Dublin Core
Title
Grover Cleveland Last Will and Testament
Subject
Photographic reproduction of Grover Cleveland's original will, dated 1906. Three pages measurimg 8X10 inches each. The original was handwritten by Cleveland in script using black ink. Silk fabric adhered at center. Enclosed in a soft leather portfolio. Donor: Richard Folsom Cleveland (1897-1974) son of Frances Folsom Cleveland Preston and Grover Cleveland.
Description
TRANSCRIPTION OF GROVER CLEVELAND'S WILL:
I Grover Cleveland of the Borough of/
Princeton in the State of New Jersey, do make publish and declare/
this my last will and testament- hereby expressly revoking all previous/
wills by me made./
First. I hereby direct, that after the payment of all my debts and funeral/
expenses, an appropriate monument with brief inscription, and only/
moderately expensive, be erected at my grave and paid for out of my/
estate. I desire to be buried wherever I may reside at the time/
of my death, and that my body shall always remain where it shall be/
at first buried- subject to its removal only if it shall be absolutely/
necessary in order that it shall repose by the side of my wife, and in/
accordance with her desire./
Second./
I give to my niece Mary Hastings daughter of my sister Anna/
Hastings, the sum of three thousand dollars to be paid to her/
as soon as practicable after my death./
Third. I give to my friend Richard Watson Gilder, the watch given/
to me in 1893 by the said Gilder and E.C. Benedict and J.J./
Sinclair - and also the chain attached to the same when last worn/
by me./
Fourth. I give to each of the four daughters of my nephew Richard/
Hastings, now as lately living with my sister Anna Hastings, the/
PAGE BREAK
sum of two thousand dollars each./
Fifth I give to Frank S. Hastings, my good friend and Executor/
of this will, as the most personal memento I can leave to him, the/
seal ring I have worn for many years which was given to me by/
my dear wife, and with whose hearty concurrence this gift is/
made./
Sixth. I give to my two daughters Esther and Marion, and to my two/
sons Richard F. and Francis G., the sum of ten thousand dollars/
($10,000) each, to be paid to them respectively as they/
each shall arrive at the age of twenty one years. Until these legacies/
are paid, or shall lapse, they shall be kept invested, and the income/
derived therefrom shall be paid to my wife; and the aggregate of/
said income, shall be applied by her to the support, maintenance/
and education of said children in such manner and in such/
proportions as she shall deem best, without any liability to any of/
said children on account thereof. If however either of my said/
daughters, shall before her legacy becomes payable, cease for/
any reason to reside with her mother, there and from that time,/
the income arriving from the investment of her legacy, shall be paid to/
said daughter. In case either of my said children shall die before/
his or her legacy shall be actually paid, leaving a child or/
children then said legacy shall be paid to such child or/
PAGE BREAK
children; but otherwise the said legacy shall lapse and become/
a part of the residuary estate disposed of by this instrument./
Seventh. All the rest and residue of my estate and property of/
which I may die seized or possessed, of every kind and nature,/
and wheresoever the same may be situated, I give, devise and/
bequeath to my dear wife Frances F. Cleveland and to her/
heirs and assigns forever; and I hereby appoint her guardian of /
all my children during their minority./
Eighth. I hereby appoint my wife Frances F. Cleveland Executrix and/
Frank S. Hastings Executor of this my last will and testament./
Witness by hand and seal at Princeton N.J./
this 21st day of February one thousand nine hundred and six. (1906)./
Grover Cleveland/
The foregoing instrument was, on the day it bears date, signed by/
Grover Cleveland the testator therein named, in the presence of each of us, and/
we both being present at the same time. And the said testator did then/
and there acknowledge and declare, to us and each of us, that said instrument/
was his last will and testament; and thereupon we did in the presence of/
each other and of said testator, and at his request subscribe our names/
hereto as attesting witnesses./
Andrew F. West - Princeton. N.J./
John H. Finley. New York City NY
I Grover Cleveland of the Borough of/
Princeton in the State of New Jersey, do make publish and declare/
this my last will and testament- hereby expressly revoking all previous/
wills by me made./
First. I hereby direct, that after the payment of all my debts and funeral/
expenses, an appropriate monument with brief inscription, and only/
moderately expensive, be erected at my grave and paid for out of my/
estate. I desire to be buried wherever I may reside at the time/
of my death, and that my body shall always remain where it shall be/
at first buried- subject to its removal only if it shall be absolutely/
necessary in order that it shall repose by the side of my wife, and in/
accordance with her desire./
Second./
I give to my niece Mary Hastings daughter of my sister Anna/
Hastings, the sum of three thousand dollars to be paid to her/
as soon as practicable after my death./
Third. I give to my friend Richard Watson Gilder, the watch given/
to me in 1893 by the said Gilder and E.C. Benedict and J.J./
Sinclair - and also the chain attached to the same when last worn/
by me./
Fourth. I give to each of the four daughters of my nephew Richard/
Hastings, now as lately living with my sister Anna Hastings, the/
PAGE BREAK
sum of two thousand dollars each./
Fifth I give to Frank S. Hastings, my good friend and Executor/
of this will, as the most personal memento I can leave to him, the/
seal ring I have worn for many years which was given to me by/
my dear wife, and with whose hearty concurrence this gift is/
made./
Sixth. I give to my two daughters Esther and Marion, and to my two/
sons Richard F. and Francis G., the sum of ten thousand dollars/
($10,000) each, to be paid to them respectively as they/
each shall arrive at the age of twenty one years. Until these legacies/
are paid, or shall lapse, they shall be kept invested, and the income/
derived therefrom shall be paid to my wife; and the aggregate of/
said income, shall be applied by her to the support, maintenance/
and education of said children in such manner and in such/
proportions as she shall deem best, without any liability to any of/
said children on account thereof. If however either of my said/
daughters, shall before her legacy becomes payable, cease for/
any reason to reside with her mother, there and from that time,/
the income arriving from the investment of her legacy, shall be paid to/
said daughter. In case either of my said children shall die before/
his or her legacy shall be actually paid, leaving a child or/
children then said legacy shall be paid to such child or/
PAGE BREAK
children; but otherwise the said legacy shall lapse and become/
a part of the residuary estate disposed of by this instrument./
Seventh. All the rest and residue of my estate and property of/
which I may die seized or possessed, of every kind and nature,/
and wheresoever the same may be situated, I give, devise and/
bequeath to my dear wife Frances F. Cleveland and to her/
heirs and assigns forever; and I hereby appoint her guardian of /
all my children during their minority./
Eighth. I hereby appoint my wife Frances F. Cleveland Executrix and/
Frank S. Hastings Executor of this my last will and testament./
Witness by hand and seal at Princeton N.J./
this 21st day of February one thousand nine hundred and six. (1906)./
Grover Cleveland/
The foregoing instrument was, on the day it bears date, signed by/
Grover Cleveland the testator therein named, in the presence of each of us, and/
we both being present at the same time. And the said testator did then/
and there acknowledge and declare, to us and each of us, that said instrument/
was his last will and testament; and thereupon we did in the presence of/
each other and of said testator, and at his request subscribe our names/
hereto as attesting witnesses./
Andrew F. West - Princeton. N.J./
John H. Finley. New York City NY
Rights
Grover Cleveland Presidential Library and Museum, Caldwell, NJ
Language
English
Identifier
GCBPSHS-001