Amanuensis Monday...Peter Dillman - Last Will and Testament

The following is a line by line transcription of the Last Will and Testament of Peter Dillman.

[page 208]

Last Will and Testament of Peter Dillman, Dec'd.

     I Peter Dillman of Gards Point in the County of Wabash

and State of Illinois, of the age of Sixty-five years and being of sound

mind and memory, do make and publish and declare this

my last will and testament in the manner following, that

is to say:

     First - I direct that my just debts be paid.

     Second - I give and bequeath to my wife Elizabeth D.

Dillman, all the household and kitchen furniture that

she may desire to retain.

     Third - I give and bequeath to my wife Elizabeth

D. Dillman, one half of the proceeds of the sale of all my

property both read and personal of every description as

hereinafter directed.

     Fourth - To my daughter Cynthia J. Dillman I

give and bequeath the sum of One Hundred and eighty

dollars ($180.00). To Joshua Dillman my son the sum of

Eighty dollars ($80.00) and to Clyde Dillman, my grand-

son and son by adoption I give and bequeath the sum

of One hundred and Eighty dollars (180.00).

     Fifth - After the above bequests are made as I direct

above, the balance of the proceeds of the sale of my real and

personal property as above stated I desire and direct to

be divided equally between all my heirs at law share and

share alike.

     Sixth - I do hereby appoint my wife Elizabeth D Dill-

man, and Joseph Shearer, executors of this my last Will

and testament, hereby revoking all former wills by me made

and direct that these executors be allowed by the Court to

serve and carry into execution of this will without being

required to give bond.

     Seventh - I direct that after my decease my executors

appraise and sell my personal property and also my

real estate of every name and nature whatsoever, and

carry into effect strictly the above provisions of this will.

     In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand

and seal this twentieth day of September 1899.

                         Peter Dillman  {seal}

     The above instrument consisting of two sheets

was at the date therof signed sealed published and

declared by the said Peter Dillman as and for

[page 208]

his last will and testament in 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.

                         E. S. Haupt, Residing at Gards Point Wabash Co.

                         B. A. Shearer

Probate of Will

State of Illinois
                               }    In County Court of said County.
Wabash County


                         In Probate November Term A.D. 1899.

     Personally appeared in open Court E. S. Haupt
and B. A. Shearer subscribing witnesses to the foregoing
instrument of writing, purporting to be the last Will
and Testament of Peter Dillman, late of Wabash County,
deceased, who being duly sworn according to law, do
depose and say, each for himself, that the foregoing is
the last Will and Testament of the said Peter Dillman
deceased; that they subscribed their names therto as
attesting witnesses at the request of the said Testator,
and in his presence, and in the presence of each other,
on the 20th day of September, A. D. 1899.
     That he then and these subscribed his name there-
to in their presence, and declared the same to be his
last Will and Testament; and that the said Testa-
tor at the time of executing the same as aforesaid was
of full age, of sound mind and memory, and
under no constraint.
                         E. S. Haupt
                         Barbar A. Shearer
     Subscribed and sworn to in open Court
this 6th day of November, 1899.
                         Geo. A. King
                               Clerk of the County Court
                         


This document has special significance to me. The Clyde Dillman mentioned in this document is my paternal great grandfather. This has helped answer a question I have had for years. Was Clyde adopted by his grandparents?

Here's what I know thru my research.
My 2x great grandmother Jemimah Dillman married John W Straughan in February of 1885 in Crawford County, Indiana.
Jemimah died soon after giving birth to my great grandfather Clyde in April of 1886. 
Clyde was raised by his grandparents Peter and Elizabeth Dillman.
Clyde took the surname Dillman. 

This Last Will and Testament of Peter Dillman shows on paper that he and Elizabeth did, indeed, adopt Clyde.

Now to discover who John W Straughan was and why didn't he raise his son Clyde.

(Peter Dillman - Lisa's Paternal 3X Great Grandfather)

Sources:  Illinois, Wills and Probate Records, 1771-1999 Ancestry.com); Crawford County Indiana Marriages, 1881-1886, Books E & F, Compiled by Ruth Slevin (genealogytrails.com/ind/); Jemimah Dillman headstone information (Photo from Lisa's private collection).

Amanuensis Monday blog postings focus on transcribing family letters, journals, audiotapes, 
and other historical artifacts. 
An Amanuensis is a person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.
 Amanuensis Monday is a genealogical blogging prompt suggested by Thomas MacEntee at GeneaBloggers based on the popular ongoing series created by John Newmark at TransylvanianDutch.

This and all other posts on this blog are © copyright 2016 by Lisa Dillman Wright.