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Surrogate Records of George W. Means
To the Surrogate of the County of Ontario.
The Petition of Charles H. Means of the Town of
Seneca in the County of Ontario respectfully showeth: That George
W. Means of the Town of Seneca on or about the 28 day of July in the
year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty seven. That
at the time of his death he was an inhabitant of the County of
Ontario. That he left no will, as far as your petitioner has
heard, or been able to discover: That he left as heirs at law his
children George N. Means, Charles H. Means, John R. Means, Jane E.
Gaines wife of W. W. Gaines, Caroline P. Black wife of James Black, and
Augustus C. means, all of full age. That all the children except
John R. Means have sold and transferred their interest in the estate of
the said George W. means to your petitioner and said John R. Means and
that the son John R. Means and your petitioners own the personal estate
of the said George W. Means by purchase as well as the real
estate. That your petitioner is the oldest son of the said Geo W.
Means, dec. That the said George W. Means left no widow. That
said Geo W. Means left no debts and letters of administration are asked
for solely for the purpose of discharging a certain mortgage of $800
given said intestate by James [can’t read last name].
And your petitioner further showeth, that all the
goods, chattels and credits of the said deceased do not exceed in value
the sum of eight hundred dollars, and his real property does not exceed
in value the sum of fourteen thousand dollars: and your
petitioner prays that Letters of Administration of the goods, chattels
and credits of the said deceased may be granted by the Surrogate to
your petitioner.
Dated Feb 20 1868.
Charles H. Means
On this 20 day of February 1868, personally appeared before me Charles
H. means the above named petitioner, and made oath that the matters set
forth in the above petition are true, to be best of the knowledge,
information and belief of said petitioner.
Geo. R. Dus_________ [can’t read]
Ontario County Judge
I, Charles H. Means do swear, that he will well, honestly and
faithfully discharge the duty of administrator of the estate of Geo W.
Means deceased, according to law.
Subscribed and sworn the 20 day
Of February 1868, before me
Geo R. Disuiteerre?
Ontario County Judge
Will and Records of John Reed Means
Record
of John R. Means’ Will
I, John Reed Means, of the Town of Geneva, County of
Ontario and State of New York being of sound mind and memory do make,
publish and declare this my last will and testament in manner
following, that it to say:
First: I order and direct my executors
hereinafter named to pay all of my just debts and also expenses
attendant upon my last sickness and burial.
Second: I give and bequeath unto my wife,
Margaret K. Means the use of all of the rest, residue, and remainder of
the estate of which I shall die seized both real and personal or mixed
of whatsoever name or nature or wheresoever situate, for and during the
term of her natural life.
Third: And subject to my wife’s life use in
the said residuum of my estate, I give devise and bequeath the said
residuum of my estate both real and personal unto my children George S.
Means, Agnes K. Means, Wallace G. Means and Mary Louison Means, or to
such of those as shall be upwards of twenty-one years of age at the
death of my said wife, in trust, however, - First: To pay out of
my personal estate at the death of y wife to my son Wallace G. means
the sum of five hundred dollars. Second: To deliver to my
daughters Agnes K. Means and Mary Louison Means at the death of my said
wife all of my household furniture useful and ornamental of every name,
nature and description. Third: At the death of my wife to
deliver to my sons George S. Means and Wallace G. Means such of my
farming tools, implements, horses, carriages, harnesses, robes, + stock
of all kinds on said farm that shall then remain undisposed of.
Fourth: And from and after the death of my
said wife they shall invest the balance of my personal estate not
hereinbefore disposed of in such securities and investments as to them
shall seem best and keep the same so invested until my youngest child
me surviving and living to attain the age of twenty-five years, shall
have reached the age of twenty-five years and meanwhile they shall
collect and receive the income arising therefrom: And from and
after the death of my said wife they shall rent my said farm or cause
the same to be worked and keep the same so rented or worked until my
youngest child me surviving and living to attain the age of twenty-five
years shall have reached the age of twenty-five years and during that
time they shall collect and receive the rents, issues and profits
arising therefrom. And if at the death of my wife my youngest
daughter shall have not completed her course at the Geneva High School,
then my said trustees shall out of the income arising from my real and
personal estate pay and defray the expenses attendant upon the
completing of her said high-school course by my said daughter Mary
Louison Means and divide the remaining income between my other three
children. But if at the time of the death of my said wife my said
daughter shall have completed her course at the Geneva High School then
my said trustees shall divide the net income arising from my real and
personal estate, during said term, equally between my four children.
