Will of Caroline [Ellis] Doolittle



Be it remembered that heretofore, towit, on the first day of February in the year one 
thousand eight hundred and sixty one Paschal A. Jewel the sole Executor named in the last 
Will and Testament of Caroline Doolittle, late of the Town of Middlefield, in the County 
of Otsego, deceased, appeared in open Court before the Surrogate of the County of Otsego, 
and made application to have the said last Will and Testament, which relates to both real 
and personal Estate, proved forthwith, and on such application the Surrogate did ascertain 
by satisfactory Evidence who were the heirs and next of kin of the such Testatrix, and 
their respective residences; and some of them appearing to be minors having no general 
guardian residing within the state of New York a special guardian was appointed in due 
form of law to take care of their interests in the matter of proving the said will, by an 
order entered for that purpose by said Surrogate, and on reading and filing the Stipulation 
in writing of the only heirs and next of kin of the said Testator and said Special 
Guardian, waiving the issue and Service upon them of a Citation to attend the probate of 
the said will and consenting to the immediate proof of the same such proceedings were 
thereupon had that the Surrogate took the immediate proof of said will hereinafter set 
forth, and he adjudged the said will to be a valid will of real and personal Estate and 
the proofs thereof to be sufficient, which said last will and testament and proofs are as 
follows that is to say



Will



In the name of God Amen, I, Caroline Doolittle, of the Town of Middlefield, in the County 
of Otsego, and State of New York, wife of Porter Doolittle, of the age of thirty one years, 
and being of sound mind and memory, do make and publish and declare this my last Will and 
Testament, in manner following, that is to say To my oldest daughter Emma W. Doolittle I 
give and bequeath one third part of all my Estate, real and personal, of whatever name or 
nature. To my second daughter Sarah A. Doolittle I give and bequeath one third part of all 
my Estate real and personal of whatever name or nature. To my third daughter Caroline C. I 
give and bequeath one third part of all my Estate real and personal. I have silverware of 
the value of about Forty Dollars which I wish and desire to be returned for the use of my 
children to be divided equally between them. My household furniture I wish to be used and 
returned for the use of my family, as long as my husband Porter Doolittle keeps the children 
together and provides for their necessary support and education - and it is also my wish 
and desire that my real Estate should not be sold but kept for the use of my said husband 
and children during the minority of my children above named provided that my said husband 
shall pay the Mortgage on said real Estate and keeps it in such manner that the Interest 
of said children in the same is not in danger of being sacrificed. I have six new teaspoons 
that were purchased with money given by Christopher Ellis, late of Milford, Otsego County, 
deceased - this six spoons were and are intended for my eldest daughter Emma W. the division 
above spoken of is to take place after the said Emma W. has received the said six tea spoons. 
In the event of the decease of either of the above named children, the survivor or survivors 
I desire will & shall receive the interest of said deceased Sister or Sisters. I give and 
desire all my real and personal Estate of whatever name or nature or kind soever to Paschal 
A. Jewell, of the town of Middlefield, in the County aforesaid. The Executor of this my last 
will and testament hereinafter nominated and appointed in Trust for the payment of my just 
debts and the legacies above specified with power to sell and dispose of the same at public 
or private sale at such time or times and upon such terms and in such manner as to him shall 
seem meet, provided however that no portion of the real Estate is to be sold unless it 
becomes necessary to pay the mortgage upon said real estate and secure the interest of my 
above named children and provided also that if the said Porter Doolittle my husband shall 
pay the interest on said Mortgage so that it does not accumulate then I empower the said 
Executor to re-mortgage the same and extend the time of payment as long as may be so that 
my said husband and children may have a home. And hereby I appoint my friend Paschal A. 
Jewell above named Executor of this my last will and Testament, hereby revoking all former 
wills by me made. In Witness Whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this thirty first 
day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty.


Caroline Doolittle L.S.



The above Instrument consisting of one Sheet was at the date thereof signed, sealed, 
published and declared by the said Caroline Doolittle, as and for her last will and 
testament, in presence of us, who at the request and in presence 
of her and in presence of each other have subscribed our names as witnesses thereunto.


Levi Stewart, Milford, Otsego Co. NY

Daniel Barney, Milford, Otsego Co NY

John W. Mitchell, Milford, Otsego Co NY



In the matter of proving the last will and testament}


Caroline Doolittle deceased                                     }  Otsego Co LS



John W. Mitchell, of the Town of Milford, in the County of Otsego, having duly sworn 
and examined before Thomas McIntosh Jr. Surrogate of the County of Otsego, do dispose 
and say, they were well acquainted with Caroline Doolittle, now deceased that they were 
present as witnesses, and did see the said Caroline Doolittle subscribe her name at the 
end of the instrument in writing now produced and shown to these deponents, hearing date 
the 31st day of May in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty, purporting to be 
the last Will and Testament of the said Caroline Doolittle, deceased, that the said 
Caroline Doolittle at the time of making the said subscription, declared the said 
instrument to be her last Will and Testament and requested these deponents to sign their 
names as witnesses thereto. Therefore those deponents accordingly signed their names as 
witnesses at the end of said instrument. These deponents further say that the said 
Caroline Doolittle, at the time she so executed the said instrument was a citizen of the 
United States of full age of sound mind and memory, in all respects competent to devise 
real Estate, and not under restraint.


Sworn to before on 
                     
This 1st day of
                               
February 1861

 
} Daniel Barney

} John W. Mitchell 
                           
Thomas McIntosh, Jr., Surrogate}}  
¿¿  }                                                     
County of Otsego ss. It appearing upon the proofs duly taken in respect to the last Will 
and Testament of Caroline Doolittle, late of the Town of Middlefield in the County of 
Otsego, deceased that the said Will was duly executed, and that the said Caroline 
Doolittle, at the time she executed the same, was in all respects competent to devise 
real Estate, and not under restraint, the said last will and Testament. 



Contributed by: Jayne Szaz