son William my ship or brig called the United Brothers of Saint Johns aforesaid of the burden of about eighty tons or thereabouts with all her apparel tackle and furniture to his sole use and benefit~
  • Item, I bequeath to my Daughter Margaret my interest in the dwelling house in which I reside and in all other houses lands and messuges to which I may have any title at the time of my decease. Subject however to the payment of one hundred pounds currency to my grandson Cornelius Canning and of two hundred pounds currency to my grand daughter Mary Canning when they have respectively arrivd at the age of Twenty four years and no sooner~
  • Item, I give and bequeath unto my daughter Margaret aforesaid all my goods, chattels, furniture, monies, and whatever debts may be due to me at my decease she paying all claims lawfully to be made on me.
  • Item, my will and desire are that the above sums of one hundred pounds bequeathed to my Grandson Cornelius Canning and of two hundred pounds bequeathed to my grand daughter Mary Canning and every part thereof shall be retained in the hands of my said Daughter Margaret until each respectively shall have attained the age of twenty four years if she my said daughter Margaret shall think proper: and it is my wish and desire that the said Cornelius and Mary Canning should continue to reside with my said daughter Margaret and that my said daughter Margaret be charged with their maintenance the said monies so bequeathed them as aforesaid without interest or use money: but should they be compelled or choose to leave her they shall not ever in that case be entitled to receive any interest for the same. But if my Daughter Margaret should die before they shall have attained the age of twenty four as aforesaid, that then she shall provide fully for the payment of said legacies to them at such time and in such manner as to her shall appear prudent and advisable.
  • Item, my will and desire are that if my said grandchildren or either of them should die before my said daughter Margaret that in that case she my said Daughter Margaret should retain the legacy here bequeathed the deceased for her sole use and benefit. And further my will and desire are that my sister Mary should reside with my said daughter Margaret who is hereby charged with her maintenance and in whom I implicitly rely for to render her latter days easy and comfortable.~ And further it is my will that my said daughter Margaret be the sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament.

Given under my hand and seal in Saint Johns Newfoundland this nineteenth day of June 1844 Four. Thomas his X mark Blake L.S.
Signed sealed and acknowledged in presence of us John Forristall,   John V. Nugent,   Thomas Waldren.

Saint John's Newfoundland Sepr 5th 1844 - four.
I further add this as a Codicil to the above Testament and Will. That is to say I bequeath to the abovementioned Margaret Blake my daughter the schooner Triton of Pictou of the burden of ninety-four tons or thereabouts with all her Tackle and furniture, Boats Tackle and appurtenances, if she shall be in my possession at my decease. Thomas his X mark Blake L.S.
Signed sealed and acknowledged in presence of us, John Roche,    James Browne    John Conners.

Saint John's Newfoundland December 30th 1845
I add this as another codicil to the foregoing. That is to say I bequeath to my beloved Pastor the Right Reverend Doctor Fleming the sum of ten pounds. And further I bequeath to Revd Thomas Waldron the sum of five pounds, and to the Reverend John Forrastall the sum of five pounds, and to the Revd Thomas O'Conner the sum of five pounds. And further I revoke the bequest of the Brig the "United Brothers" to my son William and bequeath her to my daughter Margaret and I hereby constitute her my said daughter Margaret as my sole Heiress and Executrix she being charged to pay the legacies before bequeathed to Cornelius and Mary Canning after the manner before prescribed in my Will.
Given under my hand and seal in Saint Johns aforesaid on the day above written. Thomas his X mark Blake L.S.
Signed, sealed, and acknowledged in presence of us, John Roche,   John Conners,   Mich' Conners.

Newfoundland. In the Supreme Court.
John Forristall of St. Johns in the Central District Clerk maketh oath and saith that he was present and did see Thomas Blake in the foregoing paper writing marked A duly make his mark to seal publish and declare the same as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of this Deponent as of John V. Nugent and Thomas Waldron the other subscribing witness thereto - And also that the said paper writing was read over and explained to the said Testator and that he fully understood the same. - and lastly this Deponent saith that the said Testator at the time of publishing his said Will was of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding to the best of Deponent's knowledge and belief. John Forristall.
Sworn before me at St. Johns this fifth day of January A.D. 1846 Rob. R.W. Lilly.
(I think this year might possibly be 1847, even though it is clearly written 1846)
Commissioner of Affidavits. Supreme Court.

 

 

Note: The wills in those will books are NOT actual wills. They are hand-written copies of a, "last will and testament," written by the court clerk, after the death of the testator, when the executor presented them to the court for probate. The court clerk didn't list the signatures at the bottom, he (or she) just put them in the book in whatever order they were in, on the original document, no spacing most of the time, no punctuation. The originals were kept by the executor.

We who have typed these wills, have made every effort to include all the errors that were on the microfilm, in order to avoid destroying the integrity of the originals, where ever they may be.

Page Contributed by Judy Benson and Ivy F. Benoit
Page Revised by Ivy Benoit (August 8, 2002)

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