Ralph L. Goodrich's Last Will and Testament, November
1896
I, Ralph L. Goodrich, of the city of Little Rock, and State
of Arkansas, declare this to be my last Will and Testament. I give and bequeath
to W. B. Worthen [1] and Gordon N. Peay [2]
as Trustees, for my daughter Jennie Edith Goodrich, all the jewels, trinkets, and
personal ornaments, now in my possession, some of which are in my safe at my
office, West room, and my library in my present residence, and all my books,
papers, and manuscripts, and letters except as hereinafter bequeathed for her
separate use as long as she lives, and to the heirs of her body, free from any
marital rights of any husband that she may have, my said daughter, however, to
have the use of the same during her lifetime. And I direct that said library or
any part of it shall not be given away, sold or disposed of in any way, and in
case of the death of my said daughter without issue of her body, the same, with
the exception of the papers, manuscripts and letters, shall be given to the
Arkansas College at Batesville, Arkansas, absolutely for the use of said college
as a gift from me. [3]
After paying my debts, if there are any at the time of my
death, and my funeral expenses, I give and bequeath out of my insurance, payable
on my death by the Knights of Honor, and Royal Arcanum the sum of Twelve Hundred
($1200) Dollars to my sister Sarah A. Goodrich, and to my brother S. Stephen
Goodrich for the use of his wife, the sum of Seven Hundred ($700) Dollars, both
of the town of Tioga, County of Tioga and State of New York, in lieu of whatever
demands they may have upon me. The residue of said Insurance money I give and
bequeath to W. B. Worthen and Gordon N. Peay of Little Rock, as trustees, to be
invested as said Trustees shall deem best, the interest of which after defraying
the charges of said Trustees, to be paid to my said daughter and her children,
and in the case of the death of my said daughter without issue, then said amount
so invested if not invested in the improvement of property herein, after
directed shall vest absolutely in J. Augusta Griffing, Sarah A.
Goodrich, Mary
C. Horton, and S. Stephen Goodrich, my brother and sisters and their heirs, and
if said insurance money be not paid to the Trustees herein before named, but
paid directly to my said Daughter and said Trustees shall be unable to get
possession of or control it then and in that event I direct that said legacies
herein bequeathed and the costs of improving my property as herein directed
shall be a charge upon my real estate in Little Rock.
I give and devise to B. M. Stebbins and
Fred C. Hill in
trust as follows: For Sarah A. Goodrich and for Nettie Beebe and her father,
Hiram A. Beebe, all of Owego, Tioga County and State of New York, the income,
the building known as the Gazette Block, in the Village of Owego, Tioga County,
New York, equally between said Sarah A. Goodrich and said Nettie Beebe for her
and her father after paying all charges, insurance, taxes, and charges of
Trustees upon the same, as long as they live, the whole of said income to revert
to the survivor, and on the death of said Sarah A. Goodrich, Hiram A. Beebe and
Nettie Beebe, the said property shall be held in trust by said B. M. Stebbins
and Fred C. Hill of Owego, Tioga County, New York, whom I hereby appoint
trustees and also my executors of this property net income of which they shall
pay to my said daughter during her natural life and after her death to the heirs
of her body, until said heirs become severally of age, and in case of the death
of my said daughter without issue, then said property shall vest absolutely in
my brother and sisters above named and their heirs share and share alike.
