Last Will of Mrs. William Gillespie (nee Bridget Langan)

Last Will and Testament of Mrs. William Gillespie (nee Bridget Langan): Book No. 273, pp. 182-183, Luzerne County Court House, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

No. 273 of 1914 Will of Bridget Gillespie deceased.
I, Bridget Gillespie [nee Bridget Langan], widow of William Gillespie[1839-1900], of the Borough of Avoca, county of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania [formerly of Balleyscakeery, townland of Killala, Co. Mayo, Ireland] being of sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding do make and publish this to be my last will and testament, hereby revoking and making void all wills by me at any time heretofore made. As to such estate as it hath pleased God to entrust me with, I dispose of the same as follows:

I direct that my funeral be conducted in a manner befitting my condition in life, and Thomas J. O'Malley be engaged as undertaker. I give and bequeath unto Mary Gillespie, Joseph Gillespie, William Gillespie and Helen Gillespie, children of my son, Martin Gillespie, deceased, the sum of One Hundred Dollars each, this sum to be deposited in a Saving Bank and allowed to remain there until each reaches his or her majority.

I give and bequeath unto Annie Connors [grand daughter], of Avoca, the sum of Twenty Five Dollars, this sum to be paid out of my insurance. I give and bequeath unto Mable McGowan [grand daughter], of Avoca, the sum of Twenty Five Dollars, this sum to be paid out of my insurance.

I give and bequeath unto my daughter, Mrs. Thomas [Bolinda] Dougherty, of Avoca, the sum of Two Hundred Dollars, one hundred of which is out of my insurance; also my iron bed stead with bedding on the same; also my wearing apparel. I give and bequeath unto my granddaughter, Mary Gillespie, daughter of John Gillespie, the sum of Twenty Five Dollars.

I give and bequeath unto Mrs. Ellen Connors [daughter] of Avoca, in trust nevertheless for my son, John Gillespie, the sum of Two Hundred Dollars, this sum together with the accummulating interest on the same to be paid over to the said John Gillespie in the event of his disability. In the event of the death of the said John Gillespie, the sum remaining in the hands of the said Ellen Conners shall be applied to the payment of his funeral expenses.

I give and bequeath unto my daughter, Mrs. Ellen Connors, of Avoca, in trust nevertheless for my son, Thomas Gillespie, the sum of Two Hundred Dollars, this sum together with the accummulating interest thereon to be paid over to the said Thomas Gillespie in the event of his disability. In the event of the death of the said Thomas Gillespie, the sum remaining in the hands of the said Ellen Connors shall be applied to the payment of his funeral expenses.

I give and bequeath unto my daughter, Mrs. Mary Ann McGowan, the sum of Two Hundred Dollars. I give and bequeath unto my daughter, Mrs. Ellen Connors, the sum of Three hundred Dollars, One Hundred Dollars of this to be paid out of my insurance; also my feather bed and one pair of pillows.

I give, bequeath and devise unto my son, Frank Gillespie, of Avoca, in fee simple and absolutely, a lot or piece of land on Packer Street, Avoca, Luzerne County, Pa., together with the dwelling house erected thereon, said lot being bounded on South by land now or late of Richard Deeble; on the North by lot this day devised by me to my son, William Gillespie; on the west by an alley; and on the East by said Packer Street.

I give, bequeath unto my son, William Gillespie, of Avoca, in fee simple and absolutely a lot or piece of land on Packer Street, Avoca, Luzerne County, Pa., together with the dwelling house erected thereon, said lot being bounded on South by lot this day devised by me to my son Frank Gillespie; on the North by First Street; West by an alley; and East by said Packer Street.

I order and direct that my real estate on Pittston Avenue in the Borough of Avoca, Luzerne County, Pa., be converted into money as soon as the same can conveniently be done after my decease, and for that purpose, I do hereby authorize, empower and direct my said executrix hereinafter named to sell, dispose of and convey in fee simple my said real estate located on Pittston Avenue, in Avoca, either by public or private sale without any liability to the purchaser or purchasers for the application, non-application or mis-application of the purchase money.

The remainder of my estate be it real or personal I give and bequeath to my sons John, Frank, William and Thomas and to my daughters Mrs.Martin [Mary Ann] McGowan, Mrs. Thomas [Bolinda] Dougherty, and Mrs. Ellen Connors, in equal shares.

I nominate, constitute and appoint my daughter, Mrs. Ellen Connors, executrix of this my last will and testament.

In witness whereof, I, Bridget Gillespie, the testatrix, have to this my last will and testament, set my hand and seal this 8th day of September A.D. 1913.

Bridget Gillespie (seal)
Signed, sealed, published and declared by the above named Bridget Gillespie as and for her last will and testament, the same having been read over to her before signing, in the presence of us, who have hereunto subscribed our names at her request as witnesses thereto in the presence of the said testatrix and of each other.

John R. Reap
T. A. Quinn
Date of Death April 25, 1914
Regristrar's Office, Wilkes-Barre, Pa. May 2, 1914 Luzerne County, SS.;
This day before me, C. J. Gallagher, Register of Wills in and for the County aforesaid, personally came John R. Reap and T. A. Quinn, the subscribing witnesses to the above and foregoing last will and testament of Bridget Gillespie, late of the Borough of Avoca, Pa., Luzerne County, and State of Pennsylvania, deceased, who being duly sworn according to law, do say that they were present and saw and heard Bridget Gillespie, the testatrix, sign, seal, publish, pronounce and declare the foregoing instrument of writing as and for her last will and testament, and that at the time of so doing she was of sound mind, memory and understanding to the best of their knowledge and belief and that they did sign their names as subscribing witnesses in the presence of each other, and in the presence and at the request of the said testatrix.

Sworn and subscribed before me the day and year above written.

              C. J. Gallagher  Register          John R. Reap
              Peter J. McCormick     Deputy       T. A. Quinn
And now to wit. 2nd day of May 1914. Having considered the testimony offered in this case and filed the same of record, I do adjudge the foregoing writing to be duly proved as the last will and testament of the said Bridget Gillespie, now deceased, and, as such, I do enter the same of record according to law.

C. J. Gallagher Register
Peter J. McCormick Deputy
Luzerne County.SS.;
In accordance with the foregoing will and probate thereof letters testamentary thereon, were on, the 2nd day of May A.D. 1914, granted unto Ellen Connors, the executrix therein named, she having first been duly sworn to well and truly administer the goods and chattels, rights and credits which were of the said deceased accoring to law. Given under my hand and seal of the Register's Office this 2nd day of May A.D. 1914.
Herein followed the signature of C. J. Gallagher, Register

Submitted by: Scott McGowan

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