Last Will and Testament
of
Melissa A. Means
I, Melissa A. Means, of Moral Township in Shelby County, Indiana, do make, , declare and publish the following as my last will:
Item 1. I will and direct that all of my just debts, funeral expenses and expenses of administration of my estate be first paid.
Item 1-1/2. I will and bequeath to my daughter Almira Stipes one feather bed, one willow rocking chair, one clock, one set small silver spoons, one lamp and one rug.
Item 2. I will and bequeath to my son Gilford Means, one feather bed, one stand table, one lard press, one sausage grinder, one set large silver spooons, three split bottom chairs and the sum of Eighty-one dollars in money to be paid to him by my executor.
Item 3. I will and bequeath to my son Ollie L. Means, one feather bed, one big iron kettle, one brass kettle, one set of silver knives and forks, one set of larege silver spoons, my gold watch and chain, cupboard and bureau and the sum of Eighty-one dollars in money to be paid out of my estate.
Item 4. I will and bequeath to my daughter Laura B. Jordan, one sewing machinge, one set of silver knives and forks, one set of small silver spoons, one mirror, one hickery rocking chair, one cane rocking chair, three split bottom chairs and the sum of Fifty-eight dollars in money to be paid to her by my executor hereinafter named.
Item 5. I will and bequeath all of the residue of my personal estate to my four children Ollie L. Means, Gilford Means, Laura B. Jordan and Almira Stipes, in equal proportions and share and share alike.
I have not made any provision herein for my son Charles A. Coffey for the reason that I do not know whether he is living or dead and because I do not desire that he shall take any part of my estate if he is living.
Item 6. I nominate and appoint my son Ollie L. Means as Executor of this my last will and testament.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 4 day of May 1909
Melissa A.
{X her mark}
Means {seal}
Signed, sealed and acknowledged by the said Melissa A. Means as her last will, in our presence, and signed by us as attesting witnesses thereto at her request in her presence, and in the presence of each other, this 4 day of may 1909.
George H. P. Fritts
W. H. Russell
State of Indiana, Shelby County, SS:
Be it remembered that on the 29th day of November A.D. 1919 the 48th judicial day of the October Term of the Shelby Circuit Court in said year, come into open Court Ollie L. Means, and produces in Court an instrument in writing purporting to be the last will and Testament of Melissa A. Means deceased, and now moves the admittance thereof to probate and record, and in proof of said will introduces George H. P. Fritts one of the subscribing witnesses thereto, who being duly sworn by the Clerk of said Court, on oath, declare and testify as follows, that is to say: That on the 4th day of May 1909 he saw the said Melissa A. Means, sign her name to said instrument in writing as and for her last Will and Testament and that this deponent, at the same time, heard the said Melissa A. Means declare the said instrument in writing to be her last Will and Testament, and that the said instrument in writing was, at the same time, at the request of the said Melissa A. Means and with consent attested and subscribed by the said George H.P. Fritts and W. H. Russell in the presence of said testator, and in the presence of each other, as subscribing witnesses thereto, and that the said Melissa A. means was, at the time of the signing and subscribing of said instrument in writing, as aforesaid, of full age (that is, more than twenty one years of age) and of sound and disposing mind and memory and not under any coercion or restraint, as the said deponent verily believes and further deponent says not.
George H. P. Fritts
Sworn to and subscribed by the said George H. P. Fritts before me Gorden Thurston Clerk of said Court, at Shelbyville, Indiana the 29th day of November 1919.
Gordon Thurston, Clerk
Whereupon it is ordered, adjudged and decreed by the Court that said instrument in writing purporting to be the last will of Melissa A. Means deceased is the last will and Testament of Melissa A. Means deceased, and is hereby admitted to probate and record in this Court
Gordon Thurston, Clerk
State of Indiana, Shelby County, SS:
I, Gordon Thurston, Clerk of the Circuit Court of shelby County, Indiana, do herby certify that the within ammexed Will and testament of Melissa A. Means, has been duly admitted to probate, and duly proved by the testimony of George H. P. Fritts, one of the subscribing witnesses thereto, that a complete record of said Will, and of the testimony of the said George H. P. Fritts in proof thereof, has been by me duly made and recorded in Book 7 at Pages 445 and 446 of the record of Wills of said County.
In Attestation Whereof, I have hereunto subscribed myname, and affixedcd the seal of said Court, at Shelbyville, Indiana, this 29th day of November 1919.
Gordon Thurston, Clerk Circuit Court of Shelby County.
Transcribed by Jann Rapp DeMeire
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