Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Pettit Will Contested

New York, 1895

THE SURROGATE'S COURT.

Wills Proved and Accounts Progressed — To-Day's Calendar.

Surrogate Weller on Friday admitted to probate the wills of Mary McEvoy, Catharine Reimals, and Gustav A. F. W. Erhardt.

Accounting was had in the estate of Ann Stockholm, and decree filed.

In the matter of the accounting of the executor of Frederick P. J. Clark, which was set down for Friday, an adjournment was taken until today, the guardian for the infant having been injured on Friday by a trolley car.

Testimony was taken in the contested will case of Johann Anton Kutger, of College Point.

Testimony was taken in the contested will case of Mary Ann Pettit, of Westbury. Dr. Bogert, of Roslyn, testified that he attended the testatrix professionally. She was suffering from aphasia. The disease affected her speech so that she could not utter a sentence. So far as he could see, the disease did not affect her mind. At the request of her son William, he examined her to see if she was competent to make a will, and arrived at the conclusion that she was.

Margaret McGuire testified that in 1871 she went to nurse the testatrix and took care of her for 18 months, and during that time never heard her speak except to say "yes" or "no." She recognized her stepchildren when they came to see her, and appeared glad to see them.

Yesterday Surrogate Weller admitted to probate the wills of Barbara Rocklein, David M. Tier, Ann Eliza Rose, William H. Hoople and Eliza Killila.

Accounting was had and decree tiled in the estate of Mary A. Acker.

Testimony was taken in the contested will case of Mary A. Pettit. Louisa Pettit testified that the testatrix used to say that she would not leave her relatives anything. Thomas B. Seaman, who drew the will, said that the testatrix remarked that "the money came from the Pettits and it should go back to them."

To-day's calendar — Will cases of Theresa Terron, Peter Dries, Frost Coleman, Johanna A. Kutzer, and August Schaefer; accounting estates of John H. Austin, Frederick P. J. Clark, and Sarah Ann Johnson; matter of estates of Garret Nostrand and James C. Cloyd.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, June 28, 1895, p. 8.

William H. Hoople's Will.

New York, 1895

Yesterday Surrogate Weller admitted to probate the will of the late William H. Hoople, who lived on the Hempstead road at Queens.

The executor of the estate filed an inventory stating that he left real estate worth $115,000, and personal property worth $327,500, or $442,500 all told.

He left one child, Mary E. Brinekerhoff, who lives at Hastings on the Hudson, and she is given all of the personal property, worth $327,500.

Joseph Hoople, a brother, was bequeathed $20,000, but he is dead.

William Howard Hoople, of Brooklyn, a nephew, is given real estate worth $10,000.

William G. Hoople, a nephew, also of Brooklyn, is given $55,000 in real estate. The balance of the real estate is given to the daughter, Mrs. Brinckerhoff.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, June 28, 1895, p. 8.

Death Follows an Operation.

New York, 1895

Miss Ida Skidmore, of Setauket, aged 26, died in New York Monday night, from an operation for a cancer. The operation was performed and the deceased was improving, when suddenly she began to sink.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, June 28, 1895, p. 8.

Death of Mrs. Rosst.

New York, 1895

Mrs. Matilda Rosst, wife of William F. Rosst, died at her residence on North Washington street, Jamaica, on Sunday evening. She had long been afflicted with rheumatism and heart disease. She leaves a husband and six children. Her funeral took place from the Methodist church on Tuesday afternoon.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, June 28, 1895, p. 8.

Monday, September 1, 2008

Death of an Old Quakeress.

New York, 1895

Mrs. Philena Birdsall, 88 years of age, died at the home of her grandson, Lewis Birdsall, on Smith street, Jamaica, on Sunday morning. The deceased was a member of the Society of Friends. Funeral services were held at her late residence on Wednesday morning. The interment was in the Friends' cemetery at Prospect Park, Brooklyn.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, June 28, 1895, p. 8.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Fell from His Wheel and Died.

New York, 1895

Claude D. Sanford, son of Charles S. Sanford, a merchant of Northport, rode on his bicycle to Patchogue and then to Moriches on Saturday. Sunday morning he started back. After covering the distance of sixty-two miles, and when within a quarter of a mile of home, he fell from his wheel. He called for a doctor, and two physicians came and worked over him for two hours. He died in terrible agony, without recognizing any of his family.


Robbery Attempt

An attempt was made to rob the residence of James Murphy, at Hicksville, but the burglars were not successful.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, June 28, 1895, p. 4.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Wills Admitted to Probate

New York, 1895

The Surrogate's Court.

Surrogate Weller yesterday admitted to probate the wills of Evelyn R. Smith, Jacob Raynor, and Joseph Girard.

Decrees were filed in the accounting of the executors of Matilda Kirby, Benjamin Albertson, and John H. Puller.

The testimony in the contested will case of Elbert Ludlam, of Oyster Bay, was closed, and counsel summed up. Decision was reserved.

In the matter of the accounting of the guardian of F. P. J. Clark, the guardian, the infant's father, Charles S. Clark, who two weeks ago was ordered to file a supplemental account; stated that the accounts were voluminous and were not yet ready. The surrogate ordered the counsel for the infant to file his objections to the accounts, and that the defendant must be ready to go on to-day.

