The Last Will and Testament
of
James Roosevelt
I, JAMES ROOSEVELT, of the Town of Hyde Park, County of
Dutchess and State of New York, being of sound mind and
memory, do hereby make, ordain, publish and declare this to
be my last Will and Testament.
First:--I desire my body to rest in my burial plot in St.
James' Church Yard at Hyde Park, according to instructions
which my Executors will find with this Will. I wish my
funeral to be as simple as possible and my remains to be
borne to their last resting place by the men on my place.
Second:--I direct my Executors to pay to Elsefie McEachan,
the sum of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000).
Third:---I give and bequeath unto my wife Sara Delano
Roosevelt absolutely, all money to my credit in the
Chemical Bank in New York City at the time of my decease,
and also all my furniture, pictures, linen, wines,
carriages, wagons, horses, harness, stock, farm and garden
tools and implements of all kinds in my Country House and
on my Country Place at Hyde Park. I give and bequeath unto
my wife during her life, the use of all my plate and
silverware, and at her decease, I give and bequeath the
same unto my son Franklin D. Roosevelt. I also give,
bequeath and devise unto my wife, during her life, the use
and enjoyment of that part of my Real Estate in the Town of
Hyde Park, which is known as the "Wheeler Place," and which
is particularly described in a deed thereof made by Josiah
Wheeler and wife to me. bearing date the 16th day of May,
1867, and recorded in the Dutchess County Clerk's Office in
Liber 140 of Deeds at page 329, &c.
I do also give, bequeath and devise unto my wife for and
during her life, the use and enjoyment of all that certain
lot, piece or parcel of land (being now a part of my
"Boreel Place") bounded and described as follows, viz:
Beginning on the east shore of the Hudson River at the
southwest corner of the farm known as the "Wheeler Place,"
heretofore conveyed to me by Josiah Wheeler and wife on the
16th day of May, 1867, and running thence along the south
line of said Wheeler Place south 84 degrees, east 62 chains
and 15 links to the west side of the Hyde Park Road,
formerly known as the Albany Post Road, thence southerly
along the west side of said road one hundred feet, thence
north 84 degrees west, parallel with and keeping one
hundred feet south of the south line of said Wheeler Place,
about thirteen hundred and thirty-five feet to a point near
the Cottage on the lot hereby described, thence north 88
degrees 20 minutes west about nine hundred and twenty feet
to a point south of the Pond in the Wood, and distant one
hundred and seventy-five feet south of said south line,
thence north 84 degrees west, parallel with and keeping one
hundred and seventy-five feet south of said south line,
about sixteen hundred and fifty feet to the east shore of
said River, thence along the east shore of said River,
northerly about two hundred and fifty feet to the place of
beginning. Containing six acres and 90-100 of an acre.
Together with all lands under the waters of the Hudson
River in front of and adjacent to the above described
lands. And also together with the right to keep and
maintain the sewage disposal, as it now exists, by emptying
it into the streams leading to the said River. Also hereby
giving unto my said wife full right and authority at any
and all times during her occupancy of said Real Estate, as
aforesaid, to enter upon said "Boreel Place" and the
"Kirchner Farm" on the south thereof, both of which farms
are now owned by me, to cut down and remove from each of
said last named Farms all trees and timber of any and all
kinds that may be necessary to secure and preserve to the
said "Wheeler Place" and to the occupants and owners
thereof the River and Mountain Views as they now are from
the said "Wheeler Place."
I also give, bequeath and devise unto my wife for and during
her life, the use and enjoyment of all that part of my
"Boreel Place" lying on the east side of the Albany Post
Road, and which is bounded on the west by said Post Road,
on the north by the "Bracken Place," on the south by the
Jones Farm, and on the east by lands of Dunphy and others.
I also give, bequeath and devise unto my wife for and during
her life, the use and enjoyment of all of that farm of land
known as the "Bracken Place" and particularly described in
a deed thereof from Thomas E. Parker, George H. McLean and
Patrick J. Flynn as Executors of Timothy Bracken, deceased,
to me, dated September 1st, 1871, and recorded in the
Dutchess County Clerk's Office in Liber 162 of Deeds on
pages 273, &c. Excepting however and reserving therefrom
that part thereof heretofore sold by me to Thomas E.
Parker.
In case my wife shall desire to have said Real Estate, or
any part thereof, sold, then I direct my Executors, the
survivor or survivors of them, to sell such part thereof as
she may desire to have sold, either at public or private
sale, and to make, execute and deliver all proper deeds
thereof, invest
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