Will of Michael King from Newfoundland will books volume 7 pages 241-245 probate year 1903

The last will of Michael King late of
St. John's, deceased.

      In the name of God. Amen. I Michael King of St. John's Cooper do make publish and declare this as and for my last will and testament.

First I direct that all my just debts funeral and testamentary expenses shall be paid and I wish my said funeral and testamentary expenses not to exceed the sum of Forty dollars.

Secondly I will and bequeath to the Roman Catholic Bishop of St. John's the sum of Three thousand two hundred dollars to be invested in good Government or other securities at his option and to use the interest arising therefrom for annual High Masses for the repose of my soul and the souls of my late father Michael King and late mother Bridget King and for such other charitable purposes as the said Bishop may deem fit.

Thirdly. Towards the completion of the Roman Catholic Church of St. Patricks at Riverhead in St. John's I will and bequeath the sum of Twelve hundred dollars of which sum four hundred dollars is to be paid and received in the name of my father the said Michael King and eight hundred dollars in my own name.

Fourthly To the Roman Catholic Bishop of St. John's for the time being I will and bequeath the sum of one thousand and twenty eight dollars for the use and purposes of the Roman Catholic Cathedral in St. John's.

Fifthly. I give devise and bequeath to the Very Reverend John Scott of St. John's the sum of one thousand dollars for the celebration of masses from time to time for the repose of my soul and the souls of my said late Father and mother and for such other religious purposes as he may deem fit.

Sixthly. I give devise and bequeath to the Reverend Mother for the time being of the Female orphanage at Belvedere the sum of Two thousand dollars to be used solely for the purposes of the said orphanage the said sum to be taken and received as follows that is to say. Eight hundred dollars in the name of my said Father Four hundred dollars in the name of my said mother and eight hundred dollars in my own name.

Seventhly. I give devise and bequeath to my cousin James King of St. John's Labourer the sum of one thousand dollars.

Eighthly. I direct that my executor hereinafter named shall place a respectable iron railing around my grave lot at Belvedere Cemetery at a cost not exceeding Forty dollars.

Ninthly I give devise and bequeath to my executor hereinafter named the sum of one hundred and twenty dollars as compensation and reward for any trouble he may have in attending to my affairs under this my will.

Tenthly all the rest residue and remainder of my moneys goods chattels property and effects which I shall die possessed of I give and bequeath to my aforesaid cousin James King in addition to the bequest already made to him as in the seventh clause of this my will contained.

Eleventhly. I do hereby nominate and appoint my friend Michael Doyle of St. John's Cooper as executor of this my will but it is my will and desire that according as and as soon as my said executor shall realize the assets of my said estate he shall hand over the same to the Very Reverend John Scott aforesaid for distribution according to the terms of this my will.

And lastly I do hereby revoke annul and declare void all former wills by me made.
Dated at St. John's this Third day of October anno Domini 1894. Michael King. Signed published and declared by the said Testator as and for his last will and testament in our presence and who in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto set our hands as witnesses on the day and year first above written. The erasures in the fifteenth & eighteenth lines on second page having been first made. John P. Kent James M. Kent.

      I Michael King of St. John's do make publish and declare this as and for a codicil to my last will and testament above written and dated the 3^rd October A.D. 1894.
Firstly I hereby revoke annul and declare void the seventh bequest in the said will named namely the bequest to my cousin James King and in substitution or stead thereof I hereby give devise and bequeath to the Roman Catholic Bishop of St. John's for the time being the said sum of one thousand dollars in the said bequest contained for the purposes of the Roman Catholic Church in St. John's.

Secondly I hereby revoke annual and declare void the tenth and eleventh bequests in my said will as such and everything therein contained and in substitution or stead thereof I hereby give devise and bequeath to the Reverend John Scott of St. John's Roman Catholic Priest all the rest residue and remainder of my moneys goods chattels property and effects which I shall die possessed to be distributed amongst the poor as to the said Reverend John Scott will deem best and most fitting and I hereby nominate and appoint the said Reverend John Scott as executor of my said last will and testament and of this codicil instead of the said Michael Doyle.