In the Surrogate's Court on Friday Judge Weller admitted to probate the wills of Michael Moran, Oyster Bay; Phebe L. Smith, Hempstead; Sarah L. Hartt, Jamaica; Nancy M. Titus, Oyster Bay, and Mary C. Norris, Hempstead.

Decrees were entered approving the accounts of the executors of Joaquin J. Francke and Teresa J. Delaney, of Hempstead.

To-day's calendar — Will cases of Gustav A. F. W. Erhardt, Catharine Reimals and John Anton Kutzer; accountings estates of Mary E. Waldron and Ann Stockholm.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, June 21, 1895, p. 8.

MASURY WILL TO BE CONTESTED.

New York, 1895

He Ignored All but His Second Wife and Her Children.

The will of John W. Masury, late of Centre Moriches, was offered for probate on Monday in the Surrogate's Court at Riverhead. Objections were offered and the will is to be contested.

The estate is estimated to amount to at least $5,000,000.

By the will which is dated May 21, 1892, the property is given entirely to his wife, Grace Masury, and his two children, John W. Masury, Jr., and Edith Masury, neither being of age. The will ignores two grandsons, John M. Masury and Frederick L. M. Masury, who were also his legally adopted sons.

The contestant says that the paper was procured by fraud and circumvention and undue influence practised against John M. Masury by Grace Masury, the wife, and her sister Margaret Gallagher, and other persons.

Two of the witnesses to the will are Annie Dunn and Patrick Dunn, who were for many years servants of Mr. Masury.

Mr. Masury died in the city of New York on May 14. He made his fortune in the manufacture of paints. He created a sensation by his second marriage. He met Miss Grace Gallagher in Ireland, brought her to this country, educated her, and married her.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, June 21, 1895, p. 8.

Monday, August 25, 2008

Death of Mr. Warnock's Son.

New York, 1895

Acting under the advice of their physician, Mr. and Mrs. William A. Warnock started on Saturday for Nashua, N. H., with their 5 year old son, William, who had been sick for some time, hoping that a change of air would benefit him. They arrived at Nashua Saturday evening. On Sunday the child became worse and Monday morning he died.

The remains of the boy were brought to Jamaica and funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon, the Rev. Edgar J. Tilton officiating. The interment was in Maple Grove cemetery.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, June 21, 1895, p. 8.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Salting a Corpse

1895

One of the most curious burial customs still existing in Ireland and in Somersetshire, England, is that of placing salt upon the breast of a corpse as soon as it has been properly "laid out" on the cooling board. In England, where the custom still prevails among a people who hoot the imputation of being superstitious, it is claimed that it is done in order "to prevent air from getting into the corpse, and thus swell and bloat it." Campbell and Moresin both refer to the practice as a survival of old time superstitious burial rites. They quote largely from ancient writers to prove that early Christians all regarded salt as an emblem of immortality and eternity, and that on such accounts it was anciently used in the manner above mentioned. Harman is authority for the statement that the early Germans not only put salt under the tongues of their dead, but also put little cylinders of rock salt in the right hands of the sick as soon as it was learned that such persons were near death's door.

In most heathen countries, where all kinds of superstition prevail, salt is used as a charm in frightening away evil spirits, and it is alleged that the Patagonians frequently strangle their children to death by forcing salt down their throats to drive out devils. — St. Louis Republic.

Butcher Lilie Breaks Ribs

New York, 1895

News in Brief.

Butcher Lilie, of Winfield, had three of his ribs broken by being thrown from a wagon.

A boy 3 years old, named Daniel Duggan, of Long Island City, was fatally burned at a bonfire on Monday.

Among the fortunate applicants for a free scholarship in Cornell University from this county are Elbert A. Hawkins of Rockville Center, and Nellie P. Hemins of Maspeth.

Mrs. Mary W. Coles, wife of ex-Assemblyman Isaac Coles, of Glen Cove, died Friday morning. Mrs. Coles was descended from a long line of Quaker ancestry, and was a daughter of the late James Willets, and a sister to the father of ex-Supervisor Fred E. Willets.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, June 21, 1895, p. 1.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Hurt by a Moving Train.

New York, 1895

Peter Gewbel is a night gate-tender at the railroad depot at Woodside. He was in a hurry early Tuesday morning and tried to jump on a moving train. He slipped and fell under the car, but was caught by a passenger in time to drag him from under the wheels. Gewbel received a severe scalp wound.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, June 21, 1895, p. 1.

Nearly Bled to Death.

New York, 1895

George Davis, an employe of the Far Rockaway ice manufacturing company, while bottling mineral waters on Tuesday, was seriously injured by a defective bottle, which burst, the flying glass cutting him on the arms and hands and severing an artery. Davis bled almost to death.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, June 21, 1895, p. 1.

Monday, August 18, 2008

Monument to a Heroine.

New York, 1895

A tablet to the memory of Mrs. Frances Ledyard Peters, the heroine of Fort Griswold, Conn., where her uncle, Colonel William Ledyard and his noble comrades in arms were massacred during the Revolutionary war, was unveiled Monday in the graveyard of the First Presbyterian church at Southold, with impressive ceremonies.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, June 21, 1895, p. 1.