Not Just the Oath, But the Will as Well! For William Frederick Poole

On Monday, October 28th, I posted a copy of the first document in the Probate packet for William F. Poole, my 2nd great-grandfather. The packet was quite large, and I was upset that there wasn't a will. An hour later, I decided to go to his wife's file, and there in a clear sheet protector were a few papers. I could see that the first one was the Executor's Oath (see below), but what were the other documents? One of the three single pages surprised me, there it was, smack in front of me...the Will! I don't even remember receiving this, and I guess it's because it is only one page long. I couldn't believe it because he had a wife and family, so I was expecting much more. I wanted to see if there were any old Poole documents, photos, and what books did he leave to the various libraries he worked in, as the Librarian, such as the Chicago, Cincinnati and Newberry Libraries. The other two pages were my bill (for this cost) and a certification (with seal) that I had copies of the letters to his estate.

The moral of this is twofold. Don't think for a minute you will remember everything you received in March 1999. And, keep everything pertaining to a person together, don't spread the documents around. If you do, at least make a copy stating where the original is. 

EXECUTOR’S OATH.

I do solemnly swear that this writing contains the true last will and testament of the within named William F. Poole deceased, so far as I know or believe, that I will well and truly execute the same by paying first the debts and then the legacies mentioned therein, as so far as his good and chattels will thereunto extend, and the law charge me that I will make a true and perfect inventory of all such goods and chattels, rights and credits, as may come to my hands or knowledge, belonging to the estate of the said deceased, and render a fair and just account of my executorship when thereunto required by law, to the best of my knowledge and abilities, so help me God.

                                      Subscribed and sworn to before me,

ROGER C. SULLIVAN, Clerk of the Probate Court of Cook County,  Fanny M. Poole

This __ day of March A. D. 1894

                   Roger C. Sullivan   Clerk.


The Will

This is the last will and testament of me, William F. Poole, Evanston, County of Cook, and the State of Illinois. I give devise and bequeath all the real and personal estate to which I shall be entitled at the time of my deceases, unto my beloved wife, Fanny M. Poole and I appoint the said Fanny M. Poole sole executrix of this my will, hereby revoking all other testamentary writings. I direct that my said executrix shall be exempt from the necessity of giving bands.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 18th day of January, A. D. 1888.

                                                                      William F. Poole  (seal)

The within and foregoing instrument was signed by William F. Poole, the testator therein named, and by him declared to be his last will and testament, in the presence of me, who, at his request, and in his presence and in the presence of each other, have hereto subscribed our names as witnesses.

                                        Daniel L. Shorey   Chicago, Ill.

                                        John J. Herrick   Chicago, Ill.

                                        William Eliot Furness   Chicago, Ill.

_______________

Estate:    William F. Poole
File Number:      11-5934
Docket:                       033
Page:                           244

Note: When I requested the file, I was billed $24, which included 39 xeroxed pages, the certification and postage.

October Fall in New England Not So Hot

Andover, Boxford, Cambridge, Lincoln, Lowell and Sudbury, Massachusetts and Keene, New Hampshire represented below.

The photos below were taken last year. Red was everywhere in 2012.

Keene, New Hampshire above.

 Lowell, Massachusetts, along the Merrimack River (above).

Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts (above and below).

Brookline, New Hampshire Bridge and Fall All Around

Brookline, New Hampshire

1769

This bridge is not old, it was built 2001- 2003.  See HERE.

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 15^th 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 18^th 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 15^th 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 20^th 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.

Lexington High School, Lexington, Massachusetts Looking Back

Recently, I was in Lexington, Massachusetts and went into the library, as I was waiting for a friend. It's been many years since I saw copies of the yearbooks for the three years I attended the school. The librarian retrieved them, and I made copies of only my homeroom. Two years are shown below, my 10th and 11th grades. We moved to Chelmsford, going into my 12th grade.

 Above was my 11th grade homeroom.

Above was my 10th grade homeroom.

Two Hills -- Surname Saturday

Below are two Hills lines in my tree, both very early New England families. The first was from Newbury, Massachusetts and the second family (in dark rose) from Hartford, Connecticut. My direct lines are in All Caps. As in the past, I'll share my sources, if you want them.

My many surnames already posted are on the right side, if you want to see them, scroll down to the Surnames.

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Generation No. 1

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1.	GEORGE HILLS. He married MARY.
	Child of GEORGE HILLS and MARY w\o GEORGE HILLS was: + 2   i. JOSEPH HILLS was born ABT 1602, and died 5 FEB 1687/8 in Newbury, Essex Co., Massachusetts.

