Memories of the Calls 23 - The Will of Robert Call and My Wish to My Children

1910 Last Will and Testament

I Robert Call of the town of Stafford County of Genesee State of New York Do make and publish this my last will and testament as follows

1st    I direct my just debts and funeral expenses to be paid out of my estate as soon as possible after my decease. 

2nd   I give and bequeath unto my wife Lydia M. Call one thousand five hundred dollars $ 1500.00  five hundred to be paid to her within three months after my decease and one thousand within one year with use at five percent from the time of my decease also the Bedroom suite in the southeast room upstairs, consisting of Bedstead, springs, matric, two chairs, one rocking chair, Dresser, one wash stand, one toilet set, two pairs of wool sheets, one pair of wool blankets, that belong to my bed that I now use in my bedroom. 

3rd   I give and bequeath to my daughter Lizzie A. Daniels all paintings and crayons the work of her hands to her to do as she likes with them and their frames also the iron safe. 

4th    I give and bequeath unto my Grandson Robert V Call my gold watch and chain. 

5th   I give and bequeath unto my Grandaughter Charlotte L. Daniels the piano and what belongs to it. 

6th   I give and bequeath unto my grandchildren that have not received one hundred dollars from me before my decease one hundred dollars each the parents to be guardians for the minor Children for the money they receive. 

7th I give and bequeath unto my children Albert H. and Charles J. Call and Lizzie A. Daniels the residue of my property of every name and nature wherever found to share and share alike as to values. And I hereby constitute Charles J. Call of Stafford, N.Y. the Executor of this my last will and clothe him with all necessary authority to carry out the provisions of this my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 27 day of August in the year 1910. 

                                                                                                            Robert Call (L.G.)

The above instrument was at the date there of, declared to us by the testator Robert Call, to be his last will and testament and he acknowledged to each of us that he subscribed the same, and we, at his request, sign our names thereto as attesting witnesses.             

                                                                                                            George N. Vicary Witness

                                                                                                            Residing at Stafford, N.Y.

                                                                                                            Addison M. Weller  Witness

                                                                                                            Residing at Stafford, N.Y.

1912 Codicil

Stafford, July 23 1912

I Robert Call do make and declare this to be a codicil to  my last will dated August 1910 as follows

I give and bequeath unto my wife Lydia M.T. Call the use of $1240 twelve hundred and forty dollars now invested in Bond and Mortgage on a house and lot on Howard Street Batavia, N.Y. for her to use as long as she lives, with the understanding that she will not make any other claim on any of my personal property excepting what I have given her in my will. After the death of said wife Lydia M.T. Call, I give and bequeath the said sum of $ 1240.00 and any accrued interest to the Christian Endeavor Society of the First Christian Church and Society of Stafford N.Y. located at Morganville N.Y. And the Epworth League of the M.E. Church located in the village of Stafford, share and share alike. If the trustees of the First Christian Church and Society of Stafford should fail to keep the Brick House property that is leased to them for Parsonage in good repair and the ground to be used clean, the barn for a Horse, cow or goat or automobile or any tools, but no chickens or other Poultry shall be kept in barn or garden. If these terms are not kept in good faith their portion of the $ 1240.00 to the Christian Endeavor shall be forfeited and shall be paid to the Epworth League of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Stafford N.Y. And I charge the Call Memorial Hall Trustees that I nominate to have full charge of said funds to do their full duty with the funds intrusted to them. And if for any cause that either of these two churches, or both of them should fail to exist, then the sum of $ 1240.00 shall be paid to the Treasurer and by him into the Endowment Fund of the Aged Ministers house at Lakemount, Yates County, N.Y.

And I do change No. 7 of my will dated 27 day of August 1910 that gives Albert H. Call my son one third of the residue of my Estate that he be paid one Thousand Dollars $ 1000.00 and not one third and that each of my great grandchildren, that my be born and live within one year after my death, fifty dollars, their parents to keep in trust for them. 

And the Trustees of Call Memorial Hall who attend the yearly meeting on September 27 shall receive one dollar for their trouble in caring for the fund of one thousand two hundred and forty dollars, to be taken from the interest of said fund. 

The residue of my estate to be divided equally between my children Charles J. Call and Lizzie A. Daniels. 

                                                                                Signed  Robert Call

                                                                                Witnessed  

                                                                                                Frank Call   Batavia

                                                                                                N.K. Cone   Batavia

1908 My Wish to my Children

Stafford  March 16, 1908

First   That if my Wife and your mother should outlive me that she be given the best of care as long as she may live, and the personal property I may have, and our least rights from the Farms. After our deaths you may erect a suitable monument in the cemetery at Stafford as you may agree on, not too expensive, from personal property that may come to you. I prefer a memory of some good done to the living than blocks of stone or marble. 

It is my wish that each grandchild that hath not had one hundred dollars when he or she is married or become of Age, that enough money be set aside for them, and that the Parents of each family shall have the money for the minors. If both parents be dead then the oldest brother or sister that is of age shall have the custody of such money. ---- If any minor should not live to be of age or married, such share shall be equally divided among the living brothers and sisters. 

