178 ~~~~Record of Will~~~ ~~~ ~~~

I Frederick Douglass, of Anacostia, District of Columbia, United States of America, being of sound disposing mind and memory, do make, publish and declare this to be my last will and testament: That is to say, in form and manner following, First; I give and bequeath to my dear devoted wife Helen Douglass, my house and fifteen acres of land situated Anacostia, D.C. with all outbuildings and appurtances thereunto pertaining: Second; I give and bequeath to the said Helen Douglass, all my writings, books, papers, pictures, paintings, horses, carriages, harness, and each and every description of property in and about my house in Anacostia; except a certain portrait of myself, painted more than forty years ago by Mr. Hammond of Florence, Massachusetts, which portrait I give and bequeath to my daughter, Rosetta D. Sprague: Third; I give and bequeath the said Helen Douglass, ten thousand dollars in registered United States Bonds, and ten thousand dollars In lawful money, the latter to be derived from my other property, not Mentioned in the foregoing: Fourth; I give and bequeath to my daughter, Rosetta D. Sprague, and to my three sons, Lewis, Frederick and Charles the remainder of all property of which I shall be possessed at my death; that is to say, to each of them, one equal share, which will amount to about fifteen thousand to each: Signed and declared by the said Frederick Douglass, the testator, as his last will and testament, in presence of us, who at his request and in his presence, and in the presence Of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses. ( In Witness Whereof, I have set ( my hand and affixed ( my seal this thirtieth day ( of August in the year one ( thousand, eight hundred and ( eighty-six. ( Fred Douglass (LS) ( ( B. E. Messer ( D. L. Pitcher

179 At a term of the Surrogates Court of Monroe County, held at the Surrogates Office at the City of Rochester, in and for The County of Monroe, on the 11th day Of May, 1896. Present: Hon. George A. Benton, Surrogate Surrogates Court Monroe County. ~~~~~~~~~ In the Matter of the Petition of Rosetta ) D. Sprague to have the Will of Frederick ) Douglass, deceased, recorded in Monroe County N.Y. ) ~~~~~~~~~ On reading and filing the petition of Rosetta D. Sprague, duly verified on The 8th day of May, 1896, by which it appears that she is the daughter of the late Frederick Douglass, deceased, and that said Frederick Douglass in his life time resided in the City of Washington, D.C. And that he died at said City of Washington on the 20th day of February, 1895, and that at the time of his death he was a resident of said City of Washington, and that at the time of his death he was the owner of two parcels of land in the City of Rochester, Monroe County, New York, which lands are more particularly described in said petition, and that the said Frederick Douglass, deceased left a last Will and Testament, and that the same was on the 22nd day of April, 1895, duly admitted to probate in the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia, and that the same is in all respects regular and valid. It is now on motion of Shuart & Sutherland, attorneys for said petitioner, Ordered and decreed that the certified copy of said Will of said Frederick Douglass, authenticated in the manner described by the Statutes of this State, which has been presented to this Court, be placed on file in this Court, and that said Will of Frederick Douglass, deceased, be admitted to record and probate in the County Of Monroe, N.Y. Geo. A. Benton Surrogate

Transcribed by: Transcription Date: Transcription Method: Source:

T D Maloney 9 February 2013 LM (Literal Method) Surrogates Court Monroe County, NY Records found at Monroe County Court House Will Book Volume 57, pages 178-179 Manuscript Original record, public domain Transcription, 2013 by T D Maloney & Cambria Media & Research Digital Images, 2013 by T D Maloney & Cambria Media & Research
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