Last Will & Testament: George Hoffman (1828-1907), gg-grandfather

[with approximate values in today’s dollars & comment]

Signed, sealed, published, & declared October 11, 1906; witnesses were Robert M. Gibson & David Scott

Date of Death: September 18, 1907

Application for Probate October 7, 1907; Executor was son Louis Hoffman before Robert E. Stone, Register of Wills, Allegheny County, PA

In the Name of God, Amen.

I, George Hoffman of West Deer Township, County of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, being of sound mind and memory, do hereby make, publish, and declare this to be my Last Will and Testament, in manner and form following: Hereby revoking any will or wills heretofore made by me.

FIRST: I direct all my just debts and funeral expenses be fully paid and satisfied, as soon as conveniently may be, after my decease.

SECOND: I will and bequeath to my daughter Mary Hoffman the sum of Fourteen-hundred ($1400) dollars [$35,896] and two furnished rooms in the house I now live in. Also Fifty-dollars a year [$1,282] as long as she lives. [The death date of this unmarried daughter who cared for her widowed father has not been determined, but this stipend would have come from the farm income.]

THIRD: I have given to my daughter Annie, widow of Charles Walter, her share during my lifetime. Also I have given to my daughter Rosie, wife of Henry Miller, her share during my lifetime. Also I have given to my daughter Christena, wife of Frank Drum, her share during my life time. Also I have given to my son George his share during my lifetime.

FOURTH: I will and bequeath to my daughter Rachel, the wife of William Campbell, the sum of One-thousand ($1000) dollars [$25,640, the youngest daughter, our great-grandmother, wasn’t married until George was 61 so this may have been a wedding gift in his later years].

FIFTH: I will and bequeath to son Louis the farm I now live on with all my personal property, subject to the payment of the above legacies. Said legacies to be paid one year after my death.

Net Worth: personal property $1500 [$38,460]; real estate $6000 [$153,840, the 1904 Memoirs of Allegheny County, PA, describes George as, ” a prominent
farmer of West Deer township.”
]

RETURN TO VITALS: GEORGE & ANNIE BROWN HOFFMAN 

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