Archives of Maryland
(Biographical Series)

Mary Ridgely Preston Brown (1857-1895)
MSA SC 3520-2282
First Lady of Maryland, 1892-1895
 

Last Will and Testament of Mary R. Ridgely:


I, Mary R. Ridgely of Baltimore City in the State of Maryland do make, publish, and declare this to be my last will and testament hereby revoking all former wills made by me.

First: I direct my Executor to pay all my just debts if I have any at the time of my death.

Second: I give and devise my lot of ground and premises known as No. 7 Upton Street to my coachman Wilson Wiggnis; absolutely.

Third: I give and bequeath to Mrs. Lind (widow) and to her three daughters Nellie Lind, Nannie Lind, and Mary Lind, each the sum of One hundred dollars.

Fourth: I give and bequeath the sum of Two hundred and fifty dolllars to "The Beneficial Association of the Teachers of the Public Schools of Baltimore City".

Fifth: I give and bequeath the sum of Two thousand dollars to each of the three daughters of my nephew William K.H.N. Gould, namely Mamie Gould, Helen Gould and Carrie Gould.

Sixth: I give and bequeath the sum of Two hundred and fifty dollars to the News Boys Association of Baltimore with which I have been connected for several years.

Seventh: I give and bequeath the sum of Two hundred dollars to the Home for Incurables of Baltimore City.

Eighth: I give and bequeath my entire wardrobe to my friend Julia P. Marriott.

Ninth: I give and bequeath all my jewelry to my daughter Mary Ridgely Brown.

Tenth: I give and bequeath to Lina Augusta Walker niece of my husband David Ridgely the sum of Five thousand dollars, to be paid to her when she attains thirty years; I direct that the interest upon said sum of money be paid to her annually from the date of my death until she reaches thirty years when the principal is to be paid to her. In case she should die before attaining thirty years of age then I give and bequeath the said sum of Five thousand dollars equally to be divided between all the children of my said nephew William K.H.N. Gould living at the death of the said Lina Augusta Walker, Share and Share alike, the child or children of any deceased child of said William to take the share to which its parent would have been entitled if living at the death of said Lina as aforesaid.

Eleventh: I give and devise all the rest and residue of my property and Estate to "The Safe Deposit and Trust Company of Baltimore". In Trust for the use and benefit of my two grandchildren, Mary Ridgely Brown and Frank Snowden Ridgely Brown as tenants in Common, with power to my said Trustee to receive and collect the income of said property and to re-invest the same in safe securities as it may deem proper, and so that the said income may be added to the principal of my estate from year to year until my said grandchildren shall severally become of legal age; and as and when each of them shall become of legal age , authorize and direct my said Trustee to convey and deliver to her and him respectively each one-half (1/2) of the said estate, and I authorize my said Trustee to execute all deeds and other instruments of writing that may be necessary to make such division but in case either of my said grandchildren should die under legal age, then I give and devise the share of of the one ??? to my surviving grandchild and in case of the death of both of them then I give all said property and estate to all the children of my said nephew William K.H.N. Gould living at the death of said surviving grandchild as aforesaid, equally to be divided between them, Share and Share alike the chlid or childred of any deceased child of said William to take the share to which its parent would have been entitled if living at the death of said surviving grandchild as aforesaid.

Twelfth: In case the said Lina Augusta Walker should die before reaching thirty years of age leaving children then I direct that her children shall have the said sum of To thousand dollars and in that event the remainder over to the children of my said nephew Willian mentioned in the tenth clause shall not take effect, but if she should die without leaving children living at her death than the children of my said nephew shall take said sum as aforesaid.

Thirteenth: I hereby appoint "The Safe Deposit and Trust Company of Baltimore" to be the Executor of this my last will and testament,

Fourteenth: On Testimony whereof I hereby set my hand and seal on this Eleventh day of June in the year Eighteen hundred and ninety (11th June 1890)

Codicil

I, Mary R. Ridgely of Baltimore City, being of sound mind and understanding, do make, publish, and declare this Codicil to my last will and testament, dated the Eleventh day of June Eighteen Hundred and ninety.

(1) Whereas by the Fifth clause of my said will, I gave the sum of Two thousand dollars to each of the three daughters of my nephew William K.H.N. Gould, namely Mamie Gould, Helen Gould, and Carrie Gould, and since the execution of my said will another daughter has been born, named Annie Gould, and as I desire to give her the same amount as was given to each of her sisters, Now therefore I do hereby give and bequeath the sum of Two thousand dollars to said Annie Gould, daughter of my said nephew.

