The Last Will and Testament of Harry T. Halsey | October 31, 1903

On this 7^th day of October in the year 1903 . . .

The Petition of Ida P. Halsey of the town of Southampton in the County of Suffolk, N.Y., respectfully showeth that Harry T. Halsey of the town of Southampton in said County departed this life at his residence in said town of Southampton on or about the 30ths day of September 1903 leaving a last Will And Testament dated July 25, 1902, and a codicil there dated September 5, 1903, relating to both real and personal property and in which your petition is named as Executrix. That the said deceased left his surviving a widow your petitioner. Your petitioner further states the widow, all the heirs, all the next of kin of said deceased, testator, together with their residence and degree of relationship are as follows, to with:

Your petitioner: Ida P. Halsey, widow

Charles H. Halsey, father

Jesse Halsey, brother

Elizabeth White, sister

Abigail Halsey, sister

We Jesse Halsey, Charles H. Halsey, Elizabeth White, [Abigail F. Halsey in separate document from State of Pennsylvania, County of Montgomery] the undersigned, being full age, and heir and next of kin of Harry T. Halsey deceased, named in the petition herein do hereby appear in person and waive the issuance and service of a citation in the above entitled matter and consent that the last Will and Testament and codicil thereby of said Harry D. Halsey deceased bearing date July 24, 1902 and September 3, 1903 respectively be admitted to probate forthwith.

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Be it Remembered, That on this 7^th day of November in the year one thousand nine hundred and three before Nathan O. Petty, Clerk of the Surrogate’s Court of said County, personally appeared Edward P. White who being by the said Clerk duly sworn and examined, says: I was well acquainted with Harry T. Halsey, deceased, bearing date the 25^th day of July in the year one thousand nine hundred and two; that such subscription was made by the said Testator in my presence and in the presence of Edward H. Foster and William R. Halsey the other subscribing witnesses that the said Testator at the same time declared the instrument so subscribed by him to be his Last Will and Testament—whereupon at the same time I and said Edward H. Foster and William R. Halsey signed our names at the end thereof, at the request of the said Testator and that the said Testator at the time of executing and publishing the said Last Will and Testament, was of full age, of sound mind and memory, and not under any restraint. ---Edward P. White

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GENERAL INVENTORY

Money in Southold Savings Bank with int. to Sept. 30, 1903.      751.22

Note                                                                                                    150.00

In. on note                                                                                          12.95

(Possibly int.. will not be paid.)

One third interest in business of Halsey, White & Halsey

Real Estate                                                                                         4,000

Wagon                                                                                                            12

Stock on hand                                                                                    487.25

Money “ “                                                                                           21.00

Bills Receivable                                                                                  39.00

One half interest in business of Halsey & White

Business estimated at $5,000 about

--Ida P. Halsey, Executrix

Note: Included in business estimate of Halsey & White:

Stock on hand belonging to Halsey & White

Contents of business bldgs 745

Scales                                      50.00

½ int. in Water Mill Scales   50.00

Buildings for storing             200

Farming implements                        $135

Live Stock                               90

Appraisers:

S.B. Livingston Bowden

S.W. W. Seymour White

"my heartfelt sympathy"

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October 7, 1903

Elmira, N. Y.

Dear Cousin Charles,

The sad news of your son’s death reached us a day or two ago and I immediately recalled his kindness to me on the only occasion I remember having seen him.

It was on the occasion of my visit to Long Island three years ago and he at once impressed me with his kindness, cordiality, and almost brotherly interest.

Please accept my heartfelt sympathy and especially extend this to his wife. I wish that we lived nearer each other so that we might be with you at this time.

Our love to all of you.

Affectionately,

S. Edward Roer

Fathers & Brothers

"In the fullness of time the old gentleman slept with his fathers and the little boy grew up, as little boys will."  --Reverend Jesse Halsey

from The Quick and the Dead c 1931

Then through the hills of the T.B. country, many couples, who are taking the cure, are out walking at the close of the day (I know something about the process, a brother and a sister having gone through it, one successfully).

from One Extra Curriculum or Adventures in Overalls c 1934

I am now, and have been for twenty years, the minister of a God fearing congregation that quite often wears dinner jackets. Needless to say, I don’t wear overalls in the pulpit. But they are, I rather think, thanks to my father, a symbol of my philosophy of life. My ancestors were sea-faring men, chasing whales from Kamchatka to Palmer Land. They sailed the seven seas. I have had to make my adventure nearer home, and these are a sample of some of the interesting things that have happened.

