Old Man Scanlon's

Seth Prime CARPENTER: Probate Records

What's Here

Below are transcriptions of probate documents concerning the estate of Seth Prime CARPENTER. They are on file in Worcester County Probate Court, where I viewed them on 8 September 2000. Docket #3886 comprises the following documents.

Surnames Appearing in the Documents

CARPENTER, COOK, HOLBROOK, METCALF, SCAMMELL

History of this Document

19 September 2000, revision 1.
Initial publication.
20 September 2000, revision 2.
Added petition and estimate.
29 October 2000, revision 3.
Witnesses' Milford directory listings.
05 March 2002, revision 4.
Debug HTML.
25 February 2007, revision 5.
Routine maintenance.
02 April 2008, revision 6.
Typo corrected.

Will

The original will is written by hand, except for the printed, standard "be it remembered" introduction and signature/witness boilerplate. This is a verbatim copy.

BE IT REMEMBERED that I, Seth P. Carpenter of Milford in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, being of sound mind and memory, but knowing the uncertainty of this life, do make this my LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT.

After the payment of my just debts and funeral charges, I bequeath and devise as follows:

First. I hereby give, devise, and bequeath, to my Wife Dianna Carpenter, the use occupation and improvement of all my real estate (except my farm in Uxbridge) of which I shall die seized and possessed or be entitled to, at the time of my decease, with all the privileges and appurtenances thereto belonging, for and during her natural lifetime, also the use occupation and improvement of all my household furniture and household furnishing goods including the furniture and fixtures in Lyceum Block for and during her lifetime. Second. After the decease of my said Wife I hereby give devise and bequeath, as follows, to wit:

To Reuben E. Carpenter one undivided half part of Store numbered Eighty four in Lyceum Block in said Milford and one undivided half part of the building immediately over and under said store and one undivided half part of the land under and in front of said store and one undivided half part of the Southerly half part of the front Stairway and Stairs of said Block when said Stairs and Stairway cease to be used as an entrance to Lyceum Hall for Hall purposes and one undivided half part of the land in front of said half part of said Stairway when said Stairway and Stairs cease to be used as an entrance to Lyceum Hall for hall purposes and one undivided half of the land between said store and the southerly line of said store extending to Main street and land of Geo. W. Stacy.

To the Heirs of Byron Carpenter deceased the other undivided half part of said Store numbered Eighty four and one undivided half part of the building immediately under and over said Store and one undivided half part of the land under said Store and in front thereof and one undivided half of the land between said Store and the Southerly line of said Store extending to Main Street and land of Geo. W. Stacy and one undivided half part of the southerly half part of the front Stairs and Stairway of said Block when said Stairs and Stairway cease to be used as an entrance to Lyceum Block or Hall for Hall purposes and one undivided half part of the land in front of said half part of said Stairway when said Stairs and Stairway cease to be used as an entrance to Lyceum Hall for Hall purposes.

To Nancy M. Metcalf Store numbered Eighty two in said Lyceum Block.

To Hannah M. Carpenter Stores numbered Eighty & Seventy eight in said Block and each of them Nancy and Hannah the parts of Lyceum Block immediately over and under their Stores respectively and to each of them respectively the land immediately under each of their stores and in front of each of their Stores respectively and to Nancy M. Metcalf the northerly half part of the front stairs and stairway when said Stairs and Stairway cease to be used as an entrance to Lyceum Hall for Hall purposes and that part of said building immediately over and under the northerly half of said Stairs and Stairway when said Stairs and Stairway cease to be used as an entrance to Lyceum Hall for Hall purposes and that part of the land in front of said northerly half of said Stairs and Stairway when said Stairs and Stairway shall cease to be used as an entrance to Lyceum Hall for Hall purposes.

To the Heirs of Byron Carpenter all my land on the northerly side of Spring street in said Milford with the Dwelling house and outbuildings thereon.

To my Daughter Hannah M. Carpenter all those premises occupied by me as a Homestead with the Dwelling house and outbuildings thereon bounded easterly by North Bow street, Southerly by Jefferson street, Westerly by the alley way leading from Jefferson street to Spring street and northerly by Spring street, with all the privileges and appurtenances thereto belonging and all the household furniture and household furnishing goods therein.

To Reuben E. Carpenter the Easterly half of my tenement house on Jefferson street and the land under and directly back of the same and in front of the same and next to said Alley way & on the westerly side thereof from Jefferson to Spring street with the easterly half of the outbuildings used therewith and to Nancy M. Metcalf the other half of my said tenement house on Jefferson street with the westerly half of the land under back and in front of the same extending from Jefferson to Spring street together with the westerly half of the outbuildings used therewith.

To Reuben E. Carpenter one Eighth part, to the Heirs of Byron Carpenter one Eighth part, to Nancy M. Metcalf one quarter part, and to Hannah M. Carpenter one half part of my land back and next to Lyceum Block extending to Spring street on the southerly side thereof and reserving to all a right of way out to Spring street to and from said Stairs on the back side of said Lyceum Block.

