James Towse

James Towse - will content - Source Documents

The following are a transcription of notes taken when studying the documents and 19 page notes of probate records in Westmoreland Probate Court, Kent county, New Brunswick, Canada, surrounding the processing of the James Towse will on 4 April 1889. Most of the material was impossible to read due to methods and materials used to record and copy. The value is in the identification of persons involved. All places are in New Brunswick, Canada, unless otherwise noted. From scanned images from Marty Lund on MyFamily.com.

1) James Towse (3132) died 17 July 1887
2) He was never married and no surviving children. Next of kin the following brothers and sisters (only surviving siblings):
    - William Towse (3134) of Edmunds |sp.?|, Maine, USA. [Washington county]
    - Mary Ann Lund (3133), wife of John Lund of Elkhorn, Manitoba, farmer.
3) Other siblings [now deceased]:
    - brothers Robert [4], Daniel [5], John [6], & Christopher [7] Towse.
    - sisters Charlotte Towse [Cook?] [8] and Betsey Wilson [10].
4) Robert Towse (3136), deceased, left 5 surviving children:
    - Lucy Ann Read, wife of Frank Read, Cookville (Parish) of Sackville, farmer.
    - Belle Estabrooks, wife of Oliver D. Estabrooks, Lowell, Mass., carriage trimmer. [Middlesex county]
    - Prudence Eunice Russell, wife of Edgar A. Russell, Haverhill, Mass., shoemaker. [Essex county]
    - Ida May Taylor, wife of Forrest E. Taylor, Haverhill, Mass., shoemaker. [Essex county]
    - George Towse, Aboushagan Rd., Westmo Co., farmer. [Westmoreland]
5) Daniel Towse (3129) left surviving 6 dtrs and 2 sons surviving:
    - Rebecca McFee, wife of William McFee, Grand Ansa (Westmo), farmer.
    - Charlotte Eastings, wife of Norton Eastings, Grand Ansa, farmer.
    - Martha Babcock, wife of James Babcock, Grand Ansa, farmer.
    - Betsey Tower, wife of Benjamin Tower, Dorchester, farmer.
    - Julia Babcock, wife of Daniel Babcock, Aboushagan Rd., farmer.
    - Sophia Polly, wife of William Polly, Cookville, farmer.
    - William Towse, Cookville, farmer.
    - D. Murray Towse, Aboushagan Rd., farmer.
6) John Towse (3128) left surviving children:
    - Elisha Towse, Sackville, Master Mariner.
    - Mary Estabrooks, wife of Thompson Estabrooks, Sackville, farmer.
    - Gertrude Doull, wife of John W. Doull, Sackville, cabinet-maker.
7) Christopher Towse (3131) left surviving sons John and Frank Towse who moved to USA, address unknown.
8) Charlotte Towse (2696) left surviving sons: [why no Cook surname?]
    - John A. Cook, Cookville, farmer, since deceased.
    - William H. Cook, Cookville, farmer, since deceased.
    - James Cook, Cookville, farmer.
9) Charlotte Towse, above, left other children, names unknown to petitioners, and grandchildren Deane/Liane Cook and Charity? Cook.
10) Betsey/Bessey Wilson (3130) left 3 surviving dtrs and 3 sons:
    - Mary Wilson, Demoiselle Creek, Albert Co.
    - Lucy MacRae, wife of James MacRae, Hopewell, Albert Co.
    - Sarah Jane Blake, [no husb name], Demoiselle Creek, Albert Co.
    - Harper Wilson, Albert Co.
    - Harvey Wilson, Albert Co.
    - James Wilson, Albert Co.
11) James Towse's will, a typed version that clarifies dubious spellings, and states that he wants "a suitable monument to to exceed . . . $25.00," divides his estate into 18 shares, and bequeaths shares as follows: [Note nil to nephews or Elisha or his family].
    - 2 each to sister Mary Ann Lund and brother William Towse.
    - 1 each to nieces (dtrs of sister Bessey Wilson): Mary Wilson, Lucy MacRae, Sarah Jane Blake.
    - 1 share each to nieces (dtrs of brother Robert): Lucy Ann Read, Bell Estabrooks, Prudence Eunice Russell, Ida May Taylor.
    - 1 share each to nieces (dtrs of brother Daniel): Rebecca McFee, Charlotte Hastings, Martha Babcock, Betsey Tower, Julia Babcock, Sophia Polly.
    - 1 share to Bell Harrison, dtr of his sister Mary Ann Lund.
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Document VERY hard to to read, seems to say that proceeds to be shared are $1378.84.
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There is a 19-page document of writing that is almost impossible to read at all - the occasional name is legible. It was on very thin paper, because photocopying caught both sides at once. It may be a set of notes referring to the case, dated April 4, 1889.
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Sources:
Westmoreland Probate Court [WPC]
Kent County [KC]

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Friday, February 01, 2002