Donovan, Catherine
Will of Catherine Donovan
Widow of John Barry, wife of John Shanaghan From records of Notary Georges-W.-A. de Saint-Georges
Transcribed from Quebec Archives Online
On this day the seventeenth of August, in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy six, at the request of Mrs. Catherine Donovan of the City of Quebec, late widow of John Barry and now wife of Mr. John Shanaghan, we, George A. de Saint-Georges, the undersigned Notary Public for the Province of Quebec, in the Dominion of Canada, residing in the District and City of Quebec, and witnesses hereinafter named, went to the residence of the said Mr. John Shanaghan, laborer, situate on the west side of St. Eustache Street, in the Montcalm Ward of the City of Quebec, where being we found the said Mrs. Catherine Donovan, wife of the said John Shanaghan, in her room being bodily sick in bed but of sound mind, memory, judgment and understanding, who declared unto us the said Notary and witnesses that she is desirous of making her last will and testament which she instantly makes, declares, and nominates unto us the said Notary in the presence of said witnesses in manner and form following, that is to say:
Firstly, I recommend my soul to Almighty God, hoping forgiveness of my sins through the intercession of Jesus Christ my Divine Redeemer.
Secondly, I order and direct that all my lawful debts be paid and discharged as soon as possible after my decease and as to my funeral expenses and prayers for my soul I leave it to the discretion of my universal legatee hereinafter named hoping as I hope and I am convinced that he will accomplish my desire according to his position and fortune.
Thirdly, and as t the residue of my property, moveable and immoveable, goods and chattels generally whatsoever which I may die seized and possessed of, I do give and bequeath the same unto the said John Shanaghan, my beloved husband as a testimony of my love and affection for him, for by the said John Shanaghan to do, enjoy and dispose of the same from the day of my decease in full and absolute property and for ever hereby instituting him my universal legatee and my Testamentary Executor. And by these presents I do revoke and make null and void all former wills and codicils which I may have made previous to these presents to which alone I adhere as containing my true last will and intentions.
It was thus done, declared and nominated by the said Catherine Donovan unto the said George A. de Saint-George, the said Notary in the presence of Mr. John Bowman of the City of Quebec, Rigger, and Mr. Henry Head, Grocer, also of the said City of Quebec, both witnesses above mentioned and duly requested for the execution of these presents. And the present last will having been duly read unto the said Mrs. Catherine Donovan by the said Notary in the presence of the said witnesses, she declared well to understand the same and hath persisted therein as containing her last will and intentions, at Quebec at her residence aforesaid, under the number one hundred and twelve of the original deeds of the undersigned Notary.
In testimony whereof, the said Testatrix has subscribed her name and signature in the presence of said witnesses who have also signed these presents in the presence of the said Testatrix and of us said Notary also hereunto subscribing.
Catherine Donovan, her signature;
Henry Head, his signature;
John Bowman, his signature;
G.A. de Saint-George, N.P., his signature
NOTE: Catherine Donovan (d/o John Donovan & Mary O'Neill) 1st married John Barry (s/o James Barry & Margaret White) on 3 March 1862 in Ste-Catherine's Church, Co. Portneuf, Quebec and 2nd married John Shanaghan (s/o Denis Shanaghan & Ann Cleary) on 21 October 1873 in St-Sauveur Church, Quebec City.
Transcribed by Gerald Neville, 2012
Note by Patricia Balkcom: Catherine would have been 36 years old when she wrote this will. She had two young sons from her marriage with John Barry at the time (three other sons died in infancy). I have not found a burial record for her so I do not know if she died soon after this will was written.