To my Daughter Nancy M. Metcalf one undivided third part and to Hannah M. Carpenter the other two undivided third parts of my Farm in Uxbridge with all the privileges and appurtenances thereto belonging.

Lastly I hereby appoint my Wife Dianna Carpenter to be the sole Executrix of this my last will and testament and I hereby order and empower her to sell at public auction or private sale as she shall think best my meadowland on the northerly side of Central street in said Milford, and I hereby empower her to make out, execute and deliver all deeds and instruments as shall be necessary and proper to fully convey the same to the purchaser or purchasers thereof and receive the proceeds of such sale or sales and therewith pay all my just debts funeral expenses and procure a five hundred dollar monument and place the same in my Cemetery-lot and a Headstone for my deceased Grandson Seth P. Carpenter, and the balance thereof pay one fifth part thereof to the heirs of Byron Carpenter, one fifth part thereof to to Reuben E. Carpenter and Nancy M. Metcalf each, and the other two fifths thereof to my daughter Hannah M. Carpenter.

And I hereby request that my said Executrix shall be exempt from giving a surety or sureties on her Bond as such Executrix and in relation to Lyceum Hall and the rooms commonly used therewith so long as the same are used for Hall purposes after the decease of my said wife my will is that the net proceeds of the rents thereof shall be divided as follows, to wit: One Eighth part thereof to Reuben E. Carpenter one Eighth part thereof to the Heirs of Byron Carpenter and one quarter part thereof to Nancy M. Metcalf and the remaining half part thereof to my Daughter Hannah M. Carpenter.

And furthermore my will is that all the aforesaid bequests to my said children and the Heirs of Byron Carpenter shall be subject to my said Wife's life estate first devised in this will.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal, and in the presence of three witnesses declare this to be my last will, this fourth day of April in the year one thousand eight hundred and eighty three.

/s/ Seth P. Carpenter

On this fourth day of April A. D. 1883 Seth P. Carpenter of Milford Massachusetts, signed the foregoing instrument in our presence, declaring it to be his last will, and as witnesses thereof we three do now, at his request, in his presence, and in the presence of each other, hereto subscribe our names.


/s/ John S. Scammell
/s/ Lloyd H. Cook
/s/ Leander Holbrook Jr.

Abstract of Greenough's Directory, Town of Milford 1880. These are the listings for the above witnesses.
John S. Scammell lawyer, 86 Main bds. Milford House, rooms 10 Pearl
Lloyd H. Cook real estate agent, 134 Irving block, Main house rear 34 Congress
Leander Holbrook Jr. lawyer, Exchange, cor. Main bds. 17 School [his father's]

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Executrix's Petition

The original form is printed, with blanks to fill in and unused choices to cross out. This is a verbatim copy of the "finished" words.

To the Honorable the Judge of the Probate Court in and for the County of Worcester:

Respectfully represents Diana Carpenter of Milford in the County of Worcester, that Seth P. Carpenter who last dwelt in Milford in said County of Worcester, died on the eleventh day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty-four, possessed of goods and estate remaining to be administered, leaving a Widow widow [sic], whose name is Diana Carpenter and as his only heirs at law and next of kin, the persons whose names, residences and relationships to the deceased are as follows, viz.:

Ruben E. Carpenter, Son, Ashland, Massachusetts
Nancy M. Metcalf Daughter and wife of Charles H. Metcalf of said Milford
Hannah M. Carpenter Daughter of said Milford
Jenny King wife of Fred King of Alston Mass. Grandchild
Arabella Walker wife of Eugene Walker of Milford Mass. Grandchild
John M. Carpenter Grandson of Marlboro Mass.
Martha W. Carpenter Granddaughter of Monson Mass.
Walter B. Carpenter Grandson of Milford Mass.
Grace G. Carpenter Grandchild of Alston Mass.
Maud E. Carpenter Grandchild Milford Mass.
Ruben E. Carpenter Grandchild Providence R. Island

That said deceased left a WILL herewith presented, wherein your petitioner is named executrix.

Wherefore your petitioner pray that said will may be proved and allowed, and letters testamentary issued to her, without the giving of surety or sureties in her official bond, pursuant to said will and the statute.

Dated this twenty second day of December A.D. 1884

/s/ Diana Carpenter

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Estimate of Estate Value

This is undated (at least on the side I copied) but presumably accompanied either the petition to allow the will or the petition of executorship.

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.

PROBATE COURT.

WORCESTER, ss.

I, Diana Carpenter of Milford in the County of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, having applied to the Probate Court of said County for the probate of the will of Seth P. Carpenter late of Milford deceased, on oath declare, that according to the best of my knowledge and belief, the estate and effects of said deceased do not exceed the value of twenty five thousand five hundred dollars, to wit:

Real estate not exceeding - - - - - - $ twenty five thousand dollars
Personal estate not exceeding - - - $ five hundred dollars

/s/ Diana Carpenter

WORCESTER, ss. Subscribed and sworn to, before me,


/s/ John S. Scammell
Justice of the Peace

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