Trancsription

DEASE John Warren 22 Feb 1829

In the name of God Amen, I John Warren Dease, formerly of the City of Montreal in Lower Canada, but now residing on the Columbia River, Being thank God in good health and of sound mind and memory, do ordain and make this my last will and testament - revoking all former ones.

Not knowing when it may please God to call me from this wicked world, I pray and beseech Him to forgive me all my sins, whether in thought, word, or deed, and to riceive [sic] my soul for the sake of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

First, I give and Bequeath to my Dearly Beloved Friend Jenny Beignoit, who was born at Green Lake in North America, now residing in Red River. TO the said Jenny Beignoir, and my adopted children by her, whose names are herin mentioned as follows. vizt. Margaret Dease Born at Rainy Lake River May 26th 1818. Marianne Dease Born at Fort Alexander River Ounipie October 14th 1820. John Dease Born on the Columbia February 14th 1823. Nancy Dease Born on the Columbia June 30th 1825. William Dease Born on the Columbia September 19th 1827;

I give and bequeath as follows: To John Dease and William Dease I give and bequath all the money, or monies, that may be now or hereafter my due, with the interest therein, as arising from my one sixth share of the sale of my late Father's Estate in Ireland, to Sir John Johnson. George Simpson Esquire, now Governor in Rupert's Land, holding my power of attorney for receiving the said money. The said money or monies to be vested into the Hands of the Honorable Hudsons Bay Committee to put at interest, the value of which interest to be given out of the Companies Stores at York Factory, annually, in necessaries to the said John and William Dease sons of Jenny Beignoit and on their attaining the age of twenty one years, respectively, the Capital to be paid them, share & share alike, but in the even of either of them dying, or both of them, then his or their shares of the said money to revert to the survivors whose names are already mentioned above.

2ndty To Jenny Beignoit, Margaret Dease, Marianne Dease, and Nancy Dease, I give and bequeath all that be now or hereafter my due of money, or monies, arising from my share of the Interest I at present hold as Chief Trader in The Honorable Hudson's Bay Copmany, according to the articles of agreement in the Deed Poll, the said money or monies, or rather part thereof, to the value of fifty pounds sterling, in necessaries, to be given yearly to the said Jenny Beignoit, their mother, for them. Let it be understood that in the event of the mother or any of the children dying, the share of the person or persons so dying to be equally divided among the Survivors whose names are mentioned in the body of this, but if any of my adopted sons or daughters by the said Jenny Beignoit get married and have children, and the parents dying, His or Her share to revert to the issue of said marriage.

Before any division of monies take place, it is my will and intent that one hundred pounds sterling be taken from the monies coming to me, and disposed of as follows. To my reputed daughter Jenny Dease daugther of Mary Cadotte I bequeath fifty pounds sterling to pay her the same, by yearly installments of ten pounds. To her sister Julia I will and bequeath seventy pounds, and if either of the last mentioned two die before receiving the said money, and should have children, the money to be paid their children, in default thereof to revert to the surviving sister.

To Peter Goulet son of Jenny Beignoit I will and bequeath the sum of trenty pounds sterling, to be paid on application from His Mother.

To John McLoughlin Esqr and John Douglas Cameron Esquire: I bequeath to each five pounds sterling, for the purchase of a finger ring, hoping they will accept of the same as a token of esteem & respect from me, as the only two friend I ever had.

To my dearly beloved brother Francis Michael Dease, I leave my gold watch which was last summer send to Montreal to be repaired in charge of C. Cummings Esqr.

To my dear brother Peter Warren Dease I leave my Gold Beaver Club Medal, and a gold mourning ring which Jenny Beignoit has in her care.

To my dear & adopted son John Dease, son of Jenny Beignoit, I leave my gun pistols and a silver watch sent to be repaired last year to Montreal in charge of C. Cummings Esquire.

My rifle and other silver watch I leave to be delivered to Jenny Beignoit, who will take care of them for my adopted son William Dease. Some things ordered up from Montreal last year, if sent, I beg they will be delivered to my Dear Brother Francis M. Dease, with the account, and by him to be delivered to my Dearest Friend Jenny Beignoit, except the watch chain, if any, he will keep.

Lastly I give and bequeath to my Dearly beloved friend and mother of my reputed Children all and every thing that I have, weaving apparel [??] that is not already disposed of in the Body of this, as also what I ordered, last summer from England, of womans apparel; and what was intended for me. To be given my brother Francis. The small musical box, if sent, to be given Jenny Beignoit.

To this my last will and testament I constitute and appoint John Douglas Esquire, Francis Michael Dease and the Reverend Bishop of Red River Monsieur Provençais, to be executors, or in the absence of the latter the Head Catholic Clergyman for the time in Red River, bring confident that they will do justice to my helpless family.

In witness to this my last will, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this twenty second Day of February in the year of Our Lors One thousand Eight Hundred and Twenty nine.

We the undersigned testify that the above is a true copy of the last will and testament of John Warren Dease late Chief Trader in the Honorable Hudson's Bay Company.

York Facoty Hudsons Bay 17 July 1830

Continuation of my will – Let it be clearly understood that if the said Jenny Beignoit (mother of my adopted children mentioned in the Body of the Deed) marry or cohabit with any man during my lifetime, she then forfeits the provisions made for her in the foregoing Will, which provision or share is in that case to be equally divided among my adopted children by Her, whose names are already mentioned. Let it be understood as this my last will, that should the present Honorable Hudson's Bay Company discontinue (trading or) carrying on trade to the country called Ruperts Land, then any money or monies of mine which may remain in their hands at the time, to be paid over the Catholic Clergy who may be in Red River at the time, who will dispose of the said money or monies for the benefit of the persons already mentioned in this my last will and testament. In witness to this continuation of my last will and testamnet I have hereunto sett my hand and seal, this twenty second day of February in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Twenty nine.

Sources

Will: "Records regarding the estate of Dease, John Warren (1839-1849)"
Hudson's Bay Company, Officers' and Servants' Wills D-F. Manitoba Archives H2-77-1-7 ( A.36/6 fos. 3-24 ), Microfilm No. 426
Manitoba Archives PDF (accessed 12 March 2024)
Will written 22 Feb 1829 at Columbia River. Died 11 Jan 1830.