*** 

All but ready for college; hard work on the farm, day after day, through a long, hot summer. Father was often sick and my older brother an almost chronic invalid. I was working nights to get off a college entrance exam in German. Then came the uncertainty as to the possibility of going—one day going, the next, staying. Finally, a week before school was to open, everyone was better and college seemed assured. [1899?] Saturday, September 16, “going.” Sunday, the 17^th, “going tomorrow at 7:15 A. M.” “Monday, the 18^th.” Up at four in the morning and into overalls to milk for the last time and drive the cows to pasture. Then, a bath, a new suit, breakfast, the train, two ferries, another train, Princeton! All set to go! But came 6 A.M., there were no family prayers. “Father’s sick.” My older brother called me to his bed. “I don’t see how we can spare you. Go, if you think you ought (hard word to a New England conscience). We’ll find the money and get on somehow.

“If you ought?”= “If you can?” A long moment of terrific struggle, then up the stairs, back into overalls, down the lane behind the white horses (or their successors) and as the long, brown furrow turned ‘ere the train goes by, and I waved to the fellow who was supposed to be my roommate.

Then, for four years it was overalls all day and books at night; work, hard work, that made a boy into a man. Sickness at home, long painful days, tedious, painful nights, watching and crude nursing; learning, learning things not found in books, learning, so that, automatically, as one says 6 x 6, duty stands before pleasure and the days of work and nights of broken sleep, reading, study snatched here and there, with correspondence courses and a few weeks now and then in the winter, at the college, result in a body hard as nails, needing little sleep, splendid health and happy heart withal—work had become joy. The inoculation had become successful.

My brother died. I assumed the farm responsibility. Some crops failed, others succeeded (more of the former), and gradually I worked out my own schemes, sometimes with my father’s approbation and sometimes without. (But he always paid the bills.) I was handy with tools, so plumbing found its way into the old farmhouse, also steam heat and electric lights. Winter days laying hardwood floors. (Now I wish the old wide pine and oak floorboards worn by the feet of many grandmothers, were back.) New roofs, better stables, sheds, etc., were made possible by an overall ability inherited from my grandfather. My father, until the last years of his life, never had five hundred dollars in cash in any one year, but we lived well on what we raised, and traded produce for groceries and dry goods—of actual cash there was very little.

from Memoir: Section One, p. 14 c 1952

After mother died (when I was five) father took on the heavy responsibility of doing all that he could to take her place. He spent his evenings reading to me and telling me stories. I was with him constantly as he drove to the farm about half a mile removed from our barn and farm house. I followed him about his work and I imagined furnished him some small measure of companionship that he missed in mother's going. He was devoted to her memory and twenty years afterward I have come upon him at night kneeling at his bedside looking at her picture and pouring out his heart.

Harry T. Halsey | Obituary

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Sea-Side Times | Southampton, N. Y.

Thursday, October 1, 1903

 

A Man of Sterling Character and Christian Fortitude

Harry T. Halsey died at his home in this village at six o’clock yesterday morning after a long and wasting illness from which he has suffered for many years.

Harry Thomas Halsey was born in Southampton November 12, 1864. He was the eldest son of Charles Henry and Melvina Terry Halsey. He was named for his two grandfathers, Captain Harry Halsey, of Southampton, and Mr. Thomas Terry, of Terryville, near Port Jefferson.

Mr. Halsey was a young man of broad intelligence and sterling character. He was educated at the old Southampton Academy. At an early age he united with the Presbyterian Church and was later made a ruling elder being one of the youngest men ever chose to set in that capacity.

A dozen years ago he entered into a partnership with W. Seymour White under the firm name of Halsey and White to deal in farm produce, farmers’ supplies, and coal. The business is still in a flourishing condition.

Very soon after embarking in business Mr. Halsey was seized with an alarming affection of the lungs and went to Colorado in quest of health. He returned the following year but little benefited, but through the skill of physicians and extreme care on his part the progress of the disease was arrested.

He has spent several winters in the South, in Virginia, Georgia, or the Carolinas, daring to remain at home only during the summer. For more than ten years he has made a hard battle for life and for the last year or two has been in very terrible condition.

Last winter he lived near Thomasville, GA, and when he returned home his friends finally realized that it was his last winter S[?]. He was sick most of the time and confined to the house during the past summer and [?] past summers but was [?] when the expected end actually came.

The funeral service will be held his home tomorrow after at half past 1 o’clock.

On October 19, 1899, Mr. Halsey married Miss Ida D. Pettet, a favorite teacher at the new Southampton Union School. No children were born to them.

Besides a widow and his father, Mr. Halsey leaves [behind a brother, Jesse Halsey, and two sisters,] Miss Abigail Halsey [and Mrs. Edward P. White.]