And when my youngest child me surviving and living
to attain the age of twenty-five years, shall have reached the age of
twenty-five years, then if my wife’s state therein shall have
terminated, my said trustees shall either convey said farm to my said
children George S. Means, Agnes K. Means, Wallace G. Means and Mary
Louison Means in equal shares or else sell said farm and convey the
same when sold to the purchaser or purchasers thereof by good and
sufficient deeds of conveyance and divide the net proceeds arising from
said sale equally between my said children George S. Means, Agnes K.
Means, Wallace G. Means and Mary Louison Means.
Fourth: If any of my said children shall die
before the period fixed for the distribution of my estate leaving issue
them surviving, such issue shall together take and receive the same
legacy and share hereunder, which his, her or their parent would have
taken hereunder if living.
Fifth: If my said son Wallace G. Means shall
desire to go on with his education, then I authorize and direct my said
executors to expend said sum of five hundred dollars, to be paid to him
at his mother’s death in giving him the advantages of an education and
such sum as shall be expended by them for that purpose shall be
deducted from the said sum of five hundred dollars as payable to him at
the death of my said wife, and only the balance found due to him if any
there be, shall then be paid to him.
Sixth: I authorize and direct my said
executors to pay and discharge out of my estate the funeral expenses of
my said wife at her death.
Seventh: The foregoing provisions by me made
for my said wife are to be taken and received by her in lieu of dower.
Lastly, I nominate and appointment my wife, Margaret
K. Means, my son George S. Means and my daughter Agnes K. Means, to be
the executors of this my last will and testament, hereby revoking all
former wills by me made and I order and direct that letters
testamentary hereon be issued to my said executors by the probate court
of each and every State wherein this my will may be admitted to probate
without any bond or other security being required from them or either
of them for any cause whatsoever.
In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and
affixed my seal this 27th day of August, 1898.
John R. Means [Seal]
The foregoing instrument was at the date thereof,
signed, sealed, published and declared by the testator, the said John
Reed Means to be 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 hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses thereof and written
opposite our names our respective places of residence, and the word
“that” erased in line marked 6 and the word “ages” in line marked 16 on
the second page hereof inserted before execution hereof.
Charles N. Hemiup, residing at Geneva, Ont. Co. NY
John [?.] Ross, residing in Geneva, Ont. Co. NY
To the Surrogate’s Court of the County of Ontario:
The Petition of Margaret K. Means and Agnes K. Means
of Geneva NY and George S. Means of the Town of Benton in the County of
Yates respectfully shows:
That John R. Means late of the town of Geneva in the
County of Ontario, deceased, died in the said town of Geneva on or
about the 10th day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and ninety-nine being at that time a citizen of the United
states and a resident of the County of Ontario; that he died leaving a
last Will and Testament, which is now produced in the Surrogate’s Court
of the said county of Ontario, before the said Surrogate, which bears
date the 27th day of August A.D., 1898. Which affects or purports
to affect, both real and personal, property, and by which said last
Will and Testament the said decedent nominated and appointed Margaret
K. Means, Agnes K. Means and George S. Means, your petitioners
executors thereof; that the said decedent died possessed of personal
property in the said county of Ontario, which does not exceed in value
about $2000.00, and real property which does not exceed in value about
$_________; and that the following named persons are* his widow all the
heirs-at-law and next of kin of the said decedent, and that their place
of residence and their relationships to the decedent are, respectfully
as follows, viz:
Margaret K. Means, his widow and one of your petitioners residing in
the Town of Geneva, NY.
Agnes K. Means, his daughter and one of your petitioners residing at
Geneva, NY.
George S. Means, his son and one of your petitioners residing at
Bellona, NY.
Wallace G. Means his son residing in the Town of Geneva, NY.
Mary Louisa Means, his daughter, residing in the Town of Geneva, NY.
Who are all of full age and sound mind, except
Wallace G. Means and Mary Louisa Means who are infants.
That said decedent left his above named herein
surviving.
Wherefore, your petitioners pray that the said last
Will and Testament may be proved, and letters testamentary granted
thereon according to law, and that the above-named* widow heirs and
next of kin of said decedent may be cited to attend the probate
thereof; and for such other or further order in relation to the proof
of said Will or the service of said citation, as may be just and proper.
Dated May 9th, 1899.
Margaret K.
