Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1918-07-05
MAKES DISCOVERY
OF TWO OLD WILLS
One Lay Undisturbed 81 Years
and Other 23
South Londonderry Man Looking at
Old Family Bible Finds Grandmoth-
er's Will Written on Fly Leaf.

As a result of items which have APP
Bibles of ancient dates owned by differ
cnt families in Windham county, a wom-
ans will which had remained undis-
turbed % years has been found written
on the fly leaf of an old family Bible in
South Londonderry. The entire Bible
has been filed with the probate court
in Bellows Falls, and Wednesday Judge
Addison f. Cudworth of South London
derry, who is Judge of the municipal
court of Brattlcboro, went to Bellows
Falls to have the will probatcd. 1t
changes somewhat the descent Of an
estate estimated at about $4,000.
Another singular fact is that the will
of the woman's husband was not diScov-
cred until about 81 years after his death,
which occurred in 1881, it hayluG been
brought to light within few months.
1t is probable that the will just dis
covered will be cut out Of the Bible in
order that it may b. placed in the pro
bate court files and the Bible returned
to the family. Judge Warner A. Gra-
ham of the Bellows Falls probate court
as well as everybody else interested in
the estate, was much surprised by Che
remarkable find.
An exceptionally interesting tale
hangs on the discovery of these two old
wills, which will be hard to duplicate
anywhere.
Jacob Gale was a farmer in South Lon
donderry. just ON the outskirts of the
village. He died in 1881 His wife. Abi-
gail T.. Gale. died in 1880. They had a
son, j. Chandler Gale, who continued to
carry on the home farm.
It was understood that neither of the
parents left will. After a time the
son desired to Use some money that his
parents had placed on deposit, so he took
out letters of administration in both es-
tates. lnasmuch as there was no other
heir the son did not consider it neccs-
sary to complete the legal settlement of
the estates, so that never was done.
About a year ago J. Chandler Gale
died He left will which gave the use
of the property only to his son and only
heir, Lee H. Gale. who lives ON the old
homestead, the property to 90, at the
death of Lee Gale, to the latter's son.
After the death of j. Chandler Gale
the duty of settling his estate was
undertaken by Judge Cudworth. He di-
rected Lee Gale and his wife to make a
thorough search or the mouse, not over
looking anything large enough to con-
tain a legal document.
In room which Jacob Gale used tc
occupy and which, since his death, has
been used as a store room, was Il peculiar
shaped box with an oval top. There wa
no apparent way of getting into it, bu
after time it was discovered that
section of the bottom could be removed
and inside the box was found Jacol
Gales will. where il had lain 81 years.
But there was still another surprise il
store. A few days ago Mr.. and Mrs. Lee
II. Gale read an item in The Phoeni>
about an old Bible owned in a nearby
town They had several family Bibles
stored away and through curiosity
brought them out. On opening one OF
them to learn the date on which it was
printed they found Lees grandmother,
will written on the fly leaf. 1t was in
full legal form in her own handwriting
The wills of both Jacob Gale and hi,
wife were executed in 1891. few
months before Mr.. Gales death. Eacl
will was signed by three witnesses anC
two of them signed both instruments
All the witnesses are dead, but their sig
natures have been proven, so the prop
erty descends to Lee Gale without reser
walton.