When I found the below document on microfilm at the Family History Center in Salt Lake City, I quickly wrote down the page number and went to the scanning room where it was printed on two sheets, sized 11" x 17". For over three years, it has been in a pile. How embarrassing now to discover I never wrote down the source, as in the film number or name of the book. All I have are pages numbered 45 and 46.
However, sometimes my memory bank works. I thought maybe I got the volume number from David Samuelsen's website SAMPUBCO, covering New York Counties Will Testators Indexes, so I went to that site and selected Genesee County, then went
I looked for Adams and found my person: ADAMS, CHARLES W. STAFFORD NY-19-25-45-48. It showed page 45, which matches what I wrote on the printed will. Researchers are not always so lucky when backtracking to find their original source, but I was lucky. However, I still don't know the FHL film number, but it shouldn't be difficult to find out.
Charles was my first cousin, four times removed.
(Transcribed by Barbara Poole)
Charles W. Adams Testator
At a Surrogate's Court, held in and for the County of Genesee, at the Surrogate's Office in the Town of Batavia, in said county, on the 1st day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety-seven.
Present Hon. Stafford E. North Surrogate
Genesee County, }SS.
Be it remembered, that heretofore, to wit : on the 14th day of S___ in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety ___ Marietta Adams, one of the Executors named in the Last Will and Testament of Charles W. Adams late of the town of Stafford. in the county of Genesee, deceased, appeared in open court before the Surrogate of said county, and made application to the said Last Will and Testament, which relates to real and personal estate, proved ; and on such application the Surrogate did ascertain, by satisfactory evidence, who were the heirs and next of kin of the said Testator and their respective residences.
And said Surrogate did thereupon issue a citation in due form of law, directed to certain of the said heirs and next of kin by their respective names, stating therein their respective places of residence, requiring them to appear before the said Surrogate at his office in the town of Batavia in said county, on the 1st day of November 1897, to attend the probate of such said Will.
And afterwards on the 1st day of November aforesaid, satisfactory evidence by affidavit was produced and presented to said Surrogate, of the due service of said citation, in the mode prescribed by law, and said Marietta Adams and E. W. Moulthrop Executors as aforesaid, appearing for the purposes of proving said Will and all the remaining heirs at law and next of kin, being of full age, having severally duly in writing waived the issue and service upon them of a citation to appear in this court and attend the proof and probate of said will, and no one appearing to contest the probate of such Will, such proceedings were thereupon had, that the Surrogate took the proof of said Will hereinafter set forth, upon this 1st day of November A. D. 1897, and adjudges and proofs are as follows, that is to say :
In the name of God Amen I Charles W. Adams of Batavia New York being of sound mind and memory do make publish and declare the following as and for my last will and testament.
First I direct all my just debts and funeral expenses to be paid
Second I direct my executors hereinafter names to place a suitable tombstone over my grave
Third I hereby give devise and bequeath the use and income of my farm where I now reside to my beloved wife and after her death to my brothers and sisters Horace Adams Quincy Adams George Adams Jane Jones and Mary Blair
Fourth I hereby bequeath to Jane Adams the sum of three hundred dollars
Fifth I hereby bequeath to Mary Jones Hattie Blatchford Ada Sherwin Emma Blair and Charles Adams each the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars.
Sixth I hereby give devise and bequeath all the rest residue and remainder of my estate of whatsoever name or native to my beloved wife Marietta Adams absolutely.
Lastly, I hereby nominate and appointment my wife Marietta Adams and E. W. Moulthrop executors of this last will hereby revoking all former wills by me made.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this this [sic] 14th day of August 1897.
C. W. Adams (L.S.)
We the undersigned do hereby certify that Charles W. Adams duly signed published and declared the above instrument as and for his last will and testament and we at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other duly signed our names as witnesses hereto.
L.E. Curtice Buffalo, N. Y.
Frederick G. Bagley, Buffalo, N. Y.
Amanuensis Monday was begun by John Newmark of the TransylvanianDutch blog. The term means, "a person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another." Many bloggers enjoy doing this because it allows them to freely copy something that has been written.