Last Will of Silas Goodrich

Last Will and Testament of Silas Goodrich, dated 3 April 1863

I, Silas Goodrich of the town of Tioga, County of Tioga, and state of New York, farmer, do hereby make and publish this my last will and testament.

I direst that the money which I may have on hand at the time of my decease together with my chores in action which are to be converted into money with all convenient speed shall first be applied to the payment of my funeral expenses and my debts, if any there shall be, and the balance and residue thereof after such payment I give and bequeath to my wife.

I give and bequeath to my wife absolutely the fuel and other consumable household stores and provisions which may be in my house at the time of my decease, together with the undivided half part of all my household furniture and goods. I also give and bequeath to my said wife absolutely one cow and calf.

I give and devise to my said wife in lieu of her dower, and to be accepted by her instead thereof, and to be hers and assigns forever all my real estate in said town of Tioga, lying and being south of the highway leading from Wheeler H. Bristol's to Benjamin Stiles.

I give and devise to my sons James J. Goodrich and Ralph L. Goodrich, and to my daughter Augusta J. Griffing, wife of James Griffin[g] and to each of them through their heirs and assigns forever an undivided third part of about fifty-nine acres of land be[ing] the same, more or less, situated in said town of Tioga and known as the wood lot, and being the same premises conveyed to me by Jonathan Jenkins and Elizabeth M., his wife, by deed bearing date the twenty-first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and fifty, and recorded in the clerk's office of Tioga County on the twentieth day of February, one thousand eight hundred fifty in Book number forty-seven of Deeds, on pages 423, 424, & 425.

I give and devise to my daughters Sarah A. Goodrich & Mary C. Horton, wife of Gurdon Horton, and to my son Stephen S. Goodrich, and to each of them, their heirs and assigns forever, an undivided third part of about thirty-eight acres of land situated in said town of Tioga and known as the Sand Bank Lot twenty-eight and seventy one hundreths acres thereof being the same premises conveyed to me by Ansel Goodrich and Polly, his wife, by deed bearing date the twenty-fourth day of August, one thousand eight hundred and thirteen, and recorded in the Tioga County Clerk's office on the seventh day of June, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-two in Book of Deeds number twenty-six at pages 302 & 303, and nine and one-fourth acres thereof being the same premises described in a deed from Alanson Goodrich to me bearing date the fourth day of April, one thousand eight hundred and forty-nine and recorded in the clerk's office of the County of Tioga on the twenty-third day of April, one thousand eight hundred and forty-nine in Book of Deeds number forty-six on pages 339 & 340.

I give and bequeath to my said daughter Mary C. Horton one cow, one calf, and two sheep.

I give and bequeath to my said daughter Sarah A. Goodrich one cow, one calf, & two sheep, and also the remaining one undivided half part of all my household furniture and goods.

I give and bequeath to my wife absolutely all my grain which may be in my barns & outhouses at the time of my decease.

I give and bequeath to each of my grandsons John S. & William Griffin[g], children of my said daughter Augusta Griffin[g], one sheep.

I give and bequeath to my son Stephen S. Goodrich all the rest and residue of my personal property and effects not hereinbefore disposed of.

I appoint Norman Warring executor of this my last will and testament.

I hereby revoke and annul any will or wills heretofore executed by me.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty-third day of April, one thousand eight hundred & sixty-three.

Silas Goodrich [seal]

Witnesses

George Bristol residing in the town of Tioga, County of Tioga & state of N.Y.

David Neally residing in the town of Tioga, County of Tioga & state of N.Y.

Subscribed by Silas Goodrich, the testator named in the foregoing will in our presence, and at the time of making such subscription declared by the testator to be his last will and testament, and each of us signs his name as a witness at the end of the will, at the request of the testator and in his presence and in the presence of each other.