A Grave and a Will

When I visited Archives in Auckland , I was really excited to find a will handwritten by Ellen Middlebrook, my 3x Great Grandmother.

It was an old photo of her gravestone that got my interested in Genealogy in the first place, and I had not long before found her grave myself.

It is still standing at Purewa Cemetery in Auckland, and beside her grave is that of one of her sons James Thompson Middlebrook.  From the cemetery plans it appears there was one other person buried in this family plot but no gravestone exists and there is no record of who it might be.

 

 

This is the last Will and testament of me Ellen Middlebrook Widow of the CIty of Auckland in the colony of New Zealand.. I give and bequeath to my children here- after mentioned. To my daugther Jane Thompson, the wife of Hector McRae the sum of fifty pounds sterling for her sole use and benefit, and to my sons Benjamin Middlebrook and John Middlebrook the sum of fifty pounds sterling and to my sons Samuel Middlebrook and James Thompson Middlebrook, the like sum of fifty pounds sterling held by them in promissary notes and to my daughter Elizabeth Hardy the wife of george Douglas Hardy the sum of fifty pounds sterling held by GD Hardy her husband on promissary note and the remainder of any monies possessed by me at the time of my death to be divided into six equal portions and given to my six children before named. And the piece of land belonging to me at Tawhio KatiKati to be sold on the decision of the majority of my children and the proceeds to be divided equally among my six children before named and George Douglas Hardy and John Middlebrook of Auckland to be executors of this my will . Signed by Me Ellen Middlebrook in the presence of us present at the same time who in their presence and in the presence of each other and subscribe our names as witnesses hereto. Withnes my hand this 27th of February 1892
Ellen Middlebrook
What a treasure to find the hand written will of my great great great Grandmother at Archives in Auckland. I wonder about the differences in the delivery of the money to the daugthers - clearly one daughters husband was not at all in favour!
Ellen Middlebrook’s grave still stands proudly at Purewa Cemetery
with her son James Thompson Middlebrook