Will of Joseph Stockford

Transcribed records filed at the court house after the death of Joseph Stockford.  Accessed from Ancestry.com databases, Ohio, Wills and Probate Records, 1786-1998.

Last Will and Testament of Joseph Stockford Deceased.

In the name of the Beloved Father of All Amen:

I Joseph Stockford of the Township of Ridgeville, County Henry and State of Ohio, being about Sixty two years of age and being of sound and disposing mind and memory, Do Make, publish and Declare this my Last Will and Testament herby revoking and making will and void all other last Wills and Testa-ments by ?? made heretofore:

First: My Will is that all my just debts and funeral expens-es shall be paid out of my Estate, as soon after my decease as shall be found convenient.

Second: I Give Devise and Bequeath to my Wife Eleanore Jane Stockford the Farm on which we now reside.

Item 1 I give and devise to my beloved Wife in ?? of her dower, Situated as follows vize.  Situated in the Township of Ridgeville and in the County of Henry, and State of Ohio, and bounded as follows: Township No. six (6) North of Range No. 8, East in Section twenty two (22) part of the Northwest quarter, commenc-ing in the Road which runs East and west on the corner part of Joseph Stockford and Julius Bannester’s Land and running South thirty rods thence west sixteen rods thence Northeast to the place of beginning, being one and a half acres more or less of Land: together with the privelages and appurtenances to the same belonging to have and to hold the same to Eleanor Jane Stockford on the land we now reside her natural life time: also all of my goods and chattles to have and to hold at time of my decease her natural life time: also one lot of land bought of Thomas Farthing and situate-ed as follows to wit: commencing at the corner of the prearie road and running thirty rods South thence ten rods West thence North thirty rods thence East twenty two rods (22) to the place of beginning of land three acres be it the same more or less to have and to hold with the appurtances there to belonging her natural life time: also thirty acres of land bought of Enoch Watkins as follows to wit: Situated in the Township of Ridgeville County of Henry and State of Ohio and bounded as follows, to-wit one share being one third of the South half of the South-west quarter of Section No. twenty two in township No. six (6) North of Range No. five East running South thirty rods (30) thence West three hundred and sixty rods, to the place of beginning.

Also Twenty acres of land bought of Robert G. Emery and situated and bounded as follows to-wit: Situated in town-ship of Ridgeville, County of Henry, and State of Ohio, and describe-ed and bounded as follows, the West part of the Southwest quarter of Section Number Twenty two (22) of Range No. five (5) of Township number six East containing twenty acres of land to Eleanor Jane Stock-ford her natural lifetime to hold: to buy and sell as her own and to do with as she Eleanor Jane Stockford has a mind to do with forever and ever, as her own, to Eleanor Jane Stockford.

In Testimony Whereof, I have set my hand to this my Last Will and Testament, at Henry County Ohio, this 24th day of February, in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundr-ed and Eighty five.

Joseph Stockford

The foregoing Instrument was signed by the said Joseph Stockford in our presence, and by him published and declared as and for his Last Will and Testament, and as his request and in his presence, and in the presence of each other, we hereunto sub-scribe our Names as Attesting Witnesses, at Ridgeville Town-ship, Ohio, this 24th day of February A.D. 1885.

Thomas Holmes, resides at Ridgeville Township Ohio
Jane X Holmes, resides at Ridgeville Township, Ohio
Mary X Jane Newell, resides at Ridgeville Township Ohio
attest Joseph Newell, resides at Ridgeville Township Ohio

Probate of Will

Be it Remembered, That heretofore, to-wit: In the 23rd day of March A.D. 1885, the following proceedings concerning the foregoing Will were had in the Probate Court of Henry County, Ohio and entered on the journal thereof in the words and figures following, to-wit:

In the matter of the Will of Joseph Stockford Deceased} Will Produced March 23rd A.D. 1885.

This day an instrument of writing, purporting to be the last Will and Testament Joseph Stockford, late of Ridgeville township, in this county, deceased, was produced in open Court for Probate, it is now ordered that due notice thereof and…

…of the application to admit the same to probate and record be given to Eleanor Jane Stockford widow Mary Pohlman Joseph A. Stockford Charles H. Stockford and Hattie Stockford next of kin of the testator, resident of the State of Ohio, that said applica-tion will be for hearing before this County, on the 31st day of March A.D. 1885, at 9 o’clock A.M.
David Mukison, Probate Judge

And Afterwards, on the 23rd day of March A.D. 1885, a notice was issued to the widow and next of kin, of which the follow-ing is a copy:

The State of Ohio Henry County ss } Notice to Heirs – In Probate Court in the matter of the last Will and Testament of Joseph Stockford Deceased.

To Joseph Newell:  You are hereby commanded to notify Eleanor J. Stockford, Mary Pohlman, Charles H. Stockford and Hattie Stockford giving at least five days notice.
That on the 23rd day of March A.D. 1885, an instrument of writing purporting to be the last Will and Testament of Joseph Stockford late of Ridgeville Township in said County, deceased, was produced in open Court, and an application to admit the same to probate, was on the same day made in said Court.  Said application will be for hearing before this Court on the 31st day of March A.D. 1885, at 9 o’clock A.M.

Herein fail not, but of this writ and service there-on, make due return.

Witness my signature as  Judge of the Probate Court and the seal of said Court, This 23rd day of March 1885.
(Seal) David Mukison, Probate Judge

March 31st, 1885, this hearing is continued until April 3rd, 1885, for service.
David Mukison, Probate Judge

We the undersigned persons within named to hereby ak-knowledge service of the within notice, this 25th day of March A.D. 1885.

