Hiram Handy’s Last Will & Testament. Written February 20, 1860 · Proved March 11, 1862
TRANSCRIPT OF LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF HIRAM HANDY Transcribed by Roger Straw, September 15, 2018 127 Last will & Testament of Hiram Handy In the name of the Benevolent Father of all, I Hiram Handy of Steuben County and State of Indiana do make and publish this my last will and testament. Item 1st I give and devise to my son Cyrus Handy the following described and the appurtenances thereunto belonging – The West half of the south-west quarter of Section thirteen and twenty acres on the East side of the south-east quarter of the south-east quarter Section fourteen, all in Township Thirty Eight North of Range fourteen East. Item 2nd I give and devise to my son George Handy the following described Real Estate and the appurtenances thereunto belonging to wit – the East half of the South-West quarter of Section thirteen and twenty acres on the West side of the South-East quarter of the South-East quarter section fourteen, all in Township Thirty Eight North of Range fourteen East. Item 3rd I give and devise to my grand son Leicester W. Rosencrants Four Hundred Dollars to be paid in the manner following to wit: All to be payed by George Handy or out of the land devised to George Handy. Two Hundred Dollars when the said Leicester becomes of age and the balance in four Equal annual payments. Item 4th I give and devise to my Grand Daughter Amy [Lorrisa Merrills?] twenty five Dollars, out of my personal property when she comes of Age. Item 5th If either or both of the last two named should die before they come of age then the sum willed to the one who dies is to be equally divided between their cousins on their Mother’s side. Item 6th I give and devise to my son Cyrus Handy One Hundred and Fifty Dollars, out of my personal property and do make and appoint the said Cyrus Handy Executor of this my last Will and Testament hereby Authorizing & Empowering him to compromise [adjust releas?] & discharge the debts and claims [due?] me – In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 20th day of Feb A.D. 1860 [Note that it appears the zero is heavily overwriting a 2, thus 1860 rather than 1862.] Signed and acknowledged by said Hiram Handy as his last and Testament in our presence and signed by us in his presence. Alonzo P. Clark [Lemuel Cotton (or Lyman Colton)?] State of Indiana Steuben County Personally appeared before the undersigned Clerk, 128 Last Will & Testament of Hiram Handy Of the Court of Common Pleas of said County [Lemuel Cotton (or Lyman Colton)?] – who being by me duly sworn in due form of law on Oath says That he is one of the persons whose name appears as a subscribing witness to the last Will and Testament of Hiram Handy late of Steuben County deceased That said Testator signed sealed & delivered the same in his presence as his last Will & Testament and that he signed the same as a Witness thereto in the presence of said Testator and at his request That at the time of the execution said testator was of sound mind and memory competent to devise his property and was not under Coercion or restraint. [Lemuel Cotton (or Lyman Colton)?] Subscribed and sworn to the 10th day of March A.D. 1862 Levi A. Thompson Clerk Receipt, by Lester W. Rosencrants $40000 . Fremont, March 20th 1871 Received of George Handy Four Hundred dollars in full, to apply on the Will of Hiram Handy, Grandfather of Lester W. Rosencrants (Signed) Lester W. Rosecrants I certify the foregoing to be a correct copy of the receipt presented as applying on said Will above copied – Said receipt recorded this 21st June 1871 Germ Brown Clerk Much Gratitude to Roger Straw for transcribing this document!