Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-02-22

and fAther OF MIS- country, is an lHtel
esting document and the instrument II
by no means brief. In all America to
day, where honor is paid to the mem
CRY of Washington, none Is more sin
cere than that exhibited by Mrs. Ella
Sprague, wife of DR.. M. H, Sprague OF
Ottumwa. Ia, who ls the proud posses
sor of copy of the original will. The
copy has been in the family OF Mrs
Sprague for three generations. 1t
first came into the hands of her grand
father, John Leonard of near Fairfax
Virginia, and by him passed on to his
son, Joseph Leonard, father OF Mrs
SprRgue, who resided in washington
county, Ohio. The old document is
treasured as an heirloom and at the
request of her forbears, Mrs. Sprague
will keep the instrument in the family.
It is apparent from q perusal of the
will that the man who is reputed to
have never told lie was long on ex-
plantations and he did not spare words
to make his last wishes clear and free
from a misunderstanding to those in
terested in them. The requests made
and instructions given the executors
and others to whom the will was made
a matter of interest, are also interest
ing and include among other things
the desire that at the death or MS
wife Martha Washington to whom
practically the whole estate was left,
the slaves of which he died possessed
should be liberated. A mulatto man
servant was emancipated if he should
so desire or at his option retain MS
position in the household with an al
lowance Of $50 per year aside from
board and CLOTHES and freedom from
slavery's exactions. With his rela-
tives he was very considerate and any
debts owed him by them were to be
considered balanced at his death. He
was apparently DESTROYS that the
youth be given education and to that
end made liberal requests to educa-
tional institutions. among them being
Liberty hall academy in Virginia as
we'll as a sum toward the erection and
maintenance of university in the
District of Columbia. Relatives
through marriage on his wife's side
we're provided for, as were his broth
ers and their offspring. He also re-
membered his friends in many ways.
The Interesting document follows:
I, George Washington, of Mount YER
non, citizen of the United States,
and lately president of the same, do
make, ordain and declare this 1nstru'
ment which Is written with my own
hand, and every page thereof SUD-
scribed with my name, to be my last
will and testament, revoking all 9th
-1mprimis. All my debts of which
there are but few, and none Of mag
nitude, are to be punctually and
speedily paid. and the legacies herein |
after bequeathed are to be discharged
as soon as circumstances will permit, |!
and in the manner directed.
Item. TO my dearly beloved wife,
Martha Washington, give and be-
queath the use, profit and benefit OF
my whole estate, real and personal, |
for the term of her natural life, ex-
cept such parts thereof as are special
ly disposed of hereafter.-My i'm
proved lot in the town Of Alexandria, |
situated on Pitt and Cameron streets,
I give to her and her heirs forever; |
as also do my household and kitchen
furniture of every sort and kind, with |
the liquors and groceries which may
be on hand at the time of my decease,
to be used and disposed of as they
may think proper.
Item. Upon the decease Of my wife,
It Is my will and desire that all the |
slaves which hold in my own right |
shall receive their freedom. To eman-
cipate them during her life, would,
though earnestly wished by me. be at i
tended with such insuperable difficult
ties on account of their intermixture |
by marriage with the dover negroes,
as to excite the most painful sensa-
tons, If not disagreeable consequences
from the latter while both descrip-
lions are In the occupancy of the same
proprietor; it not being in my power.
under the tenure by which the dover
negroes are held, to manumit them. !
And whereas, among those who will |
receive their freedom according to !
this devise, there may be some who
from old age or bodily infirmities, and |
others who, on account Of their In
fancy, that will be unable to support |
themselves, 1t Is my will and desire |;
that all who come under the first and |!
second description. shall be comfort
ably clothed and fed by my heirs
while they live; and that such of the
latter description as have no parents !
living. or If living, are unable or un- !
willing to provide for them, shall be /
bound by the court until they arrive |
at the age of. twenty-five years; and
in cases where no record can be pro-
duced whereby their ages can be ascer-
tanned, the judgment of the court upon
it's own view of the subject, shall be
adequate and final. The negroes thus
bound are (by their masters or mis-
tresses) to be taught to read and
write and be brought up to some use
full occupation, agreeably to the laws
of the commonwealth of Virginia,
providing for the support Of orphan
and other poor children. And | do
hereby expressly forbid the sale or
transportation out of the said COM
monwealth of any slave I may die pos
sessed of under any pretense whatso-
ever And ! do moreover, most point
eddy and most solemnly enjoin it upon