The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-12-20
A Practical Hint in Making Bequests

Every man his own executor -
was the motto adopted by the late Job
Cleveland, Esq, of Jersey City, N. j.,
an honorable gentleman of business in
life, and sensible gentleman of large
estate in DEATH This head of family
and fortune had viewed not without
thoughtful alarm the increasing ten
dency to thwart the wills of men who
die leaving the customary testamenta-
ry requests whereby they give and be-
stow the earnings and savings of their
lives to heirs, in the shape of wives,
children, friends, benevolent institu-
tons, etc.; he had likewise seen the
unfortunate results which oftentime
follow the disposition of estates in the
laws prescribed form, without wills,
whereby property is broken up among
the legal heirs and families so often di-
vided in spirit. All this made deep
impression on Mr.. Cleveland, and he
resolved to inaugurate a new method
in the division of his. ample estate
among those whom he should choose as
his heirs.
g just what Mr.. Cleveland's new plan
was has been kept as his own secret,
and was only unlocked to the world the
second or third day after his death,
which occurred one week ago. Tb IN,
in the usual search for papers which
follows such events-often with haste
not at all becoming-to ascertain who
is the "favorite" heir; who is the one
"cut off with a shilling;;'' and who
would probably be contented, and who
would likely contend for setting aside
of the will, on account of insanity, I'M
due prejudice, or something of that
sort-it was ascertained that, so far as
the Mr.. Job Cleveland will-case"
was concerned, there would never be
such one in the Surrogate's or the
Probate Court. There was money, and
there were heirs; but in the apportion-
ment of the former to the latter, Mr..
Cleveland had fixed everything beyond
dispute, even beyond the skill of a hun
CRY lawyer to disturb, for, in place of
will, the testator had made division
of his property in all due and legal
forms through the execution of deeds
and accompanying documents, proper
ly drawn, attested to, and recorded in
life, but retained in the testators own
possession, and duly directed to each
beneficiary. Here was Mr.. Cleve-
lands plan as revealed by the hand of
death.
1t may be that the example of the
wise father and man of business in New
Jersey will assist materially in solving
the problem, which is growing out Of
the many will contests of late inaugu-
rated, hardly without exception, against
every estate of prominence which en-
tiers into the Probate Courts of the land,
and by which so mitch OF falsehood and
scandal is being evolved. A convey
ance of property from almost any of
these deceased business men and CAPT
talists to a stranger-made in life and
properly signed and recorded would
be held as good and valid In any
court Of justice, despite charges of in
sanity, undue influence or prejudice.
and why would it not hold equally
strong when made to child or other
legal heirp 1t may be that the era Of
squabbles over dead mems
property can be ended, and it may be
that Job Cleveland's method of attend
ing to requests will do much toward
leading to this much-desired end.-CAi-
cdQ0 Journal