James Gale deceased.

In the name of God Amen, I James Gale of the Great River of Codroy near Cape Ray in the Island of Newfoundland Planter being of perfect mind and memory but calling to remembrance the uncertainty of human life and knowing that it is appointed unto all men once to die being desirous to arrange my estate so that after my decease my property may be disposed of as I have determined do make this my last will and testament,

first it is my will that my body be decently interred with the prayers of the Church of England trusting to the goodness of God to receive my soul to His mercy the expenses of my funeral to be paid out of my estate.

Secondly that out of the monies that I have in the consolidated Three per cent annuities amounting at the present time to the best of my knowledge to the sum of sixteen hundred and eighty one pounds four shillings and four pence sterling I give and bequeath as follows, to my wife Ann the sum of five hundred pounds sterling, also my fishing room, cattle, farm, houses, barns, utensils and furniture, boats, nets and all other moveable effects that may be found belonging to me at the time of my death for her own use and benefit during her lifetime, After her death, all this before mentioned property including what money may be left unspent out of the five hundred pounds sterling to be equally divided amongst my children, namely my sons James, William and John, my daughters Elizabeth wife of Charles Sheave, Catherine wife of William Gillem, both of Port aux Basques, Mary wife of William Parsons Senr, Hannah wife of William Bason, both of Codroy, and Susan now living with me And I also give and bequeath to my three sons James, William and John, before named and to my five daughters Elizabeth, Catherine, Mary, Hannah and Susan, the remaining part of the amount in the three per cent Consols to be divided amongst them as follows, eleven shares to be made of the remaining amount, each of my sons James, William and John to have two of such shares each and my daughters Elizabeth, Catherine, Mary, Hannah and Susan to have one of such shares each.

Now should any of my before mentioned sons or daughters die before me it is my will that the bequests left to them with the conditions herein named should be given to their several husbands or wives for the use of them or their children, should they however be unmarried the bequest to be divided equally amongst my other children.

All my heirs to pay their proportion of the expenses attending the administering of my estate, and any debt due by me at the period of my decease should there be any according to the shares left by me to them of my money in the three per cent consols, namely my wife five shares, my sons two shares each and my daughters one share each.

And I also hereby constitute and appoint Charles DeLisle of Port aux Basques, Merchant, and John Galton of Port aux Basque, Schoolmaster and lay reader to be my executors of this my last will and testament and in consideration of their services I give and bequeath to them the sum of one hundred and sixty pounds sterling and it is also my will that should these my said executors be obliged to go to St. John’s or elsewhere to execute this my last will and testament all their expenses should be paid out of my estate,

And I do hereby utterly disallow revoke and disannul all and ever other former testaments wills legacies bequests and executors by me in any ways before named, willed and bequeathed ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty eighth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty seven at Port aux Basques Newfoundland.

James his X mark Gale (LS)

Signed sealed published pronounced and declared by the said James Gale as his last will and testament in the presence of us the subscribers,

Edward George, Alexr Waddell.

Certified correct,

D. M. Browning