And I further direct that my said executor shall put aside in the first place the sum of forty dollars mentioned in the eighth bequest of my said will for the purpose of placing a railing around my grave and shall not disturb the same until the said railing has been so placed and erected. There is sixteen hundred dollars (£400 of my moneys in a box in my house belonging to this will.
Dated at St. John's this 31^st day of October A.D. 1895 Michael King -
Signed published and declared by the said Testator as and for his last will and testament in our presence who in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto set our hands as witnesses this 31^st day of October A.D. 1895. James M. Kent D.L. Kent

I Michael King do further will and declare the Ellen White be employed by my executor aforesaid to perform all services connected with my death and burial and as compensation therefor I direct my executor to pay the said Ellen White the sum of forty dollars (£10) which said sum I shall have in my box for that purposes St. John's October 31^st 1895. Michael King Signed & declared by the said Testator in our presence who were present together at time of signing James M. Kent D. J. Kent -

I Michael King do make publish and declare this as and for a further codicil to my will. I hereby revoke and declare void the direction to my executor mentioned in the above written codicil to pay Ellen White the sum of Forty dollars (£10) for services connected with my death and burial I hereby confirm my said will and codicil thereto in every other respect. Michl King. Signed published and declared by the testator as and for a further codicil to his last will and testament in our presence who in his presence and in presence of each other and at his request have hereto set our hands as witnesses this 25 day of May 1900. James M. Kent. P. J. Kent -

I Michael King do make publish and declare this as and for a codicil to my will dated the 3^rd day of October A.D. 1894 I hereby revoke and declare void the sixth bequest in the said will namely the bequest of two thousand dollars to the Female orphanage at Belvedere, and in substitution thereof I hereby give devise and bequeath one thousand dollars to the aforesaid Orphanage of Belvedere, and one thousand dollars to the Boys Orphanage and Industrial School at Mount Cashel Dated this 4^th day of January A.D. 1901. Michael his x mark King -
Signed by the said testator as and for a codicil to his last will and testament in the presence of us, who at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereto set our hands as attesting witnesses.
Edward F. Carter 30 New Gower Street -
John Callahan. Play House Hill

In consequence of the death of the Right Reverend John Scott (on Friday April 5^th A.D. 1901) the executor appointed by me to my will dated the third day of October 1894, which appointment was made and substituted by me for that of Michael Doyle by a Codicil to the said will (marked A) made on the 31^st day of October 1895 the said appointment has become null and void Therefore I do hereby appoint as my sole executor to my above mentioned will the Roman Catholic Bishop of St. John's Newfoundland for the time being and his successor in office, or, in case of the decease of such Bishop, the administrator of the Diocese of St. John's aforesaid until the appointment of a successor to the late deceased Bishop. I hereby declare that all things and matters contained in my said will and the codicils made by me from time to time and attached thereto which have hitherto applied to and concerned the said Right Rev. Monsignor Scott shall now apply to and concern my executor hereby appointed in this codicil (E) In all other things and matters the said will and the codicils attached thereto shall remain in full force as they are at present. Michael King. Signed published and declared by the testator as and for a further codicil to his last will and Testament in our presence who in his presence and in presence of each other and at his request have set our hands hereto as witnesses this 13^th day of April A.D. 1901.
Sr. Ameria Cormack. Sr. M. Columba Flynn.

      I certify the foregoing to be a correct copy of the last will with five codicils thereto, of Michael King

D. M. Browning
Registrar

(Listed in the margin next to this will the following)
Fiat
Jany 10/03
Emerson J
Letters of Probate
granted on the 12^th
Jany /03 to Rt. Rev.
Jno. F. Howley, Bishop
of St. John's.
Est. sworn at
$9500