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Generation No. 2

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2.	JOSEPH HILLS (GEORGE HILLS1) was born ABT 1602, and died 5 FEB 1687/8 in Newbury, Essex Co., Massachusetts. He married ROSE CLARK 22 JUL 1624 in Billeericay, Essex Co., England. She died 24 MAR 1649/50. He married Hannah SMITH 24 JUN 1651 in Malden, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. He married Helen\Eleanor ATKINSON JAN 1655/6 in Malden / Newbury, Massachusetts, daughter of Hugh ATKINSON. She died BET 8 JAN 1660/1 AND 10 NOV 1662. He married Ann (__) 8 MAR 1664/5 in Newbury, Essex Co., Massachusetts. She died 1688.
	Children of JOSEPH HILLS and ROSE CLARK were: + 3   i. ELIZABETH HILLS was born 1626 in Great Burstead, Billericay, Essex Co., England, and died 25 NOV 1674 in Malden, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. 4   ii. Mary HILLS was born MAY 1627 in Great Burstead, Billericay, Essex Co., England. She married John WAYTE ABT 1644. 5   iii. Joseph HILLS was born ABT 2 AUG 1629 in Great Burstead, Billericay, Essex Co., England, and died 19 APR 1674 in Malden, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. He married Hannah SMITH NOV 1653. She died 11 JUL 1674. 6   iv. John HILLS was born 31 MAR 1631, and died 28 JUN 1652. + 7   v. REBECCA HILLS was born ABT 20 APR 1634, and died 6 JUN 1674. 8   vi. Steven HILLS was born 1 MAY 1636 in Malden, co. Essex, England. 9   vii. Sarah HILLS was born ABT 14 AUG 1637, and died ABT 15 AUG 1637. + 10   viii. Gershom HILLS was born 27 JUL 1639 in Charlestown, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. 11   ix. Mehitable HILLS was born 1 JAN 1640?41, and died JUL 1653. Children of JOSEPH HILLS and Hannah SMITH were: 12   i. Samuel HILLS was born JUL 1652, and died 1732. He married Abigail WHEELER 20 MAY 1679 in Newbury, Essex Co., Massachusetts. She was born 1656, and died 1742. 13   ii. Nathaniel HILLS was born 19 DEC 1653, and died 26 FEB 1653/4. 14   iii. Hannah HILLS died AFT 14 SEP 1687. Children of JOSEPH HILLS and Helen\Eleanor ATKINSON are: 15   i. Deborah HILLS was born MAR 1656?57, and died 1 OCT 1662. 16   ii. Abigail HILLS was born 6 OCT 1658, and died 9 OCT 1662.

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Generation No. 3

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3.	ELIZABETH HILLS (JOSEPH HILLS2, GEORGE HILLS1) was born 1626 in Great Burstead, Billericay, Essex Co., England, and died 25 NOV 1674 in Malden, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. She married GEORGE BLANCHARD 3 JAN 1665 in Charlestown, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, son of THOMAS BLANCHARD and AGNES BENT. He was born 1622 in Penton Grafton, Hants, England, and died 18 MAR 1700 in Malden, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts.
	Children of ELIZABETH HILLS and GEORGE BLANCHARD were: 17   i. Thomas BLANCHARD died 11 DEC 1678. 18   ii. Joshua BLANCHARD died 15 JUL 1716 in Malden, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. He married Elizabeth w\o Joshua BLANCHARD ABT 1688 in Charlestown, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts. She was born ABT 1667, and died 15 JUL 1688 in Malden, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. He married Mehitable ABT 1693 in Charlestown, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts. She was born ABT 1666, and died 10 JAN 1742 in Malden, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. 19   iii. Jonathan BLANCHARD. He married Sarah PAIN 11 NOV 1708. 20   iv. Abraham BLANCHARD. He married Sarah WHITMARSH 25 JUL 1690 in Braintree, Norfolk Co., Massachusetts. 21   v. Elizabeth BLANCHARD. She married George GRIMES 15 APR 1675 in Charlestown / Billerica. He was born 1649, and died ABT 1710. 22   vi. Hannah BLANCHARD. She married Thomas SHEPHERD 7 DEC 1682 in Charlestown / Bristol, Rhode Island. He died 1726. 23   vii. Mary BLANCHARD. 24   viii. Abigail BLANCHARD. 25   ix. Sarah BLANCHARD. She married Thomas DEAN FROM AUG 1687 TO NOV 1687 in Cambridge / Concord / Charlestown. He was born 1664 in Concord, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. 26   x. Joseph BLANCHARD was born ABT 1653, and died 24 OCT 1694 in Medford, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. He married Hannah SHEPARD13 APR 1681 in Charlestown, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts. 27   xi. George BLANCHARD was born ABT 1667. He married Sarah BASSETT 15 DEC 1687 in Charlestown, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts. 28   xii. Ruth BLANCHARD was born 6 AUG 1668. 29   xiii. Bethia BLANCHARD was born 1668. She married Daniel PAIN BEF 1697 in Woburn, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. + 30   xiv. RACHEL BLANCHARD was born ABT 1670 in Charlestown, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, and died in Middlesex Co., Connecticut.

