NATHAN B. PALMER'S WILL. HOW AN ECCENTRIC OLD GENTLE-MAN DIVIDES HIS IMMENSE ESTATE—ONE SON RECEIVES A DOOR-PLATE FOR HIS SHARE.
Through the kindness of the County Clerk, A.H. Brown, who furnished our reporter a concise and comprehensive abstract of the will of the late N.B. Palmer, we are unable to give it to the public in a brief and understandable form. Some idea of the length of the original document may be had in the information that the will, with its codicils, contains more than twenty-eight thousand words.
Since this will was made the testator's first wife, two sons and a daughter have died; this, with his disposition of the Palmer House property, some time since, necessitated the several codacils.
The following disposition is made of his property:
The valuable property located on the west side of Illinois street, between Maryland street and the first alley south, contains twelve lots. Of these his daughter Louisa S. McDougal gets three, on condition that at her death they are to go to her sons, George P. and Frank McDougal; two are given to his son Edward L. Palmer; one to Sophronia Duvall, daughter of Betsey Nelson, his "only own sister," two are given jointly to his children Louisa S. McDougal, Blackford M. Palmer, Marshall E. Palmer, and Edward L. Palmer; one to his
grand-daughter Carrie Lack, daughter of Jennie M. McDougal: one to Frank McDougal, son of Louisa S. McDougal; one to his grand-daughter Susan Tilghman, (daughter of Jennie M. McDougal), and one other lot was given to James W. Dunn, of Logansport, husband of Amelia, the testator's oldest daughter, but as both died before the testator this lot falls to the general estate.
Of (he subdivision known as Palmer's addition, which lies in (he south part of the city, near the Jcffersonville railroad, the following disposition is made: Louisa S. McDougal, seven lots; Henrietta Horn (daughter of his daughter Minerva), two lots; Emma Anderson (another daughter of Minerva), three lots; Latham McDougal, William McDougal, Lillie McDougal, (children of Jennie M. McDougal), three lots each; William Palmer, three lots; Frank Palmer, three lots; William Dunn, three lots; six other lots were bequeathed to two grand-children who are now deceased, and these lots belong to the general estate. Of lands west of White river and adjoining West Indianapolis a strip twenty rods wide is given to his grandchildren, Susan Tilghman, Latham McDougal, Carrie Lack, Wm. McDougal, jointly, except that Blackford M. Palmer is to have use and occupancy of the same for four years. Antother portion of same size is given to Wm. S. Palmer, Frank Palmer, Catherine Hunter (daughter of his oldest son Wm. S. Palmer), and Chloc Palmer (daughter of his son Marshall E.)jointly.
Some land in Taylor county, Iowa, arc bequeathed to James W. Dunn, but as he was dead before the death of the testator the bequest is a nullity.
The following bequest of money and other personal effects are made: To George P. McDougal, $500; Carrie Lack, $1,000; Howard Palmer, $50; Wm. Alex. Morrison, $50; door-plate to Blackford M. Palmer; Mary H. Palmer (daughter of Edward L. Palmer), $1,500; his second wife, Julia A. Palmer, all of the household furniture, except such articles as are otherwise specially bequeathed to others, and also the occupancy and use of the homestead for one year.
The will further provides that having disposed of all of the Palmer House property the testator directs that all moneys of his estate after paying all legacies provided for in the will and all of his just debts, shall be equally portioned among his children then living, except an amount of $8,000, to be deducted from Blackford M. Palmer's portion and to be divided equally among the following grandchildren: Susan Tighlman, Carrie Lack, Latham McDougal, Willie McDougal, and Lilly McDougal.
The testator, in one of the codacils to his will, bequeathed to his heirs all of his stock in the First National Bank of Indianapolis, amounting to 100 shares, but this he subsequently revoked by an item in a later codicil. Rev. Samuel T. Gillet, a half-brother of the testator, is made the sole executor.
NEWS ITEMS FROM THE INDIANAPOLIS JOURNAL, March-April 1875