Estate Records - More than just wills (part 3)

If a person dies without a will (intestate) and there is property to be distributed, then someone has to apply for Letters of Administration. Most often this is the surviving spouse or adult children, but it could be a creditor.

When Henry William Ruby, merchant, died in Port Elgin, Ontario without a will, his wife applied for Letters of Administration.  He was survived by his wife and seven children. In the request for the letters of administration, she names the children and tells where they are living.

2. The said William Henry Ruby, who is the oldest son of the said deceased is now residing in the City of Chicago, in the United States of America, and the said John Emmanuel, who is the second oldest son of the said deceased, is now residing in the City of Winnipeg in the Province of Manitoba

3. The said Frederick Ruby resides in Smith's Falls in the Province of Ontario

4. The said Alexander, Carl, Ada, and Oswald Ruby are infants under the age of twenty-one years.

5. The said Ada and Oswald Ruby reside with me in the said Village of Port Elgin, and the said Alexander Ruby is also at present residing with me in the said Village.

From statement #5, it would appear that Alexander may have at some time not lived with his parents.

Frederick renounced his right to letters of administration. This document gives the date of death of his father.

Whereas William Henry Ruby, late of the Village of Port Elgin in the County of Bruce, Merchant, deceased, died on or about the Eighth day of August, 1892, intestate, and had at the time of his death a fixed place of abode at the Village of Port Elgin in the said County of Bruce, and Whereas I, Frederick Ruby, of the Town of  Smith's Falls, in the County of Lanark, Clerk, as one of his natural and lawful children and next of kin.

NOW I the said Frederick Ruby do hereby expressly renounce all my right and title to letters of administration of the property of the said deceased In Witness Whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty Seventh day of October, 1892

© 2010 Janet Iles