(2) I own five houses in fee simple, situate on North Gilmor Street, near Baker Street in Baltimore City, which were conveyed to me by Susan P. Belt and others, by deed dated December 18th1883, and recoreded in Liber J.B.N. 990 Folio 4819, and which said houses are now respectively numbered 1539, 1541, 1543, 1545, 1547, and I desire to give four of said houses and lots to the above named daughters of my nephew Willian K.H.N. Gould, in addition to the above mentioned requests to them; Now therefor I do hereby give and devise to Mamie Gould, the house and lot number 1541, on said street, and to Helen Gould, the house and lot number 1543 on said street, and to Carrie Gould, the house and lot number 1545 on the said street, and to Annie Gould, the house and lot number 1547, on the said street, the said devises to be to them absolutely. And in addition to the bequests of Two thousand dollars to each of them.

(3) I give and devise the other house and lot on North Gilmor Street number 1539, to my friend Blanche E. Baiker, as an expression of my appreciation of the services and personal devotion.

(4) I give and bequeath thesum of Four thousand dollars, to my niece, Mrs. Lucy Stella, the daughter of my brother, John W. Glanville; and I also give and bequeath the sum of Three thousand dollars to each of her three sons, namely, James Stella, John Stella, and Benjamin Stella.

(5) I hereby revoke and cancel the Tenth clause of my said will by which I give to Lina Augusta Walker, the sum of Five thousand dollars, in the manner therein mentioned, and in lieu thereof, I do give and bequeath to her the sum of Five hundred dollars absolutely.

I also hereby revoke and cancel the Twelfth Clause of my said will, which refers to the bequest of Five thousand dollars to Lina Augusta Walker, which I have revoked.

(6) I have not given any part of my estate to my husband, or my daughter, because each of them has a large private estate, and neither of them will need any portion of my property, for their use.

(7) I hereby ratify and confirm my will, in all other respects, except as altered by this Codicil.

In Witness Whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal, on this first day of March, in the year Eighteen hundred and ninety three.

Second Codicil

I, Mary R. Ridgely, wife of David Ridgely of Baltimore City in the State of Maryland, being of sound and disposing mind do make publish and declare this as and for a Second Codicil to my will, dated June the 11th 1890.

Since the execution of my said will and the first codicil thereto some of the persons to whom I have given legacies, have died, and I now desire to make theis Second Codicil for the purpose of making some changes in my legacies.

In the third clause of my will I give to Mrs. Lind and her daughters each the sum of One hundred dollars and since the execution of my said will Mrs. Lind has died, and I therefore now revoke and cancel the said legacy of One hundred dollars to her and declare that the same shall become a part of the residue of my estate.

By the ninth clause of my will I gave all my jewelry to my daughter Mary Ridgely Brown; since the execution of my will she has died, and I therefore revoke and cancel the said bequest to her and I give and bequeath all my jewelry to my granddaughter, Mary R. Brown.

In the fourth clause of my first codicil, I gave and bequeathed to my niece, Mrs. Lucy Stella, the daughter of my brother, John W. Glanville, the sum of Four thousand dollars and the sum of Three thousand dolalrs to her sons James Stella, John Stella, and Benjamin Stella, and since the execution of said Codicil, Benjamin Stella has died- I therefore revoke and cancel the said legacy of Three thousand dollars to him, and declare that the said sum shall become a part of the residue of my estate.

I hereby revoke and cancel the above mentioned legacy of Four thousand dollars to Mrs. Lucy Stella, and in lieu thereof I give her the sum of One thousand dollars; And I also give to my nephew William K.H.N. Gould One thousand dollars, And to my niece Fannie Golt daughter of John W. Glanville, One thousand dollars, and to Harriet Golt, daughter of Fannie Golt, One thousand dollars.

I give and bequeath the sum of One hundred dollars to my faithful servant John Kelly.

I have been very sick, but have now recovered so as to be able- transact business, and have prepared this Codicil with full knowledge of its meaning, and have explained to my Executor why I have executed the same, making the changes.

I hereby revoke the appointment of "The Safe Deposit and Trust Company of Baltimore" as the Executor of my will, and appoint John T. Morris, in place of said Company as my Executor, and I revoke the appointment of the "Safe Deposit and Trust Company of Baltimore" as Trustee of my grandchildren's shares to my estate and appoint their father, Frank Brown as the Trustee of their shares of my estate, with all powers contained in the currently? clauses of my will.

In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my seal on this Tenth day of July 1895.



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