Amanuensis Monday - Timothy Creeden's Will

Amanuensis Monday is a daily blogging theme which encourages the family historian to transcribe family letters, journals, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts.

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Last Will and Testament of Timothy Creeden made this 6th day of December AD 1899.
Recorded Will
Record No. 8, Page 31.

Last Will and Testament of Timothy Creeden

In the name of the Benevolent Father of all, I, Timothy Creeden of the township of Hopewell in the County of Mercer and State of Ohio declare this to be my last will and testament.
(1) I give and bequeath to my beloved wife, Mary Ann Creeden, the farm on which I now reside, located in Hopewell Township in Mercer County, Ohio, so long as she shall remain my widow, and after her decease or remarriage I give and bequeath the same to my sons and daughters as hereinafter mentioned subject to the conditions hereof.
(2) I give and bequeath to my beloved children, Mary Elizabeth Creeden, Daniel Creeden, Dennis Creeden, Charles A. Creeden, Julia D. Creeden, Ida Bell Creeden, Joshua Creeden, Edward Creeden, equally all of my personal property, of what nature or kind soere?, excepting Dennis Creeden, to whom I give the sum of Thirty Five Dollars ($35.00), only..
(3) It is directed by me that all money as I have advanced to my beloved daughter Mary Elizabeth Creeden, being the sum of Two-Hundred Dollars ($200.00) shall be deducted from her share of my estate.

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(4) It is my desire and special request that the life insurance in favor of my wife as per Certificate No. 2262 issued by The Order of the Catholic Knights of Ohio, amount of Benefit $2000.00 (may be $4000?) be applied, so far as is necessary to the payment of a debt of Four-Hundred Dollars on the farm heretofore described in this will, and that the sum of One-Hundred Dollars ($100.00) be given for masses for the repose of my soul and One-Hundred Dollars ($100.00) to aid in building a new Catholic Church in the town of Celina, Ohio.
(5) I hereby appoint my wife, Mary Ann Creeden, Executrix of this will and recommend that George J. Fisher assist her when necessary, all to be done without bond or fees.

Signed, sealed, and declared by the same Timothy
Creeden, to be his last will and testament, in the
presence of us, who at his request and in his presence
and in the presence of each other, have subscribed our names
as witnesses thereto.

William Hair                                                    Timothy Creeden
LM Kramer

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Timothy died on December 14, 1899, a few days after this will was recorded. One of the witnesses, William Hair owned the land next to Timothy's in Hopewell Township, Mercer County, OH. I wondered what Dennis had done to only be given $35 and it turned out that he had recently divorced and his ex-wife placed a lien on his share of the property. The lawyer handling that was also named Kramer, but I don't know if it was the same as the witness here.

At the Mercer County library, the microfilm for the will is in Box 305 Roll #115.

At the Mercer County Courthouse, the will is in the probate case files numbered 4291-4339 (1899-1900). Timothy's will is case # 4314 in that file. 

The checks made out to settle Timothy's estate show that his wife paid $20 for a cemetery lot in the Catholic Cemetery of the Immaculate Conception Church. She also made a check for $85.00 to H&J Pulskamp which may have been to the Pulskamp funeral home. This is a new lead for me since I found that the church records for Timothy's month of death had been destroyed by fire and he does not appear in the death certificate index for Mercer County. It is possible he died in a neighboring county or across the state line in Indiana.

Much thanks to Marj B. for sending me a copy of the will!