Title
Will of Peter Bryce
Subject
Wills
Bryce, Peter, 1834-1892
Bryce, Ellen Peter, 1941-1929
Description
This is a handwritten will of Dr. Peter Bryce, the first superintendent of Bryce Hospital and a pioneer in mental health care.
Creator
Peter Bryce
Source
Pam and Clif Penick
Date
March 20, 1873
Contributor
Betty Slowe (Description)
Type
Document
Identifier
2556
Coverage
Tuscaloosa (AL)
Text
I, Peter Bryce, of the county of Tuscaloosa and State of Alabama, being of sound mind and disposing memory do make and publish the following as my last will and testament.
Item First - After the payment of my funeral expenses and any just debts that may be due by me at the time of my death, I will and bequeath to my beloved wife, Ellen C. Bryce, all my property, real, personal and mixed, and choses in action nevertheless with the limitations and upon the conditions hereinafter specified. She shall hold and possess said property during her natural life to her sole and separate use, free from the power or control of any future husband and without liability to the payment of his debts; and shall have power to dispose of or sell the same so as to change the investments from one kind of property to another; and may use the principal should it become necessary, in her opinion, to support her or to promote her personal comfort.
Item Second - I also empower and authorize my said wife to dispose of any of said property by last will and testament on the following terms: to wit: she may bequeath one half thereof to such numbers of my family as she may consider most necessitous or deserving; and the other half to any person or purpose she may see proper.
Item Third - If my said wife should die without making any will and testament, disposing of my property as aforesaid, there I desire and will that so much thereof as she may die possessed of shall go to my heirs at law, as if I had died intestate.
Item Fourth - I hereby appoint and constitute my said wife as my sole Executrix of this Will and Testament and waive the giving of any Bond by her.
Item Fifth - It is my intention that my said Executrix shall hold and manage my property more in the capacity of a Trustee than an Executrix, free from the control and supervision of the Courts in any manner whatever except to far as may be necessary for the mere probating of this will.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this twentieth day of March A.D. 1873.
Peter Bryce (Seal)
Witnesses
The words “she may bequeath” being first erased
R.P. Hugen
H. James
Item First - After the payment of my funeral expenses and any just debts that may be due by me at the time of my death, I will and bequeath to my beloved wife, Ellen C. Bryce, all my property, real, personal and mixed, and choses in action nevertheless with the limitations and upon the conditions hereinafter specified. She shall hold and possess said property during her natural life to her sole and separate use, free from the power or control of any future husband and without liability to the payment of his debts; and shall have power to dispose of or sell the same so as to change the investments from one kind of property to another; and may use the principal should it become necessary, in her opinion, to support her or to promote her personal comfort.
Item Second - I also empower and authorize my said wife to dispose of any of said property by last will and testament on the following terms: to wit: she may bequeath one half thereof to such numbers of my family as she may consider most necessitous or deserving; and the other half to any person or purpose she may see proper.
Item Third - If my said wife should die without making any will and testament, disposing of my property as aforesaid, there I desire and will that so much thereof as she may die possessed of shall go to my heirs at law, as if I had died intestate.
Item Fourth - I hereby appoint and constitute my said wife as my sole Executrix of this Will and Testament and waive the giving of any Bond by her.
Item Fifth - It is my intention that my said Executrix shall hold and manage my property more in the capacity of a Trustee than an Executrix, free from the control and supervision of the Courts in any manner whatever except to far as may be necessary for the mere probating of this will.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this twentieth day of March A.D. 1873.
Peter Bryce (Seal)
Witnesses
The words “she may bequeath” being first erased
R.P. Hugen
H. James