Horace Greeley died at Pleasantville, New York, November 29, 1872. His will is as follows:
“I, Horace Greeley, being nearly sixty years old and in medium health but admonished by recent illness of the uncertainty of life, do make and publish this my last will and testament superseding and revoking all of earlier date which may be found or exist.
“Item: I will and bequeath to my daughter, Ida Lillian Greeley, requesting her to share the proceeds therefrom with her sister Gabrielle Miriam Greeley all my books, copyrights and sums which may be due and owing me from publishers, at the time of my decease naming especially my ‘American Conflict,’ ‘Recollections of a Busy Life,’ ‘Political Economy,’ and ‘What I Know of Farming,’ as works wherefrom some income may accrue from copyrights after my decease.
“Item: I will and bequeath to my two daughters aforesaid all the real estate whereof I may die possessed or be entitled to, except the farm on which my brother Nathan Barnes Greeley lives, in Wayne Township, Erie County, Pennsylvania, directing that my daughter Ida Lillian aforesaid be and hereby is authorized and empowered during the minority of her sister Gabrielle Miriam to manage, let, improve, lease or sell the whole or any portion of the same as she shall judge expedient and advantageous to herself and her sister aforesaid, the same to be subject to the right of dower inhering in my wife Mary Young Greeley unless and until she shall see fit to release the same to my two daughters aforesaid.
“Item: I bequeath to my brother Nathan Barnes Greeley aforesaid and his wife Ruhanna the full and uninterrupted use for life of either of them of my farm lying in the Township of Wayne, Erie County, Pennsylvania, aforesaid. And I further bequeath to whichever of his sons the said Nathan Barnes Greeley may designate the reversion or remainder of one-half of said farm, it being my understanding and purpose that said son shall live with and take care of said Nathan Barnes and Ruhanna Greeley to the end of their several lives.
“Item: I direct that if any share or shares in the Tribune Association shall remain to me at my decease one of them shall be sold under the rules of said association to the highest bidder and the proceeds without deduction or abatement be paid over as my bequest to the Childrens Aid Society, whereof New York City is the focus of operations, to be invested or disbursed as its proper authorities shall direct. If more than one share of stock in the Tribune Association shall remain to me at my death and if my wife, Mary Young Greeley, shall survive me, I bequeath to her one-half of such remaining shares of stock in lieu of all other dower, except those reserved to her as aforesaid, and I hereby renounce and disclaim in favor of my said wife all claim on my part or on that of my heirs to the real estate once mine but now wholly hers near the Village of Chappaqua in the Township of New Castle, Westchester County, New York, as also to the two shares of Tribune stock now standing in her name and which were never mine but wholly purchased by her money, and I further renounce and disclaim in her favor all right to the stock and funds of the Northern Pacific Rail Road which I have paid for with her money and which now stands in her name on the books of the Company and I give and bequeath unto my said wife all the animals, implements, machinery, crops, products and materials which may at the time of my death exist upon or pertain to her farm and buildings in New Castle township aforesaid:
“Item: I direct that whatever stock in the Tribune Association may remain to me at the time of my death after fulfilling and satisfying the foregoing bequests be sold in accordance with the rules of said association and that from the proceeds thereof and from the proceeds of such portions of the debts due or owing to me from all persons whatever as may at anytime be collected, there be paid the following bequests in their order namely:
“1. Two thousand dollars to my sister Margaret Greeley Bush, in case she survive me, and in case she should not but her daughter Evangeline Bush shall survive me then the said sum of two thousand dollars shall be paid to her my said sister’s daughter Evangeline Bush.
“2. One thousand dollars each to my sister Arminda, wife of Lovewell Greeley and Esther, wife of John F. Cleveland or to their surviving children respectively in case they or either of them shall die before I do.
“3. I give or bequeath all the residue or remainder of my property of whatever name or nature to my daughters Ida Lillian and Gabrielle Miriam Greeley and to the survivor in case but one of them shall survive me.