I appoint W. B. Worthen and Gordon N. Peay of the city of
Little Rock, Arkansas, Trustees and they shall hold in trust all my real estate
and all personal property, bank account, closes in action, and debts due me when
collected, except such as are herein after mentioned for the sole use and
benefit of my said daughter during her natural life, and her children, until her
children become severally of age, and if my said daughter dies without leaving
issue of her body, then said property shall vest absolutely in my brother and
sisters above named and their heirs share and share alike. I request the
Trustees W. B. Worthen and Gordon N. Peay that so soon as business shall demand
it; they shall convert my residence and its grounds into business property in
such a manner as they shall deem best at a cost not to exceed Twelve Thousand
($12,000) Dollars and for that purpose they may use all the income derived from
my property of every kind whether herein after described or not and mortgage the
said property if necessary to raise means to make the said residence and its
grounds into substantial business property and said trustees may also improve my
property on the corner of Markham and State Street as may be for the best
interest of my estate. I give and bequeath to my said daughter for her sole use
and benefit, and the heirs of her body, free from all marital rights of any
husband that she may have all my furniture, household utensils, silver and
plate, pictures and household paraphernalia of every kind, I give and bequeath
to my dear friend George B. Rose [4] of the city of Little Rock, Arkansas, as a
small return for the manifold favors received at his hands, and of his fathers,
U. M. Rose [5], the following works to wit; [John Marin] Crawford’s “Kalevala”
[the epic poem of Finland] in two volumes, “Musee Royal de Naples
[Peintures,
Bronzes et Statues Erotiques du] Cabinet Secret,” now locked up in the lower
drawer of the dressing case in my chamber, “The Great Modern
Painters,”
English, French, German, &c., in eight volumes, folio, and Morris’
“Sigend the Valseing” and I direct that these be delivered to him without
delay after my death. I desire that B. M. Stebbins and Fred C. Hill of Owego,
New York, herein designated as Trustees of the property in Owego, New York,
shall have the authority and power to appoint a successor in case of the death
of one of them and like authority and power are given to W. B. Worthen and
Gordon N. Peay, Trustees of my estate in Little Rock. I desire that my said
daughter have the right to occupy my present residence, free of rent during her
life, and in case she moves out of it she shall be entitled to the rent of it
during her lifetime.
I hereby appoint W. B. Worthen and
Gordon N. Peay executors
of this my Will.
Ralph L. Goodrich
Little Rock, Arkansas
November 23, 1896 [6]
[1] William Booker Worthen was the son of George Alfonzo Worthen (1816-1864)
and Louisa Jane Booker (1827-1895). He was born 17 Sep 1852 in Little Rock and
died 23 Oct 1911 in Little Rock. He was a banker, founder of W. B. Worthen Co.
Bankers, and a member of the Knights of Honor, Royal Arcanum. His second wife was Mollie Crease Peay
(1856-1944), a daughter of Gordon Neill Peay, who was the Captain of Company A,
6th Arkansas Infantry Regiment. Mollie's brother, Gordon Neill Peay II, served as co-executor
with William Booker Worthen of
Ralph L. Goodrich’s estate.
[2] Gordon Neil Peay II
was the son of
Gordon Neill Peay and Sue Nelson Crease. His father had been a prominent citizen
of Little Rock and had served as the Captain of Company A, 6th Arkansas Infantry
Regiment -- the unit in which Ralph Goodrich served during the Civil War. Gordon
Neil Peay II was probably born in the 1850's. In 1893, he resided at 722
West 2d Street and worked as Secretary in the Nick Peay Company. He is known to
have married Zilla Cole.
[3]
The
12 June 1900 minutes of the Board at Arkansas College (now Lyons College) has
the following entry: "During the year, a collection of several
hundred volumes in various foreign languages came to the library from the
library of the late Hon. Ralph L. Goodrich of Little Rock." According
to Dr. Brooks Blevins, Director of Regional Studies at Lyons College, the rare collection is not catalogued by donor so the Goodrich-donated books are
scattered among the several thousand volumes in their library. One known book
attributed to the Goodrich donation is entitled, "Sanhita of the Sama
Veda." It was published in London in 1843 by the Society for the
Publication of Oriental Texts and was sold by James Madden & Co. The only
markings on the title page are the name of Goodrich and the date, January
1885. (This particular book can be found in rare book stores for
approximately $300.)
[4] George B. Rose was the son of U. M.
Rose and Margaret Gibbs. He was born 10 July 1860 in Batesville, Independence
County, Arkansas. He died in 9 July 1942 in Little Rock. He was a renaissance
art authority and author on the subject. He was also an attorney at Rose,
Loughborough, Dobyns & House.
[5]
Uriah Milton Rose,1834-1913,
was appointed chancellor of Pulaski County, Arkansas, Chancery Court, 1860. He
was President of the American Bar Association in 1901 and was appointed commissioner
to the International Peace Conference at the Hague, Holland, by Theodore
Roosevelt in 1907.
Uriah Milton Rose
[6] Ralph L. Goodrich died on 6 October
1897. He is buried in Mount Holly Cemetery in Little Rock, Arkansas. The Burial
Index, 1843-1993, compiled by Sybil F. Crawford & Mary Fletcher Worthen,
records that Ralph rendered Confederate service, was a mason, belonged to the
Eclectic Society, and held a job as Clerk of the U.S. District Court (1880
census).
