Delaware County NY Genealogy and History Site

submitted by Gabriele Hammon, August 6, 1999

Will of Christopher Strangeway, dated 29 March 1888

Be is remembered, that at a Surrogate's Court, held at the Surrogate's office in Delhi in and for the County of Delaware, on the 3 day of April 1890, the Last Will and Testament of Christopher Strangeway, late of the Town of Bovina in the County of Delaware, deceased, was duly proved, before Albert S. Sewell, Esq., Surrogate of said County, and was by said Surrogate adjudged valid, and established as a Will of real and personal estate, and the same together with the proofs and examination taken on the probate thereof, are pursuant to an order of the Surrogate here recorded, to wit:

The Last Will and Testament of Christopher Strangeway of the Town of Bovina County of Delaware and State of New York. I Christopher Strangeway being of sound mind and memory aware of the uncertainty of life and the certainty of death and desirous of making an equitable and proper disposition of my property at my decease I do make (unreadable) publish and declare this to be my Last will and Testament in manner and (unreadable) following that is to say.

First I desire to state that I have paid during my lifetime to each of my five children the sum of two thousand dollars and I desire is this my Last will and Testament so to distribute the reminder of my estate among them that the amount already given and the sum now given to each child shall make (unreadable) according to my best judgment to share alike therefore.

Second I give devise and bequeath to my son Thomas C. Strangeway all my right title and interest in and to my farm in which I now reside in the Town of Bovina NY containing one hundred and fifty-one acres be the same more or less and which I estimate to be worth the sum of five thousand and five hundred dollars to have and to hold to his heirs and assign forever. But this bequest I make on the express condition that the said Thomas C. Strangeway shall pay to my other children within two years after my decease the following sum of money, vig. To William Strangeway the sum of eleven hundred dollars, To my daughter Helen Gladstone the sum of eleven hundred dollars, To my son Andrew T. Strangeway the sum of eleven hundred dollars and to my son James Lee Strangeway the sum of eleven hundred dollars.

Third, I desire that my executor herein after named shall divide all the rest residue and reminder of my property of every name and nature into five cash shares and I give devise and bequeath these five equal shares to my five children share and share alike wig, to Wm. Strangeway one share to Andrew G. Strangeway one share to Helen Gladstone one share to Thomas C. Strangeway one share and to James Lee Strangeway the remaining share.

Fourth. My will is that in case any of these my children are deceased at the time of the probate of this my will, there I desire such legacy and portion as I have let to them shall be paid to their children and in case any of these my children shall be deceased without having left any surviving child or issue my will is that the portion which I have bequeathed to such child shall be paid to the other surviving children (my children) or their surviving children as the case may be.

Likewise I make constitute and appoint Thomas C. Strangeway of Bovina, NY to be my Executor of this my Last Will and Testament here by revoking all.

In witness where I have hereinto subscribed my name and affixed my seal the twenty-ninth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred eighty-eight.

Signed Christopher Strangeway (seal)

The foregoing instrument was at the date thereof subscribed by Mr. Christopher Strangeway the testator therein named in the presence of us and each us he at the time of making such subscription acknowledged that he executed the same and declared the said instrument so subscribed by him to be his Last Will and Testament whereupon we at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other do here subscribe and names as witnesses there to

            J. Bereridge Lee          Residing at Bovina Centre, NY
            Duncan C. Lee             Residing at Bovina Centre, NY
            James B. Lee              Residing at Bovina Centra, NY