In re
EDWARD CUMMINS deceased
This is the last will of me Edward Cummins of St. John’s Newfoundland Gentleman and I revoke all former wills by me made. I appoint James F. Parker of St. John’s aforesaid Manufacturer and Reverend Daniel O’Callaghan of same place Roman Catholic priest executors and trustees (hereinafter called “my trustees”) of this my will. I bequeath as follows, namely,
First to my sister Mary if living at my decease thirty thousand dollars; but if she be not living to my trustees upon trust as follows
(a) If at my decease there be surviving lawful issue (child or children) of my said sister and such child or children shall within two years from my death establish his hers or their claim as being such issue my trustees or the survivor of them shall in their absolute discretion apportion and distribute the said bequest among such child or children so establishing his her or their claim as aforesaid
(b) Of no such child establish said claim within the time aforesaid the said sum of $30,000.xx/ shall fall into the residue of my estate hereinafter referred to-
Second To the Superior for the time being of Christian Brothers resident at Mount St. Francis St. John’s Nfld. in trust for the use of the monastery of Mount St. Francis my land situate on Allandale Road and adjoining the land on which said Monastery is built.
Third To the Convent of Mercy Littledale for the New Wing now (date of will) about to be erected there Five thousand dollars
Fourth To St. Vincent de Paul Society (Women’s) Five hundred dollars
Fifth To St. Vincent de Paul Society (Men’s) Five hundred dollars
Sixth To Belvidere Orphanage Five hundred dollars
Seventh To Mount Cashel Orphanage One thousand dollars
Eighth To Revd James McGrath for R.C. Church Bell Island the sum of five hundred dollars
Ninth To the home for incurables Five hundred dollars
Tenth To the Association for the prevention of Consumption Five hundred dollars
Eleventh To the Convalescent Home One thousand dollars
Twelfth To Sister Clare of the Presentation Convent for the erection of a Working Girls Home as she has outlined Five hundred dollars
Thirteenth To the Superior for the time being of the Christian Brothers for the purpose of the Night School which is now carried on in winter by them Two hundred & fifty dollars
Fourteenth To the Building Fund for the repair of St. Patrick’s Church Patrick Street St. John’s two thousand dollars
Fifteenth To the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of St. John’s One thousand dollars with the request to have offered up for the repose of my soul and the souls of my deceased parents Thomas and Ann Crosbie Cummins annually for ten years two high Masses
Sixteenth To said Corporation Five hundred dollars in order to pay annually while necessary to the Belvidere Cemetery Committee and Mount Carmel Cemetery Committee ten dollars each for the upkeep of said Cemeteries
Seventeenth To Revd Daniel O’Callaghan of St. John’s for his own personal use one thousand dollars
Eighteenth To Revd Edward J. Curran Pouch Cove my gold watch and chain and also for his personal use Five hundred dollars with a request that he shall offer up for the repose of my soul and the souls of my said deceased parents & deceased brother and sister (if dead) so many Masses as may be convenient for him to offer, or as he may deem well
Nineteenth To Miss Mary Baird, daughter of late David Baird, one thousand dollars
Twentieth To Mrs. George H. Emerson one thousand dollars my nineteen (19) shares in the St. John’s Gas and Light Company and my four cut glass water bottles.
Twenty first To Mrs. Agnes Mitchel two thousand dollars and if she predecease me said bequest to go to her sister Elizabeth Roche
Twenty second To said Elizabeth Roche one thousand dollars.
