Wills

Last Will and Testament of Laura Ingalls Wilder and Almanzo Wilder

STATE OF MISSOURI COUNTY OF WRIGHT (seal)

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: That I, the undersigned Laura Ingalls Wilder, being in good health, sound and disposing mind and desiring to make disposition of my affairs while in health and strength, do hereby make, publish and declare the following to be my last will and testament, in manner and form, following to wit:

1. I direct the payment of all my just debts and funeral expenses.

2. I will and bequeath to my daughter, Rose Wilder Lane all my Copyrighted Literary property and the income from same for and during her natural life and at her death I direct that said Copyrighted Literary property and the income from same be given to the Laura Ingalls Library of Mansfield, Missouri.

3. I further direct that the beneficiary under the aforesaid bequest shall pay the sum of TEN AND NO/100 DOLLARS ($10.00) annually to the De Smet Cemetery Association of De Smet, South Dakota, for the care of the Ingalls family lot and that said beneficiary further pay the sum of TEN AND NO/100 DOLLARS ($10.00) annually to the Mansfield Cemetery Association of Mansfield, Missouri, for the care of the Wilder family lot.

4. I will and bequeath all the balance of the property that I may die possessed of whether it be tangible, intangible, real, personal or mixed to my daughter, Rose Wilder Lane.

5. I hereby constitute and appoint N.J. Craig of Mansfield, Missouri to be the Executor of this my last will and testament.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF I HAVE HEREUNTO SET MY HAND TO THIS MY LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT, CONSISTING OF TWO PAGES. THIS THE 6TH. DAY OF FEBRUARY, 1952.

(signed) Laura Ingalls Wilder

We the undersigned witnesses hereby certify that the foregoing instrument was signed on the above mentioned date by Laura Ingalls Wilder and by her declared to be her last will and testament and we have signed same as witnesses thereto at her request in her presence and in the presence of each other.

(signed) S.R. Craig
(signed) W.M. Craig

LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT

I, Alonzo [sic] J. Wilder, of Mansfield, Missouri, being of sound mind and memory, and considering the uncertainty of this transitory life, do therefore make, ordain and publish and declare this to be my LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT.

FIRST, I order and direct my executor, hereinafter named, pay all of my just debts and funeral expenses as soon after my decease as conveniently may be.

SECOND, I give and bequeath unto my wife, Bessie, and my daughter, Rose Wilder Lane, the payment on the land I sold to H.L. Shorter, divided equally between them each month or each payment.

THIRD, to my friend and benefactor, Silas Seals [sic], I give and bequeath my Sasafras Chair, and Cypress Stand Table. I also give and bequeath unto Silas Seals [sic] my Postal Savings Account at Mountain Grove, Missouri.

FOURTH, the residue of my personal property, I give unto my wife, Bessie Wilder.

LASTLY, I make, constitute and appoint my wife, Bessie Wilder to be the executor of this, my LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT, hereby revoking all former WILLS by me made. This 13st day of July 1944.

(signed) A J Wilder

This instrument was on the date thereof, signed, published and declared by the said testator, Alonzo [sic] J. Wilder, to be the last will and testament in the presence of us, who at his request, have subscribed our names thereto as witnesses in his presence and in the presence of each other.

(signed) Jms A Dennis, witness
(signed) Henry Dennis, witness

Note: This is a copy of an earlier will of Almanzo's. A later will, worded the same, was signed on 21 October 1944. It was the will of "Alamanzo J. Wilder" and signed as "Almanzo J. Wilder".

Many people have asked regarding Almanzo's wife "Bessie". This was his nickname for Laura, her middle name being Elizabeth.