Will of Rev. William J. Fitzpatrick
from Newfoundland will books volume 4 pages 135 to 137 probate year 1881

In re
      Rev. William J. Fitzpatrick deceased.

In the name of God Amen.     I William J. Fitzpatrick of St. John’s in the Island of Newfoundland Roman Catholic Priest do make publish and declare this as and for my last will and testament.

First.     In consideration of the many kindnesses to me shown by Miss Bessie Henderson of St. John’s aforesaid and of her great sacrifices and prayers for my recovery made during my protracted illness in the years 1877 and 1878 I give devise and bequeath to Robert Joseph Kent of St. John’s aforesaid Barrister-at-law the six shares in the capital stock of the Commercial Bank of Newfoundland now standing in the books of the said Bank registered in my name to take and to hold the same in trust to pay the annual dividends and bonuses thereon to the said Miss Bessie Henderson during her natural life as separate estate to be by her used and disposed of in such way and for such purposes as I shall by writing to her addressed direct-    And from and after the decease of the said Miss Bessie Henderson then upon the further trust to assign and transfer one of the said shares to the Most Reverend the Roman Catholic Bishop of St. John’s for the time being for the celebration of Masses for the repose of my soul and to assign and transfer one other of the said shares to the Reverend Mother Superioress for the time being of the Convent of St. Michael at Belvidere for the use and benefit of the Orphanage in connection with that establishment.    and to sell and dispose of one other of the said shares and pay the proceeds thereof one half to the Most Reverend the Roman Catholic Bishop of St. John’s for the time being to be by him used for the purchase of such articles for the service of the Altar as may be required by any church or chapel in the diocese of St. John’s situate outside of St. John’s.    the other half to be paid in equal proportions to the Reverend Mother Superioress of the Presentation Convent near the Cathedral of St. John’s and to the Reverend Mother Superioress of the Presentation Convent Riverhead St. John’s for the use of the Convents over which they respectively preside.    and further to sell and dispose of one other of the said shares and pay the proceeds thereof one half to the Treasurer for the time being of the Christian Doctrine Society in St. John’s to be by him under the directions of the said Society used towards defraying the expenses of the annual picnic given under the patronage of the said Society to the children taught by its members the other half to the Reverend Mother Superioress of the convent of Mercy on the Military Road St. John’s for the use and benefit of the sick poor visited by the Nuns of that Convent.     further to sell and dispose of one other of the said shares and pay the proceeds thereof one half to the Most Reverend the Roman Catholic Bishop of the diocese of St. John’s to be by him applied for the celebration of Masses for the repose of the souls of the poor of the diocese of St. John’s who have none to pray for them,     the other half to be paid to the Superior for the time being of the community of the Brothers of the Christian Schools in St. John’s for the use and benefit of the community over which he presides and the remaining share to be sold and disposed of and the proceeds thereof to be paid one half to the Most Reverend the Roman Catholic Bishop of the diocese of St. John’s for the time being towards defraying the expenses of building the church of St. Patrick at Riverhead St. John’s one fourth of the said proceeds to the Reverend Mother Superioress of the Convent of Mercy on the Military Road in St. John’s for the use and benefit of the said Convent and one fourth to the Reverend Mother Superioress of the Convent of St. Michael of Belvidere for the use and benefit of the said Convent

Secondly I will and direct that all my books shall be sold by public auction or by private sale as to my executor hereinafter named shall deem best and the proceeds of such sale paid to the President for the time being of the St. Vincent de Paul Society in St. John’s to be applied for charitable purposes as to the said Society shall deem best-

Thirdly. I give one of my Magic Lanterns to the President for the time being or such other officer or person as the Christian Doctrine Society aforesaid may from time to time appoint to take charge of same for the purposes of the said Society to be used at their entertainments during the winter months.    the other Magic Lantern I give to the College of St. Bonaventure in St. John’s.    As regards the slides or views belonging to these Lanterns I give one half to the Christian Doctrine Society aforesaid for the same purposes as the Lantern is given and the other half to the said College.    the division to be made by my executor and in such division I would wish that those slides or views of a sacred or scriptural character be given to the Christian Doctrine Society as part of their share-

Fourthly. The oil painting the subject of which is St. John kissing the hand of the Holy Infant I give to the Most Reverend the Roman Catholic Bishop of St. John’s for his Oratory.

Fifthly the Billiard Table of which I am possessed I give to the Priests attached to the Cathedral and to St. Patricks at Riverhead St. John’s and their successors in order to afford them a means of recreation and amusement and I do direct that it shall not be removed from St. John’s.

Sixthly. As regards all other articles of furniture goods and chattels of which I may die possessed I give and devise them to my dear brother John Fitzpatrick to take and keep for his own use such articles thereof as he may wish for and to dispose of the rest in such way as he may think fit.

Lastly.     I do hereby nominate and appoint the Reverend John Ryan at present of Riverhead in St. John’s Roman Catholic Priest as executor of this my last will and testament and do hereby revoke annul and declare void all former and other wills by me heretofore made.    Witness my hand at St. John’s aforesaid this twenty second day of May Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.    William J. Fitzpatrick, Roman Catholic Priest.    Signed published and declared by the said testator as and for his last will and testament in our presence and the presence of each of us who in his presence and at his request and in the presence of each other have hereto set our names as witnesses on the day and at the place above written, William Browne.    Thomas J. Murphy.

Certified correct,
D. M. Browning
Registrar