Thursday, July 17, 2014

Treasure Chest Thursday - My First "Last Will and Testament"


Locating one of my first "Last Will & Testament's" .......... it all started with a trip to Salt Lake City and ending at a courthouse in Canton, Stark Co., Ohio. YIPPPEY!! 

Lucky me, while in Salt Lake City at the Family History Center I located the case# for Harry B Gardner's Last Will and Testament. I held on to this information till I visited the courthouse in Canton, Stark Co., Ohio 2004. It was in the court house building,on the second floor,  in a back room where the oldest microfilm reader/printer I have ever dealt with .......... after dozens of dozens of sheets of paper later I was so excited........... but I have only copied a small piece of it here that shows the wife and children and where everyone was living. Yes I was thrilled about that. Now I have some new places to check for a grand uncle (George) & his wife, plus where they lived, and a married name for my grand aunt (Carolyn) and two new locations for her.


ESTATE Records case file # 28197 (66 pages copied) R R Denny Clunk, Probate Judge........

Last Will & Testament for Harry B Gardner of Alliance Stark County Ohio- died 22 January 1936
wife Elizabeth Gardner receives ALL until death or remarriage ... then it will be distributed equally among children and to children of any deceased children
Elizabeth Gardner is Executrix with no bond -- if Elizabeth is deceased Nettie Hartzell [daughter] of Alliance Ohio will be executrix if neither are available then son John Gardner then Margaret Schultz. [dated 24 Aug 1934]
Elizabeth Gardner declines executrix and requests Nettie Hartzell /executor
Nettie presents Application to Probate Will in the probate Court, Stark County Ohio
Harry B Gardner left Elizabeth Gardner widow of 2242 s Linden Ave, Alliance Ohio and the following persons:
John Gardner / adult / son / Beaver PA
Caroline Boyd / adult/ daughter / Miller MO
Harry Gardner / adult / son / Edinburg O
George Gardner / adult / son / Milwaukee Wis
Margaret Schultz / adult/ daughter / Wooster O
Nettie Hartzell / adult / daughter/ 2242 S Linden Ave., Alliance O

etc etc etc................

NOTE: The list below was at the very end of the document. I will need to sturdy this further because Harry B Gardner died in 1936 and my parents (John & Mary Jane Gardner) weren't married til 1943 but they just met in Jan/Feb of 1943.....  Was it in probate that long or what is the purpose of the list? It is helpful but what is the purpose? I did not find another date or a later date. Now I guess I need to find out the final date of the will. 

Nettie Hartzell (daughter) accepted the task of being executrix after her mother declined. Looking at the timeline: Harry B Gardner died in 1936, Nettie died in 1938 and my parents didn't even meet till early 1943. Did the court process slow down because of the death of the executrix Nettie? OR was every handle by the time of her death? 


John & Margaret Gardner/ 2214 S Linden Ave, Alliance O                          [grandparents]
Caroline Boyd/ Hygea Hall, Wooster College, Wooster O                            [grand aunt]
Harry and Clara Gardner/ Edinburg, RD 1, Ravenna O                                 [grand uncle]
George and Rachael Gardner/ 2936 Kilborn Ave, Milwaukee, Wisconsin     [grand uncle]
Margaret and Frank E Schultz/ 928 North Grant St, Wooster O                   [grand aunt]
Walter G and Dorothy Hartzell/ 2242 S Linden Ave., Alliance O                  [1st cousin once removed]
Helen Hartzell and Fredrick Workman/ 1009 Main St., Coshocton, O          [1st cousin once removed]
John Jr and Mary Jane Gardner, 1411 Parkway Blvd, Alliance O                 [ my parents-married Apr1943]
Vancil and Flora Gardner / Orville, O                                                          [uncle]
Lois Ann Gardner (a minor) / 2214 S Linden Ave., Alliance, O [born 1929]  [aunt]
Warren and Helen Gardner / 1956 High St., Columbus O                             [1st cousin once removed]
Harry Jr and Maureen Gardner / 756 Armoured Tank Div, Battalion School Training, Ft Benning, GA                                                                                                                               [1st cousin once removed]
Wade Gardner (a minor) Edinburg RD 1, Ravenna O           [born 1932]      [1st cousin once removed]
Nancy Gardner (a minor) Edinburg RD 1, Ravenna O          [born 1935]       [1st cousin once removed]
Dr William and Helen Schultz / 523 College Ave, Wooster O                        [1st cousin once removed]       Robert and Elizabeth Schultz / RD 1, Wooster, O                                         [1st cousin once removed]

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