“Lastly, I nominate and appoint my said son, General George Washington executor of this, my Will, and as I owe few or no debts, I direct my executor to give no security or appraise my estate, but desire the same may be allotted to my devisees, with as little trouble and delay as may be desiring their acceptance thereof as all the token I now have to give them of my love for them.
“In witness thereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal the 20th day of May, 1788.
“Mary Washington.”
Will of Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster died October 24, 1852. His will is a lengthy document, and its chief features are here set out:
“In the name of Almighty God! I, Daniel Webster of Marshfield in the County of Plymouth and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Esquire, now being confined at my house with a serious illness which, considering my time of life, is undoubtedly critical, but being nevertheless in the full possession of all my mental faculties, do make and publish this my last will and testament.
“I commit my soul into the hands of my heavenly Father, trusting in his infinite goodness and mercy.
“I direct that my mortal remains be buried in the family vault at Marshfield, where monuments are already erected to my deceased children and their mother. Two places are marked for other monuments, of exactly the same size and form. One of these, in proper time, is to be for me, and perhaps I may leave an epitaph. The other is for Mrs. Webster. Her ancestors and all her deceased kindred lie in a far distant city. My hope is, that after many years, she may come to my side, and join me and others whom God hath given me. I wish to be buried without the least show or ostentation, but in a manner respectful to my neighbors, whose kindness has contributed so much to the happiness of me and mine, and for whose prosperity I offer sincere prayers to God.
“Concerning my worldly estate, my will must be anomalous and out of the common form, on account of the state of my affairs. I have two large real estates. By marriage settlement, Mrs. Webster is entitled to a life estate in each, and after her death they belong to my heirs. On the Franklin estate, so far as I know, there is no encumbrance except Mrs. Webster’s life-estate. On Marshfield, Mr. Samuel Frothingham has an unpaid balance of a mortgage, now amounting to twenty five hundred dollars. My great and leading wish is, to preserve Marshfield, if I can, in the blood and name of my own family. To this end, it must go in the first place to my son, Fletcher Webster, who is hereafter to be the immediate prop of my house, and the general representative of my name and character.”
Then follow certain suggestions with reference to trustees, by which they are given the right to dispose of the estate as exigencies may require. Mrs. Webster, by marriage settlement, was entitled to a life-estate in certain valuable real estate owned by the testator, and he indicated his desire that this life-estate should be purchased as being the best means to provide for her welfare. He then appointed his wife, Caroline LeRoy Webster, his son, Fletcher Webster, and R. M. Blatchford of New York, to be his executors. He then named James W. Paige, Franklin Haven of Boston, and Edward Curtis of New York, Trustees of all the real estate in the town of Marshfield, in the State of Massachusetts, and the town of Franklin in the State of New Hampshire, being his two principal estates, upon certain trusts: First, to pay to his wife, Caroline LeRoy Webster, the estimated value of her life interest: Secondly, to pay to said wife from the rents, profits and income of said two estates, the sum of five hundred dollars per annum during her natural life, and so much of the revenue not needed for the purposes aforesaid for the use of his son, Fletcher Webster, during his natural life; and after the decease of said son, to convey the same in fee to such of his male descendants as a majority of said Trustees might elect. He expressed the desire that his grandson, Ashburton Webster, take one, and his grandson, Daniel Webster, Jr., take the other of said estates.