Last Will and Testament | Charles H. Halsey | 1906

Last Will and Testament | Charles H. Halsey

I, Charles H. Halsey, widower; a resident of the Town of Southampton, in the county of Suffolk and State of New York, being of sound mind and memory, do make, publish and declare this my last Will and Testament in manner following, that is to say:

First. I direct that all my just debts and funeral expenses be paid.

Second. I give, bequeath and devise to my son Jesse Halsey my Homestead, situate on the west side of Main Street, Village of Southampton, N.Y.; north of the property of the late Daniel Jagger, Decd., and the farm utensils, grain, stock and all the appliances of the place. Also various tracts of land, viz;

A lot situated on the west side of the North Sea Road, in this village south of the Railroad, of about twenty-five acres, more or less, two tracts of land on the northerly side of the Railroad, this village; One tract is bounded north by land of Samuel Bishop, east by land of Ira W. Skinner and south by land of Frank H. and Wm. Aldrich, containing about five and five sixth acres. The second tract is bounded north by land owned or occupied by Joseph Wood, east by estate of D. S. Havens, decd., and south by land of U.R. Havens (formerly Elizabeth Fowler’s land).

My Camp Pond Lot, in the North Woods, bounded north by land of Stephen Haynes, decd., east by land of Edward J. Halsey; south by land of A.M. Cook; and west by land formerly of Jesse Halsey, decd.

A wood lot adjoining the Twelve Acres, bounded north and south by land of the heirs of Stephen Sayre; east by land of Henry Post and George F. Edwards, west by land of J.W.F. Howell and heirs or legatees of Franklin Jagger decd.

My Sandy Hollow Lot, bounded north by the estate of E.E. Hubbard, east by the highway, south by the Sebonac Road, and west by land of the estate of Geo. Woldman.

A lot of about ten acres, in the north woods, that I bought of E. Post, bounded north by H. H. Post, east by the Parsonage land, south by Wm. R. Penny and west by F. W. Cook.

A lot near Millstone Brook, in lot #51, bounded north, east, and west by Valentine Schenck, west by the road.

Two tracts of land near the Methodist Camp; one is bounded north by Edward J. Halsey and Everett Halsey, east and west by D. H. Rose. The other tract is bounded north by the heirs of Samuel Halsey, east by Edward J. Halsey, south by D. H. Rose and west by James Pierson.

I also give to my son, Jesse Halsey, the box that was my father’s and the small boxes containing paper, all that is in the bureau in my bedroom and the contents of the boxes therein, the bedstead and bedding and all that is in my room that belongs to me at my death.

I make my son Jesse my sold residuary legatee of any and all remainder of my property or effects of any kind or character, after all the gifts and legacies named in this instrument are paid and disposed of.

Third. I give to my daughter, Elizabeth M. White, the bureau that was my mother’s, the Organ and Stand, one half of my silver and one half of what remains of her mother’s not otherwise disposed of (she dividing equally with her sister Abigail), and the sum of Seven Hundred dollars.

Fourth. I give to my daughter, Abigail F. Halsey, the furniture in the east champer of my present dwelling house, also a home in said house as long as she remains unmarried, and the large looking glass, and equally with her sister Elizabeth, one half of my silver and one half of the undivided property that was her mother’s, and the sum of Seven Hundred Dollars.

Fifth. I give to my sister in law, Mrs. J. Augusta Halsey, the sum of one hundred dollars, to be paid out of my personal estate.

Sixth. I give to my niece, Edna A. Halsey and Mary Cross, the sum of twenty-five dollars each.

North End Graveyard, Southampton, Graves of Henry and Eliza Halsey and their children Amanda, Mary Rose, and Jesse

Seventh. I give the Southampton Cemetery Association of the village of Southampton, the sum of fifty dollars, the income from the same to be used for the care of my lot in said Cemetery, viz: Lot 1, Block 22 at the discretion of and under the direction of the Trustees of said Cemetery Association. I also give a further sum of fifty dollar to said Association, to be used, or as much thereof as may be needed for the removal of the remains of my father, mother, brother, and two sisters from the old ground onto my before mentioned lot in the new cemetery of said association, or the interest thereof to be used for the care of the plot in the old cemetery as my children may deem advisable: i.e., my children at my decease are to say whether the remains named shall be removed or cared for where they are.

Lastly, I hereby appoint my son Jesse Halsey and my friend Edward H. Foster executor of this, my last Will and Testament; hereby revoking all former wills by me made.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name the 19^th day of April, in the year One thousand nine hundred and six (1906).

CHARLES H. HALSEY

Attestation Clause

Albert J. Post

Hubert A. White

Probated Sept. 19, 1906.

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.

Charles Henry Halsey | Obituary

The Southampton Press,

Wednesday, August 15, 1906

Charles Henry Halsey

Last Thursday, at five o’clock in the morning, another of our oldest inhabitants passed away at the ripe age of 73 years and 10 months, 72 of which were spent in this village. Mr. Halsey was born in New York city, where his father, Captain Harry Halsey, pursued his trade of mason.

Although not taking an active part in village and church affairs officially, Mr. Halsey maintained an interest in both and was always interested in the ways and means looking to success in all undertakings affecting each. A life-long member of the Presbyterian church, Mr. Halsey was consistent in his belief and led the life of a true christian. Genial and kindly in his associations with his fellow men, he was universally respected and leaves to his family and friend an honorable memory.

Mr. Halsey was descended from one of the Colonial families and was eight in line from Thomas Halsey, 1640: Daniel, Daniel, Henry, Jesse, Charles Fithian, Captain Harry, Charles Henry.

The deceased was the son of Captain Harry and Eliza Halsey, and was born October 10^th, 1830. He married Melvina D., daughter of Thomas Terry, December 24^th, 1863. She died June 2, 1887, of pneumonia, aged 43 years. Four children were born to them: Harry Thomas, deceased; Lizzie May, wife of Edward P. White; Abigail Fithian, and Jesse, who survive.

The funeral with was held at his late residence at two o’clock Saturday afternoon was largely attended. Rev. R. S. Campbell, D.D. conducting the services. Internment in new cemetery.