The Will of Hans JACOBSEN

This will is held at the Nelson Court House. The original was tied with an old ribbon. The scanned images below are of a photocopy of the will and supporting documents, unfortunately damaged in the fire.

Typing up the text from the will was a painful exercise - and I have to admit that a lot of words were guesses. If something does not look right, check the original - and if you have a better guess, email me!

I have never been able to figure out why Hans left his estate to only two of his sons - Henry and Andrew. I wonder if it had anything to do with his other two sons, Isaac and Jacob, converting to Catholicism?

This is the last will and testament of me Hans JACOBSEN of the Town of Nelson in New Zealand ships carpenter. Subject to the payment of my just debts funeral and testamentary expenses, I do hereby give devise and bequeath all my real and personal estates and effects whatsoever and wheresoever and of what nature or kind soever unto my sons Johann Andreas Jacobsen and Johann Julius Heinrich Jacobsen, their heirs, executors, administrators and assign equally to be divided between them as tenants in common. And I do hereby appoint the said Johann Andreas Jacobsen and Johann Julius Heinrich Jacobsen joint executors of this my will. In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this nineteenth day of March one thousand eight hundred and fifty five.

Signed declared and acknowledged by the above named Hans Jacobsen the testator as and for his last will and testament in the presence of us present at the same time and who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses.

This is the paper writing ợ referred to in the joint affidavit of Johann Andreas Jacobsen and Johann Julius Heinrich Jacobsen sworn before me this eleventh day of January 1862.

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In the Supreme Court of New Zealand District of Nelson

I Thomas Tucker of the City of Nelson in the Province of Nelson in New Zealand Mariner, swear that I knew Hans Jacobsen of the said City of Nelson Ship Carpenter when alive and that the said Hans Jacobsen was resident at the City of Nelson aforesaid within this District and that the said Hans Jacobsen died by drowning in my presence by the upsetting of a boat on the bar of the Buller River within this District on the afternoon of the twenty fourth day of December one thousand eight hundred and sixty one.

Sworn at the City of Nelson aforesaid this eleventh day of January 1862 before me.

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In the Supreme Court of New Zealand District of Nelson

We Johann Andreas Jacobsen of the City of Nelson in the Province of Nelson in New Zealand Carpenter and Johann Julius Heinrich Jacobsen of the same City Mariner swear that we believe the paper writing now produced bearing date the nineteenth day of March one thousand eight hundred and fifty five and marked ợ to be the last will and testament of Hans Jacobsen late of the said City of Nelson Ship Carpenter deceased and that we are the joint executors therein named. We swear that we will faithfully execute the siad will by paying the debts and legacies of the deceased as far as the property will extend and the law binds, and that we will exhibit unto this court a full and perfect inventory of all the personal estate effects and credits of the deceased on or before the twentieth day of April next and then we will file a true account of our executorship on or before the twenty fourth day of December next.

Sworn at the City of Nelson aforesaid this eleventh day of January 1862 before me.

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