1905 Probate file No. 639 – Estate of John Knoll, Philadelphia: application for probate and will dated 26 Nov 1897

The record

Transcription of: 1905_Probate_and_Will_John_Knoll.pdf

Document: Photocopy of a Philadelphia Register of Wills probate file: a printed and handwritten file cover ('Application for Probate and Letters Testamentary', No. 639, 1905), followed by the two-page typewritten Last Will and Testament of John Knoll dated 26 November 1897, with handwritten signature, wafer seal and witness signatures.

Conventions: original spelling kept; [?] = uncertain reading; [illegible] = unreadable; bracketed italic text describes images or marks the transcriber's notes.

Transcription

Page 1

ESTATE OF

APPLICATION FOR PROBATE AND LETTERS TESTAMENTARY.

FEES.

Page 2

LAST WILL and TESTAMENT.-

I, the undersigned JOHN KNOLL born at Marktleuthen, Bavaria, Germany, on the 10th. day of June 1826, residing at present in the City of Philadelphia, being of sound mind, memory and understanding, do hereby make, publish and declare this my last Will and Testament in manner following to wit :-

I request that all my just and true debts and funeral expenses shall be paid as soon as convenient after my death.-

Then I do hereby make the following bequests :-

Item :-

My daughter LYDIA SATTLER nee Knoll, residing in the City of New-York, shall receive the sum of One thousand Dollars ;

My daughter PAULINE PICKERING nee Knoll, residing at Laurel Springs, N.J., shall receive the sum of One thousand Dollars ;

My daughter CAROLINA KOENIG nee Knoll, widow of Ch. Koenig, shall receive the sum of One thousand Dollars - it is my request that she shall use this money for the purpose of defraying the expenses incurred by paying for her life membership into a " Home ", leaving the choice of the same to her option.-

My son CHARLES KNOLL shall receive nothing, I however bequeath unto his children the sum of One thousand Dollars, to be divided amongst them in even and equal parts, share and share alike.-

Having made the above bequests, I do hereby dispose of the rest, residue and remainder of my Estate as follows :-

The same is to be evenly and equally divided, share and share alike, amongst the following :-

1\) JOHN, JOSEPH & WILLIE GSELL, children of my deceased daughter EMMA GSELL nee Knoll ;

2\) JOHN, NICHOLAS, WILLIE, OTTO & CASSIE, Children of my daughter Maria Koenig

3\) LOUISA SEIMOR nee Knoll;

4\) GEORG KNOLL, - my son - and his children ;

5\) JOHN KNOLL, - my son-, ;

Should any of the heirs mentioned under figure 1,2,3,4, & 5, die before me, then his or her share shall descend to the surviving heirs mentioned under said figures, the same to be evenly and equally divided amongst them.-

And I do hereby constitute and appoint my son JOHN KNOLL, sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament, should he however be

Transcriber note: typewritten; names and key phrases are underlined in the original. 'Koenig' after 'Maria' is typed slightly raised/offset, as if added separately. Faint illegible marks at the top of the page. [Stamp/number on right edge: 639]

Page 3

prevented from fullfilling his duties as such Executor, then I do constitute and appoint my son in law HARRY SEIMOR, to act in his stead as Executor of this my last Will and Testament.-

In witness whereof, I, JOHN KNOLL, the Testator, have to this my Will set my hand and seal this the 26th. day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety seven.-

[Seal: black starburst wafer seal beside the signature, above a typed line of asterisks]

Signed, sealed, published and declared by the above named JOHN KNOLL, the Testator, as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us, who have hereunto subscribed our names at his request, as witnesses thereto, in the presence of the said Testator and of each other.-

<table> <colgroup> <col style="width: 23%" /> <col style="width: 76%" /> </colgroup> <tbody> <tr class="odd"> <td><strong>[Witness]</strong></td> <td>John F. Hahn<br /> 513 W[?] Girard Ave</td> </tr> <tr class="even"> <td><strong>[Witness]</strong></td> <td>Fredk. Hertzog<br /> 507 Girard Ave.-</td> </tr> </tbody> </table>

Transcriber note: 'stead' is typed with a strike-over ('st?ead'). Faint illegible marks at top of page. [Stamp/number on right edge: 639]

Transcriber's Notes

Page 1: Letters Testamentary fee reads '20,50' (second digit resembles 9 but the total \$21.50 and certificate 1,00 are consistent with 20.50).

Page 1: Register's handwritten name read as 'Joseph H. Klemmer'.

Page 1: Attorney 'Robert J. Byron', address '620 Stephen Girard Bldg' (last word abbreviated, runs off the form).

Page 2: Typewriter ink is faint in places; 'SATTLER', 'PICKERING', 'GSELL', 'SEIMOR', 'GEORG' read with reasonable confidence; 'EMMA' at start of line is faint.

Page 2: Testator's birthplace typed 'Marktleuthen, Bavaria' – clear.

Page 3: Witness address '513 W[?] Girard Ave' – the letter(s) between 513 and Girard are unclear (could be 'W.' or 'N.').

Page 3: Second witness 'Fredk. Hertzog' (abbreviated Frederick).