Means
Agnes K. Means
George S. Means
Will and Records of James Means
Will of James Means
In the Name of God, Amen! I, James Means of
the town of Seneca in the county of Ontario, being of sound mind and
memory do make and ordain this as my last will and testament in manner
following that is to say._ First, I order and direct my executrix
and executors hereinafter named to pay all my debts, funeral charges,
+c as soon as may be after my decease._ Second, I hereby give
devise and bequeath unto my wife Elizabeth in lieu of all dower and
claim for dower in or to any portion of my estate, one half of my
household furniture, one half of the cattle, horses, sheep, and hogs,
one half of all wagons and carriages and farming utensils and the
harness thereto belonging, as I may be possessed of the same at the
time of my decease. To have and to hold the same to her and her
assigns forever. Also I give devise and bequeath unto her my said
wife the use and improvement of one half of my farm on which I now live
for and during her natural life to be enjoyed by her together with one
half of my dwelling house on my said farm during her said life in
manner hereinafter provided._ Third, I give, devise and bequeath
unto my son Joseph all that my homestead farm on which I now live
together with about three fourths of an acre of land conveyed to me by
Jonathan Read adjoining the same together with one half of all my stock
cattle horses sheep and hogs, and one half of all my household
furniture wagons carts an farming utensils and the harness thereto
belonging: To have and to hold the same to him my said son Joseph
his heirs and assigns forever, upon condition however and this devise
is upon this express confidence and trust, that He the said Joseph
shall permit and allow his mother Elizabeth my wife, the peaceable and
quiet enjoyment of one half of my dwelling house on the said farm, that
he shall during her natural life cultivate and carry on the said farm
and pay to his said mother one half of the proceeds or income thereof,
after deducting the necessary expenses of cultivation, that he shall
provide his said mother necessary firewood and shall take care of her
stock and property so that his mother shall receive a comfortable
support and maintainance for and during her natural life._
Fourth, and as I have heretofore provided for my other sons John, James
and George I do now in token of my remembrance an dove for them give
and bequeath to each of them the sum of five dollars._
Fifth. In order to raise a fund to pay of the legacies
hereinafter mentioned I do hereby authorize and empower my executrix
and executors hereinafter named, the survivors of survivor of them to
sell dispose of and convey for the best price and on the best terms
that can be got therefore seventy six acres of land part of lot number
eighty nine in township number nine fist range conveyed to me by Caleb
Benton and out of the proceeds thereof I order and direct my said
executrix or executors the survivors or survivor of them to pay to my
daughter Phebe, wife of Alexander Galloway the sum of one hundred
dollars and my daughter Mary wife of Moses Black the sum of six hundred
dollars and Sixth, I order and direct my executrix and executors to
collect all my debts, and the monies arising therefrom together with
such money as I may have at my decease and the residue of the
consideration money of the said seventy six acres of land after paying
off the said legacies to my said daughters I hereby order and direct
shall be by them equally divided share and share alike among all my
children, or the survivors of my children and the heirs of such as may
then be dead; they having first discharged and paid all my debts as
before order._ Lastly, I hereby nominate constitute and appoint
my wife Elizabeth executrix and y said sons John, James and George
executors of this my last will and testament; hereby revoking all
others by ne heretofore made and declaring this to be my sole and only
will and testament. In Witness whereof I the said James Means
have hereunto set my hand and seal this eighteenth day of November in
the year of our Sons one thousand eight hundred and twenty six.
James Means
(Seal)
Signed, sealed, published and declared by the said
testator as and for his last will and testament in presence of us, who
in presence of the testator and of each other have hereunto subscribed
our names as witnesses.
James Rees
B. Whiting
Charles Butler
Ontario County. Be it remembered that on the
eighteenth day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and twenty eight personally appeared before me Jared Willson
Esquire Surrogate of the county of Ontario Bowen Whiting who being duly
sworn did depose and say that he the deponent saw James means late of
the county of Ontario deceased, sign and seal the written instrument
then shown unto him of which the aforegoing is a true copy purporting
to be the last will and testament of the said James Means deceased
leaving ate the eighteenth day of November in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and twenty six, that at the time thereof the
said James Means was of a sound disposing mind and memory to the best
of the knowledge and belief of him the deponent, and that he the
deponent and James Rees and Charles Butler subscribed their names at
witnesses to the said will in the presence of each other and in the
presence of the testator.
Jared Willson
Will of Wallace G. Means
Last Will and Testament
I, Wallace G. Means, of the Town of Seneca, Ontario
County, New York, being of sound and disposing mind and memory, do
hereby make, publish and declare this my Last Will and Testament:
hereby revoking any and all other will or codicils by me at any time
heretofore made.
FIRST: I direct the payment by my executrix of
all my just debts and funeral expenses and all expenses incurred in the
administration of my estate, as soon as is practicable after my decease.
SECOND: All the rest, residue and remainder of
my property, of whatsoever nature and wheresoever situate, of which I
may die seized or possessed, or in which I may have an interest at the
time of my death, I give, devise and bequeath to my wife, Harriet A.
Means, to be hers absolutely.
THIRD: I hereby authorize and direct my
Executrix hereinafter named, to sell, mortgage, lease or transfer any
of my property at public or private sale as she in her discretion may
deem proper for the best interests of my estate.