Second  - My wish -- Lizzie A. Daniels have safe -- crayons, -- paintings. R.V.C Call gold watch. Charlotte L. Daniels that piano "some other things can be given to other members of the family to off set the safe, piano and gold watch. All other personal property "to be divided as near as can be to my three children.

Third, -- That my Children and Grandchildren may live in peace and harmony and love be helpful one to the other, if any differences should arise let it be settled by the majority, in love and goodwill for the other. 

"And that the lands I have divided be kept in the family as long as possible, in Reverence to Father and Mother call who by industry and frugality and honesty of purpose and by the goodness of God have been enabled to secure these farms and pay for them, leaving them to you free of any debts. that you may have something to rely on for your daily bread as long as may live, if you will take good care of it, and to be handed down to future Posterity unemcumbered with debts. And that the churches of Stafford be given your support in word and in deed as long as you may live.

                                                                                            Robert Call

_________

Patty's notes on this entry

1910 Will

Robert Call's will was written in August 1910. In the second paragraph, he refers to his wife Lydia M.T. Call. She was his second wife. Robert's first wife, Charlotte Joslin Call died September 27, 1908. 

 Robert's second wife was Lydia Martha Sawday, born Sept 9 1840 in Bovey Tracey, Devon, England. Lydia married Thomas Tregea in 1866 in Newton Abbey, Devon. Thomas and Lydia Tregea immigrated to the United States in 1869 with their two oldest children, George (b 1867) and Anna (b. 1868)  They were living Genesee County, New York by 1870, and had four additional children Thomas (b. 1871), William (b. 1873), Joseph (b. 1877) and Frank (b. 1880). The Tregeas were likely active in similar church and social organizations as the Calls. Thomas Tregea died in September 1903. Robert Call and Lydia Tregea were married on July 3, 1909 in Stafford. 

Robert Call died on May 9, 1913 in Stafford. Lydia survived him, living until June 19, 1927 when she died in San Diego, California where she lived with her daughter Anna. 

Lizzie A. Daniels, who received the paintings and drawings is Elizabeth Alberta Call (1862-1929), daughter of Robert Call and Charlotte Joslin. She married Walter S. Daniels. 

Robert V. Call, who received the gold watch and chain, is Robert Vincent Call (1892-1961), son of Charles Joslin Call and Elizabeth Ann Coe. He married Lucille Alice Hale. 

Charlotte L Daniels, who received the piano, is Charlotte Louise Daniels (1893 - 1958), daughter of Elizabeth Alberta Call and Walter S. Daniels. She married Frederick William Miller. 

At some point, Robert and Charlotte Call started a tradition of giving each grandchild $100 when either they married or became of age. Assuming he continued this tradition until his death in 1913, and assuming he considered a person came of age at 21, the grandchildren who would not yet have received their $ 100 were Charles Joslin Call's children Robert Vincent Call (b. 1892), Evelyn Clara Call (b. 1895), Irving Joslyn Call (b. 1900) and Elizabeth Alberta Call Daniels' children Charlotte Louise Daniels (b. 1893), Rosalind Alberta Daniels (b. 1897), Frances Emogene Daniels (b. 1903) and Flora Elizabeth Daniels (b. 1908). 

The residue of the estate was to be divided equally between Robert's three children - Albert Henry Call, Charles Joslin Call, and  Elizabeth Alberta Call Daniels. 

1912 Codicil  

On July 23, 1912, Robert Call added a codicil to his will that made some significant changes to his 1910 will. 

 First, his wife Lydia was given the use $ 1240 dollars in a bond and mortgage for the remainder of her life. Under the 1910 will, she was to receive $ 1500 cash. After Lydia's death, the $ 1240 plus any accrued interest was to be divided between the Christian Endeavor Society of the First Christian Church and Society and the Epworth League of the M.E. Church. If either of the organizations no longer existed, the money was to go to the Endowment Fund of the Aged Ministers Home. 

Robert put some unusual conditions on Christian Church that they needed to meet to receive the bequest, they were required to "to keep the Brick House property that is leased to them for Parsonage in good repair and the ground to be used clean, the barn for a Horse, cow or goat or automobile or any tools, but no chickens or other Poultry shall be kept in barn or garden."  I have to wonder why he put these stipulations on the church. 

The second major change was that Robert's oldest son, Albert Henry Call,  no longer was to receive one third of the residue of the estate. Instead, he only received $ 1000. It is unknown why Robert made this change, perhaps between 1910 and 1912 he had given Albert a portion of his inheritance. 

Only one great-grandchild was born within one year of Robert's death - Wendell Westbrook Call (b 1914), son of Archie Duane Call, grandson of Albert Henry Call - who presumably received $ 50 under the terms of the codicil. 

1908 Wish to my Children

This was written prior to Charlotte Joslin Call's death in September 1908. It mentions several of the terms Robert would include in his 1910 will. 

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