Will of Real and Personal Estate.

I Absolam Williams Shadd of Township of Raleigh County of Kent, and Province of Canada of the age of Forty three years being of sound mind and memory, do make publish and declare this my Last Will and Testament in the manner following; to Wit,

My Will is That my funeral charges and just debts shall be paid by my Executrix hereinafter named the residue of my estate and property which shall not be required for the payment of my just debts funeral charges and the expenses attending the execution of this my Will and the Administration of my Estate = I give devise and dispose thereof as follows. That is to say First I give and bequeath to my wife Eliza Julia Shadd the Elendale Farm upon which I now resided situate in the Township of  Raleigh and County and Province aforesaid containing by admeasurement One Hundred and Fifty Acres of land be the same more or less during her natural life, – and all the [residue?] of my Real and Personal Estate over and above that which may be needed for the maintainance and Education of my children – Julia Ann Shadd, Adelaide Amelia Shadd Fir-man Jeremiah Shad Marian Purcel  Shadd during their minority to be received and accepted by her in lieu of Dower. Secondly To my son Fermin Jeremiah Shadd I give and bequeath also my Elendale Farm aforesaid and all the appurtenances belonging thereunto, after death of my wife, the said Eliza Julia Shadd, But in event of the death of my wife Eliza Julia Shadd, before my youngest child Marian Purcell Shadd shall be of age, my will is that my son Ferman Jerimiah Shadd shall not have possession of the aforesaid Estate. I give and bequeath him until the division of my Estate hereinafter named. Thirdly = I give and bequeath to Margaret Laura Turner, my sisters daughter One Hundred Dollars two years after my death to be paid to her out of my estate. Fourthly = I give and bequeath to John Franes Thompson also the sum of one Hundred Dollars to be paid to him out my Estate when he shall become of age, Provided he remains in my family, till that time. Fifthly = I give and bequeath to my daughters Julia Ann Shadd, Adelaide Amelia Shadd and Marian Purcell Shadd the remainder of  my Estate to be Equally divided between them when the youngest of them Marian Purnell shall become of age. Sixthly = It is also my Will that my property situated in the state of Delaware in the  United States of North America and in town of Wilmington – namely two brick houses and Lots with all the appurtenances belonging there unto situated on the North side of Walnut Street between Eight and ninth streets and a building lot situated on the North East corner of Walnut and Eighth streets in the aforesaid town and and state of Delaware shall be sold to the best advantage within one year after my death, and the proceeds thereof shall be safely invested as a part of my Estate And = Lastly I hereby appoint my Wife the aforesaid Eliza Julia Shadd the Sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament and hereby revoke all former Wills and Testaments, and hereby revoke all former Wills by me made. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this the tenth day of June in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Fifty Seven. {seal} (sd) Absalom Williams Shadd

The above Instrument consisting of one sheet was at the date whereof signed sealed published and declared by the said Absalom Williams Shadd as and for 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 subscribed our names as attesting thereto:

sd M H Leabory of the Town of Chatham C.W.

(sd)  William Phewman of the Gore of Camden C.W.

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In Her Majesty’s Surrogate Court of the County of Kent

Be it known that on the twenty fourth day of June in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty seven the last Will and Testament of Absolom William Shadd, late of the Township of Raleigh in the County of Kent and Province of Ontario deceased who died on or about the fifteenth day of June in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty seven at Raleigh in the County of Kent and who at the time of his death had a fixed place of abode in Raleigh in the said County of Kent was proved and registered in the said Surrogate Court & true Copy of which said last Will and Testament is hereunder written, and that the administration of all and singular the personal estate and effects rights and credits of the said deceased and anyway concerning his Will was granted by the aforesaid Court to Eliza Julia Shadd the wife of said deceased as Executrix named in the said Will she having been first sworn well and faithfully to administer the same by paying the just debts of the deceased and the legacies contained in his Will so far as she is thereunto bound by law, and to exhibit a true and perfect Inventory of all and singular the said estate and effects rights and credits and to render a just and true account of her Executions shall whenever required by law so to do.

Seal ?? Geo. Williams Register w Wm B Wells

Judge of the Surrogate Court of the County of Kent

I Certify this to be a true copy of Letters Probate and that it is in the usual form. Dated 15 April 1889 Wm Campbell

????

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Province of Ontario County of Kent       

    I, Archbold Bell Presiding Judge of the Surrogate Court of the County aforesaid and Court being a Court of Record, do hereby certify that William A Campbell by whom the annexed record, certificate and attestation were made and given, and who, in his own proper handwriting has thereunto subscribed his name and affixed his official seal, was, at the time of so doing, and now is Clerk in and for the County of Kent, Province of Ontario, duly commissioned and qualified, and that the said record, certificate and attestation are in due form of law and made by the proper office.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of April A.D. 1889. A. Bell Presiding Judge

Province of Ontario County of Kent.      

I, William A Campbell (Clerk) of the Surrogate Court of Chatham in and for said County, do certify that Archibald Bell by whom the foregoing attestation was made, and who has thereunto subscribed his name, was, at the time of making thereof, and still is the Presiding Judge of the Surrogate Court of Kent in and for said County, duly commissioned and qualified, to all whose acts, as such, full faith and credit are and ought to be given, In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court this fifteenth day of April A.D. 1889. Wm A. Campbell Clerk

“Delaware, United States records,” images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSR1-LKM6?view=fullText : Mar 16, 2025), image 451 of 917; Delaware Public Archives (Dover). 104609106

Transcribed 16 Mar 2025 by Nancy Maliwesky