Will of John Blair of Ballycorr, Co. Antrim, Ireland

 

dated 18 Jun. 1872, proved 15 Nov. 1872

 

Transcribed by Judith Terrill, 2007 and 2012

 

Click here to view a photocopy of the original.  (PDF, 2.3 MB)

 

 

From: PRONI (Public Records Office of Northern Ireland, 2012)

Search PRONI Will Calendars : John Blair, Ballycorr:

Title: <blank>, Name: John Blair, Registry: Belfast, Date of Death: 6 Aug. 1872, Date of Grant: 15 Nov. 1872, Reseal Date: <blank>, Effects: Under £450.

Full Abstract : Letters of Administration (with the Will and one Codicil annexed) of the personal estate of John Blair late of Ballycorr County Antrim Farmer deceased who died 6 August 1872 at same place were granted at Belfast to James Blair of Ballycorr (Ballyclare) aforesaid Farmer a Child one of the next of kin and a Legatee.

 

The first two pages (pp. 310 and 311 on PRONI microfilm roll MIC/15C/2/13) were examined at PRONI in Belfast on 26 Jan. 2007.  Photocopies were ordered and received not long after, by mail.  The 3rd and 4th pages were downloaded online from PRONI, 12 Feb. 2012.

 

 

{Page 310}

 

No. 7660, Blair, John, Deceased, Effects: {next 7 lines in left margin unreadable}

 

I John Blair in the Townland of Ballycorr, Parish of Ballycorr, County of Antrim, Ireland Now in the full possession of all my mental faculties, do hereby in the name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost in this my last Will and Testament I John Blair of my own free will and pleasure do bequeath to my son James Blair as follows my present holding of my Farm stock and chattels situate in the above said Ballycorr. I also bequeathe to my wife Mary Blair her support for the full term of her natural life. But should she feel it necessary to change her position, I allow her Twelve pounds sterling yearly with potatoes Meal and milk of sufficient Quantity with the Parlour end of the dwelling House from off said Farm. I also grant to my son Robert Blair one hundred pounds £100, off said farm.  Also to my daughter Jane Curran, Belfast £25.  Also to my daughter Elizabeth Kennedy £25. Also to my daughter Margaret McQuoid Ballyclare £25.  Also to my grandson Samuel Blair £10 or a Trade if preferable. I hereby certify the above amounts shall be duly paid by my son James Blair after my wife's death except in the matter of £100 to my son Robert. This amount of one hundred pounds sterling to be paid to him one year after my decease if required. I also allow my sons Samuel, Andrew & Nathaniel One shilling each. Witness my signature this 18 day June 1872.

 

 

                                          John Blair

 

Francis Blair                                   Andrew Blair

 

{The following is the codicil}

 

My son Nathaniel to get his clothes &c food as usual until his time expires. P.S. I allow my wife Mary Blair 8 stone oatmeal and 16 stone potatoes with sufficient quantity of milk year by year allowance should the above Mary Blair my wife take her own apartment as specified in this my last Will, also her bed and Bedding.

 

                                                      John (x) Blair.

                                                            (his mark)

 

James B. McQuoid.                                     John  Kennedy.

 

 

(No A)? Affidavit of Attesting Witness.  In Her Majestys Court of Probate

                                                         The District Registry At Belfast

 

In the Goods of John Blair, Deceased I Andrew Blair of

 

{Page 311}

 

Ballyclare in the County of Antrim Glove (Seutcher)? {suturer?} aged twenty one years and upwards Make Oath that I am one of the subscribing witnesses to the last Will and Testament of the said John Blair late of Ballycorr in the County of Antrim farmer Deceased.  the said Will being now hereunto annexed bearing date the eighteenth day of June One thousand eight hundred and seventy two, and that the said Testator executed the said Will on the day of the date thereof by signing his name at the foot or end thereof as the same now appears thereon, in the presence of me and of Francis Blair of Ballyclare in the County of Antrim Slater the other subscribed Witness thereto, both of us being present at the same time, and we thereupon attested and subscribed the said Will in the presence of the said testator and of each other.