LASTLY, I hereby nominate and appoint my wife,
Harriet A. Means of the Town of Seneca, New York, to be Executrix of
this, my Last Will and Testament, and I direct that she shall act as
such executrix without bond or other security.
In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and
seal the 13th day of October, in the year Nineteen Hundred and
thirty-nine.
Wallace G. Means (L.S.)
We, whose names are hereto subscribed, do certify
that on the 13th day of October, 1939, the testator
Wallace G. Means
Subscribed his name to this instrument in our presence and in
(Unfortunately, the rest did not get copied.)
Will and Surrogate Records of Margaret K. Means
SURROGATE’S COURT, ONTARIO COUNTY.
In the Matter
Of the
Probate of the Last Will and Testament
Of Margaret K. Means, late of the Town
of Seneca, Ontario County, New York.
TO THE SURROGATE’S COURT OF THE COUNTY OF ONTARIO:
The petition of Wallace G. Means of the town of
Geneva, County of
Ontario, and State of New York, respectfully shows this Court:
That Margaret K. Means, late of the Town of Seneca,
County of
Ontario, New York, died on or about the 31st day of December, 1916,
being at that time a resident of the County of Ontario, New York.
Upon information and belief, that said decedent left
a Last Will
and Testament, which, as deponent is informed and believes, is now in
the custody of C. Willard Rice, Esq., an Attorney and Counselor at Law
in the City of Geneva, County of Ontario and State of New York;
That although more than one year has elapsed since
the death of the
said decedent, said Will has not, so far as deponent is informed and
believes, been offered for probate;
That at the time of her death the said Margaret K.
Means left her
surviving as her only heirs-at-law and next of kin the following named
persons whose residences are as hereinafter set forth:
M. Louise Means of New York City, N.Y.
Agnes M. Hall of the Town of Seneca, Ontario County,
N.Y.
Georgia Means of the City of Geneva, Ontario County,
N. Y., and
Wallace G. Means, your petitioner, of the Town of
Geneva, Ontario County, N.Y.
That all of said persons are of full age and competent except the said
Georgia Means, who is an infant under the age of fourteen years.
That no previous petition for the probate of said
Will or for the
grant of letters testamentary or for the administration of the property
of the decedent has been filed or presented in any court to the
knowledge or belief of your petitioner.
Wherefore, your petitioner prays that an order may
be granted
herein compelling the said C. Willard Rice, Esq., to produce and file
the said Will in the office of the Surrogate of the County of Ontario
and that a Citation issue to the above named persons and to such others
as may by the said Will appear to be necessary parties thereto, to show
cause before this Court why the said Last Will and Testament should not
be admitted to probate.
Dated, April 18, 1918.
W. G. Means
Petitioner
State of New York, )
County of Ontario, ) SS.:
Wallace G. Means, being duly sworn, says that he is
the petitioner
named in the foregoing petition; that he has read the said petition and
knows the contents thereof, and that the same is true to his own
knowledge, except as to the matters therein stated to be alleged on
information and belief, and as to those matters he believes it to be
true.
Sworn to before me this 18th day of April, 1918.
W. G. Means
Florence A. Warner
Notary Public
Last Will and Testament
I, Margaret K. Means of the Town of Seneca, County
of Ontario and State of New York, being of sound mind and memory, do
make, publish and declare this my last Will and Testament, in manner
following, that is to say:
First – I direct the payment of all my just debts
and funeral expenses.
Second – I give, devise and bequeath unto my
daughters Agnes M. Hall and M. Louise Means and unto my grand-daughter
Margaret L. Edmiston all the property which I shall die possessed, both
real, personal or mixed, of every name and nature and wheresoever
situate, to be divided equally between them, share and share alike; and
in the event of the death of any of the above named then I direct that
the share of the one so dying shall pass to and be divided between the
survivors, share and share alike.
Lastly – I hereby nominate and appoint Agnes M. Hall
and M. Louise Means to be the executors of this my last Will and
Testament: hereby revoking all former will made by me.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my
name the twelfth day of September in the year One thousand nine hundred
and twelve.
Margaret K.
Means
We, whose names are hereto subscribed, do certify,
that on the 12th day of September, 1912 Margaret K. Means, the
testatrix, subscribed her name to this instrument, typewritten on two
half sheets of paper, in our presence and in the presence of each of
us, and at the same time, in our presence and hearing, declared the
same to be her last will and testament, and requested us, and each of
us, to sign our names thereto as witnesses to the execution thereof,
which we hereby do in the presence of the testatrix and of each other,
on the said date, and write opposite our names our respective places of
residence.
C. W. Rice residing at Geneva, NY.
A. C. Doran residing at Geneva, NY.
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