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The Life From The Roots blog topics have changed several times since I began this blog in 2009. I initially wrote only about the family history I had been working on for 20 years. Years later, I was into visiting gardens, historical homes, churches, libraries that had genealogical collections, historical societies, war memorials, and travel/tourism places. I also enjoy posting autographs and photos of famous people I've met or have seen.

Along with my New England roots, other areas include New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and the Eastern Townships of Quebec, Canada.

Please check out the labels on the right side for topics (please note, they need work). Below the labels and pageviews is a listing of my top nine posts, according to Google. Four of them pertain to Lowell, MA. These posts change often because they are based on what people are reading.

Monday, October 28, 2013

Probate for William Frederick Poole -- Part 1

After ten years, I've finally decided to read everything in the Probate packet I received so long ago. The probate is quite long, and might be of interest to those who are familiar with my 2nd great-grandfather, William Frederick Poole. Even though the below document states he signed his will, I didn't receive a copy with the 44 other pages.


State of Illinois,     )
                          )  ss.
County of Cook       )


                                                In the Probate Court of Cook County.



In the Matter of 


the Estate of 

William F. Poole,
deceased.


Testimony taken on the 15th day of March, A. D. 1894 as to proof of will and heirship in the above-entitled estate.

William Eliot Furness,

being duly sworn, was examined by Mr. Kinnare and testified as follows:

Q  Give your full name, Mr. Furness? A  William Eliot Furness.

Q  Where do you reside?  A  Chicago.

Q  Give the street and number, please?  A  417 Orchard Street, Chicago.

Q  How old are you?  A  Fifty-four.

Q  Occupation?  A  Attorney at law.

Q  Look at the instrument now shown you purporting to be the last will and testament of William F. Poole, and say whether or not your name and signature is written on it?  A  Yes sir.

Q  Who asked you to sign your name to this instrument?  A  William F. Poole.

Q  For what purpose did you sign your name?  A  As a witness to his will.

Q  Did you see William F. Poole sign his name to this instrument?  A  Yes sir.

Q  Did William F. Poole see you sign your name to it?  A  Yes sir.

Q  Who were present when William F. Poole signed his name?  A  Daniel L. Shorey, John J. Herrick and William F. Poole, when I signed, and when he signed it, Daniel L. Shorey, John J. Herrick, William Eliot Furness and William F. Poole.

Q  What date was it that William F. Poole and the witnesses signed their names to this instrument?  A  On the 18th day of January, 1888.

Q  How old was William F. Poole at that time?  A  I should think he was about sixty.

Q  What condition of the mind and memory of William F. Poole when he signed his name to this instrument?  A  Good and sound.

Q  Do you believe that when William F. Poole signed his name to this instrument that he was of sound and disposing mind and memory?  A  I do.

Q  Did William F. Poole marry after he signed his name to this instrument?  A  No sir.


Mrs. Fanny N. Poole,

being duly sworn, was examined by Mr. Kinnare, and testified as follows:

Q  What is your name?  A  Fanny M. Poole.

Q  Where do you reside?  A  Evanston.

Q  Evanston, Cook County, Illinois?  A  Yes sir.

Q  How old are you?  A  Sixty.

Q  Are you the widow of William F. Poole deceased?  A  I am.

Q How old was William F. Poole when he died?  A  Seventy-two.

Q  How old was he when you first became acquainted with him?  A Thirty-one.

Q  Did you know him from that time up to the time of his death?  A  Yes sir.

Q  How many times was William F. Poole married?  A  Once.

Q  And then to yourself?  A  Yes sir.

Q  Did you live with him as his wife up to the time of his death?  A  Yes sir.

Q  How many children were ever born to William F. Poole and yourself?  A  Seven.

Q Give their names, commencing with the first one?  Abstract for their four children is below:

Alice P. Holbrook, still living, and husband’s full name is Zephaniah S.  Alice is 38 and her husband is still living.

Annie is still living and husband’s full name is Charles Clarence Poole. Annie is 36 and her husband is still living.

Mary, is still living, is not married and is 33.

William Fred is still living and is 26.

Q  Give the names of the children now dead?  A  Fannie, Helen and Eliza.

Q And did Fannie, Helen and Eliza all die before the death of William F. Poole, their     father?  A  Yes sir.
Q  Which lived to be the oldest?  A  Eliza.

Q  How old did she live to be?  A  Five years.

Q  So that when William F. Poole died he left him surviving Fannie M. Poole, yourself, his wife, Alice P. Holbrook, wife of Zephaniah S. Holbrook, his daughter, Annie Poole, wife of Charles Clarence Poole, his daughter, Mary Poole, his daughter and William Fred Poole, his son, his only hairs at law and next of Kin? A  Yes sir.

Q. Do you acknowledge that to your name and signature (indicating)?  A  I do.

State of Illinois,     )
                           )  ss.       
County of Cook       )

                   Murray J. Brady, being duly sworn, says that he is a shorthand reporter, that he took the testimony in the matter of the proof of will and heirship of William F. Poole, deceased, of William Eliot Furness and Mrs. Fannie N. [sic] Poole, in the Probate Court of Cook County on the 15th day of March, 1894, and that the foregoing is the correct report of such testimony.

                                                                   Murray J. Brady

Subscribed and sworn to before me
This 20th day of March, A. D. 1894.

          J. B. Bennett
           Notary Public, Cook County.
___________
Additional information: I located a separate document, deposition given by Daniel Louis Shorey of 5520 Woodlawn Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. He was 70 year old lawyer. He testified that he saw William F. Poole sign his will.