Mary Ridgely Brown Lee (1881-1922)
MSA SC 3520-2226
Official Hostess of Maryland, 1895-1896
 

Last Will and Testament and Codicil Thereto of Mary R. Brown Lee Who Died March 4, 1922:

I, Mary R. Brown Lee, of the City and State of New York, being of sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding, do make this my Last Will and Testament, in manner and form following, hereby revoking all wills and testaments at any time heretofore made by me and intending hereby to dispose of my whole estate, real, personal and mixed and to execute all powers of appointment which I may have under any wills or deeds, or in any manner whatsoever.

FIRST: I direct my executors to pay all my just debts and funeral expenses and to place over my grave in my lot at Greenmount Cemetery, Baltimore, Maryland, a stone similar to the one now placed over the grave of my brother, Frank Snowden Ridgely Brown; and I further direct my executors to pay out such amount to the Greenmount Cemetery Company as will be necessary to have the said lot put in perpetual care.

SECOND: I give and bequeath unto my dear husband, MERWYN KETCHAM LEE, the sum of One hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) absolutely, if he be living at my death.

THIRD: I give and bequeath to MARY KAISSANE, registered with Emigrant Industrial Savings Bank of New York City absolutely the sum of Five thousand dollars ($5,000) and my large diamond horseshoe pin.

FOURTH: I give unto the following persons absolutely, if they be living at my death the amounts opposite their respective names and if they be not then living, to their surviving wives respectively; but if any of said legatees should die and leave no surviving wife, then I give the amount so designated for the one so dying unto his children then living per stirpes. But if there be no such children or descendants then the amount so given shall revert to and become a part of the residue of my estate and be disposed of as hereinafter mentioned:

Unto my secretary, JOHN F. BERRY, the sum of Ten thousand dollars ($10,000),

Unto my carpenter, CHARLES F. BENTON, the sum of Ten thousand dollars ($10,000),

Unto my janitor, EUGENE B. SMITH, the sum of Five thousand dollars ($5,000),

Unto my elevator man, WILLIAM C. WATSON, the sum of One thousand dollars ($1,000).
 
 

SIXTH: I give unto my friend, MRS. BENJAMIN S. HARMON, of New York City, the sum of Two thousand dollars ($2,000) if she be living at my death. But if she be not then living then the amount so given shall revert to and become a part of the residue of my estate and be disposed of as hereinafter mentioned.

SEVENTH: I give unto my friend, WILLIAM RITCHIE, attorney at law in New York City, in appreciation of his many courtesies to me, the sum of One thousand dollars ($1,000).

EIGHTH: I give unto my friend, MRS. CLARENCE PECK, No. 23 Walton Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, the sum of Two thousand dollars ($2,000) and one of my emerald and diamond bracelets, if she be living at my death. But if she be not then living then the gift so given shall revert to and become a part of the residue of my estate and be disposed of as hereinafter mentioned.

NINTH: I give unto my friend, MRS. RANSOME GEORGE, No. 105 E. Fifty-third Street, New York City, the sum of One thousand dollars ($1,000) and the other of my emerald and diamond bracelets, if she be living at my death. But if she be not then living then the gift so given shall revert to and become a part of the residue of my estate and be disposed of as hereinafter mentioned.

TENTH: I give unto my friend, F. SHERWOOD MALE, University Club, New York City, the sum of One thousand dollars ($1,000) and all of my guns, if he be living at my death. But if he be not then living then the gift so given shall revert to and become a part of the residue of my estate and disposed of as hereinafter mentioned.

ELEVENTH: I give unto EMILY M. BERRY of Baltimore, Maryland, wife of John F. Berry, if she be living at my death, my sapphire and diamond bracelet.

TWELFTH: I give unto EVA MARIE BENTON, wife of Charles F. Benton, if she be living at my death, my large square diamond ring with single ruby in centre.

THIRTEENTH: I give unto THE MARYLAND SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS the sum of Five thousand dollars ($5,000) and my saddle horse, "King".

FOURTEENTH: I give unto the MARYLAND SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND the sum of One thousand dollars ($1,000).

FIFTEENTH: I give unto the TRUSTEES OF THE SYKESVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Sykesville, Carroll County, Maryland, the sum of One thousand dollars ($1,000) in trust to invest the same and apply the income arising therefrom to the repair of the said church property and the graveyard attached thereto.

SIXTEENTH: I direct that all the foregoing legacies shall be paid in full without deduction for collateral inheritance tax or any Federal or State taxes on estates or inheritances and I direct that any such taxes shall be paid out of my estate.

SEVENTEENTH: I give, devise and bequeath all the rest and residue of my property and estate, real, personal and mixed and wheresoever situated and including any legacies that may fall in by reason of lapsing, to my dear husband, absolutely, if he be living at my death. But if he be not then living, I give the same unto the HOUSE OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD located in Baltimore City in the State of Maryland.

EIGHTEENTH: The provisions in this Will for my said husband are in lieu of his legal interest in my estate and the said provisions are to take effect only in the event of his surviving me and are void if he should die before me, or if we should die at or about the same time as the result of an accident.

NINETEENTH: I appoint my said husband, MERWYN KETCHAM LEE and LOUIS J. BURGER as Executors of my Last Will and Testament and I empower them as such executors and without application to any Court to sell and dispose of all my estate, real, personal and mixed for the purpose of making distribution thereof in accordance with this my Last Will and to execute to the purchasers good sand sufficient deeds for all property so sold by said Executors without obligation on the part of the grantees to see to the application of the purchase money. In the event of the death of either of my said executors, I appoint JOHN FRANCIS BERRY as co-executor with the same powers.

In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal on this 18th day of May, in the year of 1921.

Mary R. Brown Lee. (Seal)