(Signed) Andrew Blair____Sworn at Belfast in the County of Antrim this 28th day of October 1872 by the said Andrew Blair before me a Commisioner of Her Majestys High Court of Chancery for Taking Affidavits in and for said County and I know Conly Dickey who certifies his knowledge of Deponent, John C. Cramrie Comm[issione]r

I certify that I know the Deponent. Conly Dickey

Conly Dickey Solicitor for Admi[nistrato]r

 

 

                                                In Her Majestys Court of Probate

                                                The District Registry at Belfast

In the Goods of John Blair, Deceased}  I William Elliott of Ballyclare in the County of Antrim Methodist Minister aged thirty years and upwards do Make Oath and say that I wrote the said Will of John Blair late of Ballycore in the County of Antrim farmer deceased  the said Will being now hereunto annexed bearing date the eighteenth day of June One thousand eight hundred and seventy two that I wrote the said will at the request and by the direction of the Testator and previous to the execution thereof by the Testator I read the said Will over to him and I was present and saw Testator sign same, and that he had at the time of the execution thereof a true knowledge of the contents of his said Will  And that on the second day of August last I at the request and by the direction of the Testator inserted a line at the end of his said Will containing the words “My son Nathaniel to get his clothes &c. food as usual

 

{Page 312}

 

until his time expires” and also at the same time I added a postscript to his said Will which was also (xxxxed)? by the Testator in my presence alone by his making his mark thereto as the same one appears thereon at the foot of the postscript thus John x his mark Blair between the Christian and surname and previous to the execution of the said postscript by the Testator I read the said line inserted by me in the original Will and also the said postscript all to the Testator and the said Testator had at the time of the execution thereof a true knowledge of the contents of his said will and postscript and perfectly understood the same and was at the time of the execution thereof (respectively)? of sound mind memory and understanding and that Testator could both read and write and that he merely made his mark to the said postscript in consequence of the weak bodily condition he was in at the time of the execution thereof and that I was the only person present when the Testator made his mark to the postscript as aforesaid and that the names James B. McQuoid and John Kennedy must have been inserted afterward and subsequent to the execution of the said postscript by the Testator.______William Elliott._____Sworn at Belfast in the County of Antrim this 28th day of October 1872 by the said William Elliot be fore me a Commissioner of Her Majestys High Court of Chancery in Ireland for taking Affidavits in t-he said County and I know Conly Dickey who certifies his ac-knowledgement of Deponent. John C Cramsie Comm[issione]r.

 

                                                                        In Her Majestys Court of Probate.

                                                                        The District Registry at Belfast

In the Goods of John Blair, Deceased}  I John Kennedy of Castleown Ballymere in the County of Antrim farmer aged thirty years and upwards make Oath that on the second day of August One thousand eight hundred and seventy two I called at the house of John Blair late of Ballycorr in the County of Antrim farmer deceased that James B McQuoid of Ballyclare in the County of Antrim Saddler was present with me at the time in the house of the said John Blair that we were asked by the said John Blair to sign our names to the will of the said John Blair beneath where he had made his mark but were not

 

{Page 313}

 

told for what purpose we were required to sign that we signed our names accordingly as requested but the said John Blair did not sign his name or make his mark in my presence nor did he re-acknowledge his signature or his mark to me or to the said James B McQuoid before I or the said James B McQuoid had signed our names as requested by the said John Blair that the said will being now hereunto annexed and marked by me bears date the eighteenth day of June One thousand eight hundred and seventy two.  John Kennedy._____ Sworn before me at Belfast in the County of Antrim by the said John Kennedy this fifth day of November 1872 a Commissioner of Her Majestys High Court of Chancery in Ireland for taking Affidavits in and for said County and I know Conly Dickey who certifies his knowledge of Deponent. John C Cramsie Comm[issione]r.____ I certify that I know the Deponent. Conly Dickey Sol[icito]r.____Conly Dickey.____

 

 

Administration of the Goods and so forth with the last Will and Testament and Codicil annexed of John Blair late of Ballycorr in the County of Antrim Farmer Deceased, were Granted by Her Majestys Court of Probate in Ireland in the District Registry at Belfast To James Blair of Ballycorr aforesaid Farmer a lawful child and one of the next of kin of said deceased and a legatee named in the said Will.  He being first sworn.  No Executor being appointed in said Will.____

________________________________ Dated the 15 November 1872

                                                                          J.W.Higginson  D.R. (?)

(xxxxxed)? by Conly Dickey

Solicitor__Belfast.__