Mary Pohlman
Eleanor J. Stockford
Charles H. Stockford
Hattie Stockford

The State of Ohio Henry County, SS } Notice to Heirs In Probate Court. In the matter of the last Will and Testament of Joseph Stockford Deceased.

To the Sheriff of Loraine County, Ohio You are hereby commanded to notify J.A. Stockford, LaPorte giving at least 5 days notice.

That on the 23rd day of March A.D. 1885, an instrument of writing, purporting to be the last Will and Testament of Joseph Stockford late of Ridgeville Township, in said County, deceased, was produced in open Court, and an application to admit the same to probate, was on the same day made in said County.  Said application will be for hearing before this Court on the 3rd day of April A.D. 1885, at 9 o’clock A.M. Herein fail not, but of this writ and service thereon make due return. Witness my signature as Judge of the Probate Court and the seal of said Court, this 28th day of March 1885.
David Mukison, Probate Judge

The State of Ohio Lorain County ss } Return
Calvin Ensign Sheriff says that on the 31^st day of March A.D. 1885, he served the within notice by delivering a true copy thereof to the within named J.A. Stockford.
Calvin Ensign Sheriff.
By C.C. Ensign Dept.
Sheriff fees
Service – –     $.30
Copy – –                                .25
Mileage – –                           .80
Docket (??) & postage – – .25
                                          ——
                                        $1.60

And afterwards, on the 3rd day of April A.D. 1885, the testi-mony, in relation to the execution of said Will, was taken in words and figures, following, to-wit:
In Probate Court Henry County Ohio } In the matter of proving the last Will and Testament of Joseph Stockford Deceased

The State of Ohio, Henry County ss.
Joseph Newell, being duly sworn and examined as a witness in the above entitled matter, says I was present at the execution of the instrument now shown to me, bearing date the 24th day of February A.D. 1885, and offered for probate the last Will and Testament of Joseph Stockford late of Ridgeville township, in said county of Henry, deceased, and saw said Joseph Stockford now deceased, sign said instrument and heard him acknowledge the same to be his last Will and Testament; and I thereupon, at his request and in his presence subscribed my name to the same as a witness.  The said decedent, at the time of so executing said instrument, was upwards of 21 years of age, and was of sound mind and memory, and not under any restraint.
Joseph Newell

Sworn to and subscribed this 3rd day of April A.D. 1885 before me.
David Mukison, Probate Judge

The State of Ohio, Henry County ss.
Thomas Holmes, being duly sword and examined as a witness in the above entitled matter, says: I was present at the execution of the instrument now shown to me bearing date the 24 day of February A.D. 1885, and offered for probate the last Will and testament of Joseph Stockford of Ridgeville township, in said county of Henry, deceas-ed and saw the said Joseph Stockford now deceased, sign said instrument and heard him acknowledge the same to be his last Will and Testament, and I thereupon, at his request and in his presence, subscribed my name to the same as a witness.  The said decedent, at the time of so executing said instrument was upwards of 21 years of age, and was of sound mind and memory, and not under any restraint.
Thomas Holmes

Sworn to and subscribed, this 3rd day of April A.D. 1885, before me.
David Mukison, Probate Judge

The State of Ohio, Henry County, ss.
Jane Holmes, being duly sworn and ex-amined as a witness in the above entitled matter says: I was present at the Execution of the instrument now shown to me, bearing date the 24th day of February A.D. 1885, and offered for probate the last Will and Testament of Joseph Stock-ford late of Ridgeville township, in said county of Henry deceased, and saw the said Joseph Stockford now deceased sign said instrument, and heard him acknowledge the same to be his last Will and Testament; and I thereupon, at his request, and in his presence subscribed my name to the same as a witness.  The said decedent, at the time of so executing said instrument, was upwards of 21 years of age and was of sound mind and memory, and not under any restraint.
Her
Jane x Holmes
      Mark

And Afterwards, to-wit: on the 3rd day of April A.D. 1885 the findings and orders of this Court relative to the last Will and Testa-ment of Joseph Stockford deceased, were entered on this jour-nal in words and figures as following to-wit:

In the Matter of the Will of Joseph Stockford Deceased } Will Proven April 3rd A.D. 1885

Be it Remembered, That heretofore, to-wit: On the 23rd day of March A.D. 1885, an instrument of writing purporting to be the last Will and Testament of Joseph Stockford, late of Ridge-ville township, in this county, deceased, was produced in open Court for Probate, and it now being shown to the satisfaction of the Court that due notice of the production of said Will and of the application to admit the same to probate and record in the Court  has been given to the Widow and next of kin of the testator, pursuant to a former order…

…of this Court, therefore Joseph Newell, Thomas Holmes and Jane Holmes three of the subscribing witnesses to said Will having been duly qualified, in open Court, and having testified to the due execution and attestation of said Will, which testi-mony was reduced to writing, and by them respectively subcrib-ed the court now finds that the aforesaid instrument of writing is the last Will and Testament of said Joseph Stockford decease-ed; that the same was duly executed and attested; and that the said Testator, at the time of signing the same, was of lawful age, of sound and disposing mind and memory, and under no undue or unlawful restraint whatsoever.  It is there-fore, by the court, ordered that the said Will be admitted to Probate and that the same, together with the testimony of the witnesses above named, be filed and entered of record in this court.
David Mukison, Probate Judge

I, David Mukison, Judge of the Probate Cout, within and for said County, Hereby certifies the foregoing to be a complete, and true record, of the Will and Testament of Joseph Stockford deceased, and the test-mony of witnesses to prove the same, together with the orders, and entry, of probate in said Court, made con-cerning the same.
D. Mukison, Probate Judge