Twenty third to said Agnes Mitchel and Elizabeth Roche and the survivor of them one hundred dollars to pay over in such sums annually as they or either of them see well unto Mary Canning niece of late Margaret Blake
Twenty fourth To Samuel L. Ryall for kindness shown me five hundred dollars
Twenty fifth To said Samuel L. Ryall five hundred dollars in trust for his daughter Christabel
Twenty sixth To Mrs Samuel L. Ryall (present wife and mother of Christabel) five hundred dollars
Twenty seventh To John Hatch of Red Head Cove Conception Bay if he survives me or to his wife if he predeceases her and she survives me one hundred dollars
Twenty eight To my trustees Five hundred dollars each
Twenty ninth To St. Bonaventures College St. John’s Nfld the residue of my estate on the understanding that from the time of the payment over of the said residue to the Reverend Brother Superior for the time being of the said College there shall be established and shall be thereafter continuous one or two (as my executors and trustees and the said Reverend Brother Superior shall agree upon) free place or places to be known as the “Cummins Burse” in the said College for the education and maintenance of candidates for the Roman Catholic Priesthood of Newfoundland. The candidates from time to time for one of the said free places to be selected by the Archbishop of St. John’s and the candidates from time to time for the other free place (if such be established) to be selected alternately by the Bishop of Harbor Grace and the Bishop of St. Georges for their respective Dioceses And it is my wish that the yearly costs of the said Burse to the said College (calculated on the basis of what is charged to paying students) shall not exceed three per cent of the amount of the said residue paid as aforesaid-
Thirtieth I wish my trustees (besides providing for payment of my debts testamentary funeral and other expenses incidental to the distribution of my estate) to purchase a burying plot at Belvidere (where I shall be buried if I die in Newfoundland) and to have erected in said Plot a substantial Celtic Cross to my memory and also to have said plot enclosed with a suitable and lasting iron railing not to exceed two thousand dollars
In witness whereof I have set my hand to this my will at Holyrood Conception Bay this 18th day of July 1910 the words ‘five hundred dollars’ on 7th line (bequest twelfth) and the words “two hundred & fifty dollars” on 10th line (bequest thirteenth) being first interlined on second page of this my will. E. Cummins. Signed by the testator Edward Cummins as and for his last will in the presence of us who in his presence and in the presence of each other have signed our names as witnesses Jas. J. McGrath James Carroll
I Edward Cummins of St. John’s Newfoundland Gentleman hereby declare this to be a codicil to my will which bears date the 18th day of July 1910
(1)Whereas the word “my” is omitted between the words “of” and “soul” on the 14th line of second page in the 10th clause of my said will I now declare that the said clause be read as if the word “my” was included and the Masses therein referred to be offered for my soul and the souls of my parents
(2) I revoke the 18th clause of my said will as the Revd E.F. Curran is now dead, and I bequeath five hundred dollars for Masses for the repose of the souls of Father Curran and his parents and I desire my trustees to have them offered as soon as possible after my death
(3) Whereas I have purchased other shares of the St. John’s Gas Light Company besides the nineteen shares mentioned in the 20th clause of my said will I now declare that all other shares I die possessed of I also bequeath to Mrs. George H. Emerson. I also bequeath to her
(a) My gold watch and chain together with the case
(b) my collection of postage stamps
(c) a Bank of England five pound note to be found among my effects and
(d) the small parcel which lately I carried in my vest pocket but which I now gave James J. McGrath to place in his safe
(4) Whereas in the twenty fifth clause of my said will page 3 line 10 the amount of the bequest to Christabel Ryall namely $500.xx/ was omitted I now declare that five hundred dollars is the sum bequeath by me to Samuel L. Ryall in trust for his daughter Christabel.
(5) I bequeath to Mrs. John (Matilda) Sharpe one thousand dollars
(6) I bequeath to Elsie Sharpe the adopted daughter of said Mrs. Sharpe one thousand dollars
In witness whereof I have set my hand to this codicil to my will and this 15th day of July 1914 the words “codicil to” being interlined on this page. E. Cummins. Signed by the testator Edward Cummins as and for a codicil to his will dated July 18, 1910 in presence of us who in his presence and in the presence of each other have signed our names as witnesses, Jas. J. McGrath Edgarton Macnab.
(Listed in the margin next to this will the following)
Fiat
Aug 11/14
Johnson J.
Probate
Aug 25/14
granted to
Jas F. Parker
&Rev. Daniel
O’Callaghan
Estate sworn
at $73,861.18