Last Will & Testament: Mary Norris Bryce

Written 1937/probated 1940

In the name of God, my Creator, and Christ, my Savior, I, MARY NORRIS BRYCE, of the City of Pittsburgh, County of Allegheny, State of Pennsylvania, being of sound mind and memory, do hereby make, publish, and declare this to be my last will and testament, hereby revoking and making void any and all wills by me at any time heretofore made.

I wish to record my sincere thanks to my Heavenly Father for the blessings He has bestowed upon me in health and sickness, in joy and in sorrow.

As to such property as it has pleased God in His great goodness to entrust me, I dispose of the same as follows:

FIRST, I direct that all my just debts and funeral expenses be fully paid and satisfied as soon as convenient after my death.

SECOND, I wish a tombstone erected over my grave in harmony with the one over my late beloved husband’s grave.

THIRD, I give to the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary of the United Presbyterian Church situated on North Avenue, North Side, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the sum of One Thousand ($1000) Dollars. The Board of Directors of the Seminary to invest the One Thousand ($1000) Dollars securely and the income thereof to be used to maintain the room in memory of my late beloved husband, David Kerr Bryce.

FOURTH, I give and bequeath to the United Presbyterian Women’s Association of North America, located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in trust for the Home for Aged People, situated at the corner of Penn and Trenton Avenues, Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, the sum of Ten Thousand ($10,000) Dollars, said sum to be in the nature of an endowment in memory of my late beloved husband and to be known as the DAVID KERR BRYCE ENDOWMENT. The said sum of Ten Thousand ($10,000) Dollars is to be invested securely by the Board of Directors of the Home for Aged People and the income thereof to be used at their discretion as they deem best for the maintenance, support, improvement, and betterment of the said Home for Aged People.

I give and bequeath to the above Association, the sum of Two Thousand ($2000) Dollars in trust for the United Presbyterian Orphans’ Home situated near Valencia, Pennsylvania, and Two Thousand ($2000) Dollars in trust for the Columbia Hospital, situated on Penn Avenue and West Street, Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania.

FIFTH, I give and bequeath to the Women’s General Missionary Society of the United Presbyterian Church of North American, located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the sum of Two Thousand ($2000) Dollars for Foreign Missions, Two Thousand (2000) Dollars for Home Missions not located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Two Thousand ($2000) Dollars not designated.

SIXTH, I give and bequeath to my nephew R. Stanley Gray, the sum of Two Thousand ($2000) Dollars.

SEVENTH, I give and bequeath to my namesake Mary Bryce Gray, daughter of R. Stanley Gray and Elma R. Gray, the sum of One Thousand ($1000) Dollars.

EIGHTH, I give and bequeath to my namesake Mary Bryce Gabby McKinley, daughter of Hugh A. and Mattie B. Gabby, the sum of Five Hundred ($500) Dollars. The said Mary Bryce Gabby McKinley is the wife of Irs L. McKinley.

NINTH, I give and bequeath to my cousins, Mary B. McDowell, Mrs. Anna McComb, and Elizabeth Blackstock, each the sum of Two Hundred ($200) Dollars, making a total of Six Hundred ($600) Dollars in paragraph nine.

TENTH, I give and bequeath to my friend Janet Lowrie Brownlee, of West Middletown, Washington County, Pennsylvania, the sum of Two Hundred ($200) Dollars.

ELEVENTH, I give and bequeath the rest and residue of my property to Bertha Bonin Gray, wife of William G. Gray; Elma Rush Gray, wife of R. Stanley Gray; Bertha Campbell Gray, wife of Paul B. Gray; and Janet E. Gray Keller, wife of Howard Keller. To them and their heirs, share and share alike.

The reason that my nephews, William G. Gray and Paul B. Gray are not mentioned in this will is that I have remembered them in my lifetime.

TWELFTH, I authorize and direct my Executors hereinafter named to sell my real estate of which I may die seized and to give good and sufficient deed or deeds therefor, without liability on the part of the purchaser or purchasers to see to the application of the purchase money.

THIRTEENTH, I direct that all inheritance and succession taxes on legacies and devises herein shall be paid from the residue of my estate.

FOURTEENTH, should my estate shrink from its present value, I wish the bequest to the United Presbyterian Women’s Association of North America in trust for the three institutions named in paragraph four be paid in full.

FIFTEENTH, In case of my decease within thirty (30) days from the date of my will, I direct that the charitable bequests mentioned in my former will as of January 11th, 1937, be paid as therein directed. In all other respects I revoke the said will.

SIXTEENTH, I hereby nominate, constitute, and appoint the UNION TRUST COMPANY OF PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania, to be the executor of this my last will and testament.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF I hereunto set my hand and seal this 17th day of February A.D. 1937.

[signed] MARY NORRIS BRYCE

Signed, sealed, published, and declared by Mary Norris Bryce, the above named Testatrix as and for her last will and testament in the presence of us who at her request and in her presence and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as witnesses thereto.

[signed] E.C. WEGER & HAROLD S. CARMACK

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