|
|
|
 |
Rhoda ENGLISH Ladd, formerly of Wellsboro, dedicated a liefetime to the accumulation of genealogical materials which are available at the Tioga County Historical Society in Robinson house in Wellsboro, PA. Thanks to her efforts and accomplishments, today's researchers in Tioga County have available easily accessible research tools which she compiled. These include several volumes of newspaper clipping abstracts, lists of the cemetery burials in the county, Bible records, census data and much more. These volumes are available in many other libraries as well. At her retirement, she also donated the personal genealogy library that she and her husband, William Ladd ,had accumulated. She presently resides out of state, but I think of her every time I so conveniently walk to my shelves to take down the abundance of material she made available to us. When we research in other counties where such materials are not so easily available, we are reminded how fortunate we are to have had such a committed genealogist in our county. We can now build our research on the foundation she created. Thank you, Rhoda.
WILL DEFINED: The last will of a deceased person is a duly executed document, or other lawful expression of intention left by such a person at his death as a final disposition of his property after his death. Every person of full age and sound mind may by his last will in writing, signed by him or by a person in his presence and by express direction, and attested and subscribed in his presence by three or more competent witnesses, dispose of his property , real and personal; are exceptions as to estate tail, homestead law, dower and curtesy, and divorce or legal separation..
TESTATOR: a man [or woman] who leaves a will, or testament, in force at his death; testatrix
FULL AGE or MAJORITY: is attained on the day preceeding the twenty first anniversary of birth
TO ATTEST: to bear witness to, to authenticate by signing as a witness. Any person of sufficient understanding shall be deemed to be a competant witness to a will; exceptions, a subscribing witness as a beneficial devisee or legatee or the husband or wife of such a witness, or if there are three other subscribing witnesses not similarly benefitted.
CODICIL: an addition or a supplement to a will; must be executed with the same formalities as the will itself.
DEVISOR: one who wills real estate to another, the gift being a devise.
DEVISOR: one who takes real estate property under a will.
LEGACY: a gift of money by will; LEGATEE: one who receives a legacy
BEQUEST: a gift by will of personal property
CHILDREN OMITTED FROM A WILL: a parent is not deprived of the right to disinherit a child---if he attempts to so he shall indicate that such an act was intentional. A bequest of one dollar or a statement that he intentionally omits them, is the usual means of making evident such intention. This intention also proved by implication; to give a legacy to the children of his daughter but to omit her; to give to one child of deceased daughter and not to others; raises a presumption of intentional omission; to mention the child in the will but make no provision for the child is considered an intentional omission..
DOWER: That portion of, or interest in, the real estate of a deceased husband which the law gives for life to his widow, tenancy by dower.
TENANCY by CURTESY: a surviving husband is entitled to hold for life one third of all land owned by the deceased wife during coverture.
MINOR: over the age of fourteen years may choose his guardian
EXECUTORS: take title to personal property, but not to real estate which passes to the heirs or devisees; it is the duty of the executors to settle the estate paying the debts and the legacies, and for this purpose they may sell real estate under license of the court.
RENUNCIATION: act of repudiating or giving up of an administratorship or executorship.
RETURN: the certificate of an officer stating what he has done about executiron of a writ and filing said document properly indorsed in the clerk’s office
SETTLEMENT: a disposition of property for the benefit of some person or persons, usually through the medium of trustees.