7.	REBECCA HILLS (JOSEPH HILLS2, GEORGE HILLS1) was born ABT 20 APR 1634, and died 6 JUN 1674. She married THOMAS GREENE ABT 1653 in Malden, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, son of THOMAS GREENE and ELIZABETH LYNDE?. He was born 1630 in of Malden, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, and died 13 FEB 1671/2.
	Children of REBECCA HILLS and THOMAS GREENE were: + 31   i. REBECCA GREENE was born ABT 1653 in Malden, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, and died 26 MAY 1726 in Malden, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. 32   ii. Thomas GREENE was born FEB 1655 in Malden, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, and died 15 APR 1674. 33   iii. Hannah GREENE was born 16 OCT 1658 in Malden, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, and died 1659 in Malden, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. 34   iv. Hannah GREENE was born 24 FEB 1659 in Malden, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, and died 1741. She married John VINTON 16 AUG 1677 in Malden, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, son of John VINTON and Ann w\o John VINTON. He was born 1650, and died 1727. 35   v. Samuel GREENE was born 5 OCT 1670 in Malden, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, and died 2 JAN 1735 in Prob. Leicester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. He married Elizabeth UPHAM 28 OCT 1691 in Malden / Leicester, MA, daughter of Phineas UPHAM and Ruth WOOD. She died ABT 1761 in Leicester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts.

10.	Gershom HILLS (JOSEPH HILLS2, GEORGE HILLS1) was born 27 JUL 1639 in Charlestown, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. He married Elizabeth CHADWICK 11 NOV 1667 in Malden / Charlestown. She was born 1648. Generation No. 1 1. THOMAS HILLS. He married JANE SCARBORROW. Child of THOMAS HILLS and JANE SCARBORROW was: + 2   i. WILLIAM HILLS was born 27 DEC 1608 in Essex County, England, and died JUL 1683 in Hartford, Hartford Co., Connecticut. Generation No. 2 2. WILLIAM HILLS (THOMAS HILLS1) was born 27 DEC 1608 in Essex County, England, and died JUL 1683 in Hartford, Hartford Co., Connecticut. He married MARY (__) DEC 1648. She died BET 1655 AND 1657 in Hartford, Hartford Co., Connecticut. He married Phyllis LYMAN ABT 1632 in Roxbury, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts. She was born 1611, and died BET 1645 AND 1648. He married Mary STEELE BEF JAN 1669 in Hartford / Hadley. Children of WILLIAM HILLS and MARY (__) were: 3   i. Joseph HILLS was born BEF 17 MAR 1650 in Hartford, Hartford Co., Connecticut, and died 8 NOV 1713. He married Elizabeth in Glastonbury, Hartford Co., Connecticut. He married Mehitable HURSDALE. She was born 1663. + 4   ii. SUSANNAH HILLS was born ABT 1651 in Hartford, Hartford Co., Connecticut, and died 23 OCT 1701 in Glastonbury, Hartford Co., Connecticut. 5   iii. Benjamin HILLS was born ABT 1653 in Hartford, Hartford Co., Connecticut, and died 1728. He married Mary BRONSON 11 JAN 1688 in Hartford, Hartford Co., Connecticut. She was born 1668. 6   iv. Abraham HILLS was born ABT 1655. Generation No. 3 4. SUSANNAH HILLS (WILLIAM HILLS2, THOMAS HILLS1) was born ABT 1651 in Hartford, Hartford Co., Connecticut, and died 23 OCT 1701 in Glastonbury, Hartford Co., Connecticut. She married JOHN KILBORN 4 MAR 1674 in Wethersfield, Hartford Co., Connecticut, son of JOHN KILBORN and NAOMI. He was born 15 JAN 1652 in Wethersfield, Hartford Co., Connecticut, and died 25 NOV 1711 in Glastonbury, Hartford Co., Connecticut. He was buried in Green Cemetery. Glastonbury, Hartford Co., Connecticut. Children of SUSANNAH HILLS and JOHN KILBORN were: 7   i. Susannah KILBORN was born 4 FEB 1674 in Wethersfield, Hartford Co., Connecticut, and died 7 MAY 1685 in Wethersfield, Hartford Co., Connecticut. + 8   ii. John KILBORN was born 30 OCT 1676 in Wethersfield, Hartford Co., Connecticut, and died 1738 in Palmer (was called Elbows), Massachusetts. + 9   iii. Ebenezer KILBORN was born 11 MAR 1680 in Wethersfield, Hartford Co., Connecticut, and died 1732 in Hanover, Hunterdon Co., New Jersey. + 10   iv. JONATHAN KILBORN was born 7 SEP 1681 in Wethersfield, Hartford Co., Connecticut, and died 16 FEB 1766 in Colchester, New London Co., Connecticut. 11   v. Benjamin KILBORN was born 30 MAR 1684 in Glastonbury, Hartford Co., Connecticut. 12   vi. David KILBORN was born 25 FEB 1687 in Glastonbury, Hartford Co., Connecticut, and died 26 FEB 1713 in Suffield or Glastonbury, Hartford Co., Connecticut. + 13   vii. Abraham KILBORN was born 25 AUG 1691 in Glastonbury, Hartford Co., Connecticut, and died 20 APR 1770 in Glastonbury, Hartford Co., Connecticut.

