Conception Bay North Region ~ Harbour Grace District

First, I will and bequeath unto my dearly beloved wife Jane during her natural life, all my property consisting of lands, tenements, heriditaments, monies, goods, chattels, credits and effects of whatsoever nature or kind, whether in Newfoundland or elsewhere, the rents, issues, interests and profits thereof to be applied wholly to the use and to be at the disposal of my said wife during her natural life to provide herself with a decent maintenance, and out of my personal Estate to assist my two youngest sons Tobias and Frederick with a sum of money not exceeding four hundred pounds sterling for the purchase of any vessel which she may hereafter see good reason to make such purchase, or to purchase such vessel in her own name which my said sons Tobias and Frederick are to hold as their own after her, their mother’s death, without being accountable to anyone for the said some of money hereafter.

The following are exceptions to the above bequest vozt. I will and bequeath to my dear daughter Mary Pike of Edward Pike of Carbonear, Newfoundland, Planter for her sole property from that of her said husband and to her heirs, executors, administrators, the sum of one hundred pounds sterling to be secured to her and her heirs, ? according to the true intent and meaning of this my bequest by my hereafter named Executrix and Executors, the said sum of one hundred pounds sterling to be advanced out of my personal property in six months after my death, and secured for the use of my said daughter Mary and her heirs accordingly.

I then will and bequeath unto my dear sons Moses, William and Francis, my schooner called Jane and Mary, with all materials thereunto belonging. I also will and bequeath unto my dear sons Robert, Thomas and Ambrose, my schooner called Thomas and Hugh, together with all materials belonging to the said Schooner – the foregoing are the exceptions to my first bequest to my dear wife.

It is my further will and bequest that after my said wife’s death, that my two fishing rooms and plantations situate on the south side of Harbor Grace shall then become the property of my dear sons hereafter named, and divided amongst them according to the tenor of this my last will and testament, and their hers. The disposal of my Western Room and Plantation, to my eldest son Moses, the dwelling house, kitchen, garden and store now in his possession, I will that the same shall become the property of my said son Moses, together with sixteen yards breadth of land on the west of my said son Moses’ said garden, to run sixteen yards in breadth west and as far north as the public road, and the boundary to run back to the woods south reckoning, the boundary line on the west sixteen yards west of his (Moses’s said kitchen garden fence and the fence on the east side of the said Moses’s kitchen garden to run parallel south back to the woods and bounded on the north by the present fence of my said son Moses his kitchen garden north of his dwelling house.

In like manner, after my said wife’s death, it is my will and bequest unto my second son Robert, the breadth of twenty-two yards of the land of my said Western Plantation, next? East from the western boundary fence to extend north to the public road and as far south as the land now in possession of my said second son Robert.

In like manner, after my said wife’s death, it is my will and bequest that the residue of my said Western Plantation situate as aforesaid as far north of the public road with my present dwelling house and all other buildings and erections thereon, gardens, meadow, land by me heretofore unbequeathed, that the same do become the property of my two youngest sons voz: Tobias and Frederick, and their heirs forever.

In like manner, after my said wife’s death, that the waterside premises of my said Western Plantation and Room bounded on the south by the Public Road, it is my will and bequest that the same shall become the property of my said sons Moses, Robert, Tobias and Frederick, and their respective heirs forever.

My Eastern Room and Plantation with all rights and appurtenances thereunto belonging and now in the possession of my two dear sons voz: William and Thomas, I will and bequeath that the same shall after my said wife’s death become the property of my said sons William and Thomas, and their heirs forever, but in case either of both of my said sons William and Thomas should die without having lawful issue, that is if my said son William should die without lawful issue, his part of the said my Eastern Room and Plantation, shall become the property of the two eldest sons of my son Moses, and in case my said son Thomas dying without lawful issue, his part of my said Eastern Plantation shall then become the property of the two eldest sons of my son Robert.

And further that from and after my said wife’s death, it is my will and bequest that the premises with all appurtenances thereunto belonging which I purchased from James Pitts and situate on the north side of Harbor Grace aforesaid shall then become the property of my two sons Francis and Ambrose, reserving to their six brothers the right of mooring their vessels at the wharf thereof, and landing on the said wharf and in the stores thereof, their supplies for their business and families’ use with the tackle and apparel of their vessels, and I do solemnly enjoin on my said sons Francis and Ambrose to accommodate and shew kindness in their power unto their said six brothers vozt: Moses, Robert, William, Thomas, Tobias and Frederick, and in like manner, I do enjoin on my last mentioned six sons to shew all brotherly kindness to their said brothers Francis and Ambrose.

In case of either of my sons Tobias or Frederick dying without lawful issue, the survivor of them to have and possess forever the said landed property so bequeathed by me to him who shall first die, and in case of both of my sons Tobias and Frederick should die without having lawful issue, the said Property in land I have so bequeathed them by my will and bequest shall become the property of the two eldest sons of each of my sons Moses and Robert, and their heirs forever.

In case either of my two sons Francis and Ambrose should die without having lawful issue, it is my will and bequest that the survivor of them shall be entitled to possess the property I have so bequeathed the deceased, after their said mother, my wife’s death, and should both my said sons Francis and Ambrose die without leaving lawful issue, then the said premises and appurtenances thereunto belonging so purchased by me from the said James Pitts and so bequeathed by me to the said Francis and Ambrose, my sons, shall then become the property of my surviving sons at my said sons’ death without issue as aforesaid, that is Francis and Ambrose.

My Western Plantation situate on the south side of Harbor Grace, is bounded on the East by my brother William Parsons’ Room and Plantation, on the West by Mansel Alcock’s and my son Robert’s land, on the north by the sea, and on the south by the woods.

My Eastern Plantation situate as aforesaid is bounded on the East by Thomas Fitzgerald’s land, on the West by my brother William Parson’s land, and on the north by the sea and on the south by the woods.

My Room and Premises situate on the north side of Harbor Grace is bounded on the East by James Hippisley’s shop and premises, on the West by Punton and Munn’s premises, on the North by the Main Street, and on the South by the sea.

What monies and other personal effects of what kind soever that may be remaining after my said wife’s death not heretofore by me bequeathed, it is my will and bequest that such property aforesaid of monies or effects shall be then equally divided between my said eight sons and my daughter Mary Pike, and their respective heirs equally.

And I do hereby make, ordain and appoint, my said wife Jane, Executrix with my two eldest sons Moses and Robert, also Thomas Danson, Esquire, Executors to this, my last Will and Testament.

In witness whereof, I the said Robert Parsons Senior, have to this my last Will and Testament, set my hand and seal at Harbor Grace, aforesaid this ? day of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-four (1834).

Robert Parsons Senior (seal)

Signed, sealed, published and declared by the above named Robert Parsons Senior as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us, who have hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses, thereto in the presence of the said Testator and in the presence of each other.

John Smith
Wm. Chas. St. John
Thos. Stevenson

I hereby certify that the foregoing pages 164, 165, 166, 167 and 168 contain a true and correct copy of the Original will of Robert Parsons Senior, and that the execution of the same by the Testator was proved before me by the Oath of William Charles Saint John, one of the subscribing Witnesses thereto (as having been executed on the eighteenth day of August, 1834) on the twenty-second day of June, in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty-five, and the same is hereby actually registered by me this day.

Given under my hand at the Registrar of Deed’s office, Harbor Grace, this fifth day of August, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-five (1835).

John Stark, Registrar

Note: paragraphs and punctuation have been added by transcriber to add to ease of reading this document.