Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1901-01-23
MISS wiLLARp's WILL.
A Copy Of II Filed In Hancock County
Probate Office,


A copy OF will OF more thsn ordinary
interest was flied in the Hancock county
probste office this month. Ii is the will
OF the late leader OF the W. c. T. u,
Frances Willard. Aside from Its general
interest to the "whi,e ribboners'' of Han
cock county, 1t has a particular interest
because OF the bequest Of land in Han.
cock county which was owned by Miss
Willard.
With the consent of Miss Anna Gordon,
one OF the executors of the late lamented
Miss Willard, and the eminent woman
who was her private secretary twenty
years, a copy OF her last win and tesla
ment is Published. 1t reads as follows:
EVANSTON, ILL, Nov. rs, isg5.
This Is my last viii and testament, after hfty.
six years of my Heavenly Fathers discipline
aud blessing to prepare me for better work here
after las beiieve) in wonderful worlds un-
known:
An OF my personal property and the summer
homes at Twilight park, Catskill mountains, New
York; Pacific coast. Chautanqua, near storia,
Oregon, and near Bar Harbor, Maine ("willard's
acre'9 of all which | have deeds. beqneath 10
my beloved Anna Gordon, who is TO have them
all out and out forever.
The REST Cottage" home at Evanston.
Illinois, beqaeath TO my beloved sister, Mary
Bannister Willard. and to Anna Gordon equally,
10 be used by them or dealt with as they deem
best during their lifetime. and to be made
available To either or both of my nieces, Ka.h.
arine Willard baldwin and Mary Willard, II
they should have need thereof, but TO revert
aside from the claimants herein named, 70 the
National w omen's Christian Temperance Union
for the purpose of teaching boys and girls the
evil effects Of alcoholics and tobacco upon the
tissues OF the body and temper of the soul, and
to indoctrinate them In habits of per sonal
purity in word anu deed. (This disposition OF
the dear old home is In accordance with the
understanding had with my beloved mother
who hallowed IL by 50 much of her life and by
her triumphant passage TO Heaven from within
Its peaceful waiis.)
Remembrances of me are to be given by Anna
Gordon TO my dear relatives and comrades, &C.
cor'iing to her knowledge Of my wishes.
My dear friend Kate A. Jackson is to choose
whatever she would like ms souvenirs of one
who knew and loved her long. and gratefully
remembers her loving kindness In earlier DAYS
To my beloved Isabel Somerset, who has every
thing that heart could wish, | have nothing 10
leave save as she may choose any souvenirs che
likes, and my undying gratitude toward one
whom my mother loved from the first hour of
her coming into our lives even as did | make
her and Anna Gordon my literary executors.
and the executors Of this my will and testament
In my personal property is, as = matter of
course. included the birthday fund" of 5000
given by sister white ribboners on my hftIeth
birthday. FRANCES E. WILLARD.
Witnesses:
Susanna NJ. ID. Fry.
Ada NJ. Melville.
In recent letter from Miss Anna
Gordon, national secretary, to DIR. Abby
M. Fulton, of Ellsworth, regarding the
publication OF this copy of the will in
THE AMERICAN, Miss Gordon thought
II should be accompanied by some
explanatory note in reference to the
three summer homes" bequeathed to
her. Miss Gordon writes:
"when Miss Willard wrote the will she
doubtless had in mind the hope of the donors
of the two lots of land in Maine and Oregon,
that homes might some time be built at these
points, and her thought was 10 include such
shomes II plans were ever matured. The fact
remains. however, that there is no building on
the Oregon lot any more than on the lot when
you so generously gave. and both these lots
have now been returned 70 the donors.