Meeting up with Blogger Friends -- Part 2

Within the past month, I've met with two genealogy blogger friends. First was Cynthia Shenette who has the Heritage Zen blog. My outing with her can be seen in Part 1, HERE. The second outing was with Diane MacLean Boumenot of the One Rhode Island Family blog. I had met each of them four times, so they weren't "new" to me. Below are photos taken last Saturday when Diane and I met in Lexington, Massachusetts (where I once lived for 8 years), and Concord, Massachusetts. It was a perfect weather day, lunch was good and while I was there I took photos of me in old yearbooks, which I'll post at another time.

First two photos taken at the Lexington Green.

Old cemetery behind the above church.

We drove to Concord, and saw the sights at the Old North Bridge.

Diane taking a picture of the Concord Minuteman.

  

Diane had a tourist take a picture of the two of us. I am holding the iPad.

Meeting up with Blogger Friends -- Part 1

Within the past month, I've met with two genealogy blogger friends. First was Cynthia Shenette who has the Heritage Zen blog. And the second was with Diane MacLean Boumenot of the One Rhode Island Family blog. I had met each of them four times, so they weren't "new" to me. Below are photos taken almost a month ago in Harvard, Massachusetts, where Cynthia and I visited the Fruitlands Museum. To give you an understanding what it is, Wikipedia writes, "The property was purchased in 1910 by Clara Endicott Sears, who opened the farmhouse to the public in 1914 as a museum.^[5] In addition to the Fruitlands building, the site now includes a transplanted Shaker house from the nearby Harvard Shaker Village, Native American artifacts and Hudson River School paintings.^[6] The museum is primarily the result of the efforts of Sears, a preservationist." We had a very nice time, weather was absolutely perfect for walking, even though the pictures show a threatening sky.

The red house above was where Louisa May Alcott and her family lived for six months. Below is an original sofa where she sat (we were not allowed to sit on it, of course). From MassMoments, the article tells us that the Alcott family arrived at Harvard, MA from Concord, MA on June 1, 1943. Interesting article may be seen at:

http://www.massmoments.org/moment.cfm?mid=162

Shaker house. Wish I had taken photos inside, but I managed a shot from the back.

In the art museum, I took this photo called, Sunset in the Tropics, 1868 by Frederick Edwin Church.

The year before, Cindy and I met in Boston to tour The Gibson House Museum. From their website, "Built in 1859-60, the Gibson House stands as the historic house museum of the Back Bay. In 2001, the National Park Service declared the Gibson House a National Historic Landmark. It is unique as an unspoiled single-family residence that retains its kitchen, scullery, butler’s pantry and water closets, as well as formal rooms and private family quarters, filled with the Gibsons’ original furniture and personal possessions. Visitors enjoy a glimpse of the lives of a well-to-do Boston family and their domestic staff." We loved this old house, even though it was rather dark inside and the stairs didn't look safe, we still enjoyed ourselves. I wish I'd taken more photos, but couldn't becauswe it was quite dark inside.

UPDATE: Fall 2016 article

Cornish, New Hampshire -- Windsor, Vermont Bridge

Walk Your Horses Or Pay Two Dollars Fine.

Cornish - Windsor Bridge

Build in 1866 at a cost of $9,000, this is the

longest wooden bridge in the United States and

the longest two-span covered bridge in the world.

The fourth bridge at this site, the 460-foot

structure was built by Dela J. Fletcher (1811-1877)

of Claremont and James F. Tasker (1826-1903)

of Cornish, using a lattice truss patented by

architect Ithiel Town in 1820 and 1835. Built as

a toll bridge by a private corporation, the  span

was purchased by the state of New Hampshire in

1836 and made toll-free in 1943.

North Parish Church, Founded 1645, North Andover, Massachusetts

Photo taken October 18, 2013, all others on Memorial Day, 2013.

All previous New England Churche posts may be seen under my Tab labeled Churches.