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1832, William Kennedy writes to executor of his father’s will
Correspondence between William Kennedy and executor of will.
HBCA, A.36/8 fos. 97-100d.
William Smith Esquire
Dear Sir,
As I am the oldest of my deceased father’s family in Britain, I feel myself called upon to use my utmost exertions towards the obtaining an arrangement of his affairs, to the atainment [sic] of this object my friends are unanimous in recommending me to apply to you for advice. I have lately been examining his papers amongst which I found a copy of what appears to me to be his last Will, in which you are empowered to act as sole executor, it is of the date of September last. According to it, all his “possessions” are to be equally divided amongst his family, with the exception of six hundred pounds Sterling between his two Sisters. The original Will I understand was made at York Factory, and left in the hands of Mr James Sutherland of Red River. Should you wish it, I will send you a copy of the one left here.
Previous to my father’s leaving Orkney, he spoke of endeavouring to procure a situation for me as Clerk, wither in the Hon. Hudson’s Bay or in the African Company’s Service. Whether or not he had succeeded in his exertions for obtaining such for me I have not yet had an opportunity of knowing, but, if he had not, I have some idea of prosecuting the study of medicine the ensuing winter, did I know how to go about procuring the necessary funds.
Dear Sur, I hope you will excuse the freedom I have taken in thus troubling you, and in the mean time can only thank you for the many kind offices you have done our family
I am
Dear Sir
Your Most Obedient Servant
William Kennedy
Hudsons Bay House
London 17th July 1832
Dear Sir
I have to acknowledge your letter of 19th Inst. I regret to say that it is impossible for me to advise you as to the steps it will be necessary to take respecting your late fathers Property till I am in possession of his Will tho’ I am aware from what transpired in the conversation I had with him on the Monday preceeding [sic] his Demise that is was his wish that I should interest myself in the arrangement of his affairs. it will therefore be requisite that you should forward me the Will in your possession if signed by your Father keeping a Copy of the same, if not signed, a Copy will do, together with a list of the names & ages of his sons & Daughters likewise the age & Christian name of his Widow who I understand was at Red River[.] on receipt of the foregoing I may be able to judge how far it will be in my power to assist you to accomplish your wishes & to advise you thereon[.] in the mean time I am
Dear Sir
Your most obedient
WS
Saint Margarets Hope
28th July 1832
In consequence of my father’s not having signed his name to the Copy formerly mentioned, agreeably to your request I herewith send you a correct copy of the same. I am sorry to say that I am uncertain as to the age of my Mother, all my Sisters, and some of my Brothers, but, knowing the age of the oldest, namely John, I can form a tolerable guess at the rest – I shall then proceed to give you the ages of our family, beginning at the oldest. My Mother Aggathas I take to be about fifty. John was born 29th January 1805. Mary I suppose is between twenty five and twenty six. Alexander was born 2d February 1808. Elizabeth I dare say is twenty two. I was born 26th April 1814. George was born January 1816. Philip I think is between fourteen and fifteen. Isabella I suppose is eleven and Ro[derrick] was born 22d July 1822.
Might I ask if there is any possibility of making [pay]ment with Mr James Allan Merchant in this Island for Boarding &c&c. three sons and a grandson of my father. Mr Allan says he has got only Ł100 to account for two years[.] At his request I have mentioned it, as he is in want of a little money at present. I have to apologise my mistaking “possessions” for possessed in my last.
I am
Dear Sir
Your Most Obedient Humble Servant
William Kennedy
William Smith Esquire
Secretary to the Honourable H[udson’s] B[ay] Company
I Alexander Kennedy of the Parish of So. Ronaldshay County of Orkney but now at York Factory Hudson’s Bay, North America being of sound mind & memory do make and declare this to be my last Will & Testament (revoking all other wills hitherto by me made) in the manner following viz.
In the first place I order all my just debts to be paid and also the charges attending the executing this will to be fully paid & satisfied, and after payment of every part thereof I give & bequeath all the effects I may be possessed of at the time of my decease as follows vis.
To my dearly beloved Sisters, Mary & Isabella I leave the Sum of three Hundred Pounds Sterling each to be paid out of the monies that may be forthcoming to me from the Honourable Hudson’s Bay.
All the rest of the monies due to me or that may be forthcoming to me from the Honourable Hudson’s Bay Company, as well as what may be standing in my name in the Bank of England in the three p cent consolidated funds & in the three per Ct Reduced annuities I leave to my wife Aggathas and my children by her namely John Alexander Mary Elizabeth William George Phillip Roderick & Isabella the principal and interest thereof to be equally divided amongst them share & share alike & in the event of my wife Aggathas being now with child or having been delivered of one since I left her it is my Will & desire that the said child shall inherit an equal share with the rest of my children above named – and be it further understood that it is my will that in the event of any of the younger branches of my family above named dying before coming to the age of maturity. (evidently incomplete W.K.) And it is further my will and desire that my wifes share be retained by my Executor and paid into the hands of the Honourable Hudson’s Bay Company trusting that they will have the goodness to allow her to be paid the interest thereof only annually during her natural life and at her decease the principal thereof be given to my youngest surviving child above named or aluded [sic] to – in addition to the share allotted to him or her by these present?
I do hereby nominate and appoint William Smith Esq. Secretary to the Honourable Hudson’s Bay Company as or the existing Secretary to the time being to be Executor of this my last Will & Testament hereby empowering him to retain in his own hands as a remuneration for the trouble I have by these presents imposed on him a reasonable commission on all transactions that I have hereby intruded on him.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this fifteenth day of September in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty one
Signed Sealed published declared by the said Alexander Kennedy as his last Will & Testament in the presence of us who in the presence of the testator have hereunto set our hands & Seals subscribed our names --
Aggathas – Wife
28 John Surgeon
26 Mary Augst 12 1821
24 Alexander clerk
22 Elizabeth Oct 4 1820
19 William Augst 12 1821
17 George Augst 12 1821
15 Philip Oct 4 1820
11 Isabella Oct 4 1820
10 Roderick
