Minnie's handwritten bequest list to Amy: furniture, silver, china, and the Drayton Bible (sheet 1 of 2)
Book 2, Page 84 ·1915–1934
Transcription
A handwritten list in pencil, reading down the page. Layout follows the original where possible; uncertain readings in brackets.
Things given and to be given to Amy.
Already given ⸺ [also written diagonally in the right margin]
Dinner Table.
Brass fender and andirons.
China tea pot.
Sofa.
Water-color painting
Silver fish knife from Mulberry.
⁂ Butter dish. (Mr. FitzSimons’ silver.)
The Aaron flat Crown Darby Tureen and her share of the Mulberry china + glass.
Gifts to us to be returned to her.
Waiter with silver rim
{Vegetable dish (silver) — [marginal note in lighter pencil:] Lucy’s hand- [illegible] [/note]
Sauce boat (silver) — [marginal note:] monogram[m]ed [illegible] [/note]}
Clock — and any thing else given to us by her. Harriett [Hennig]'s book.
Amy is to have the big old Bible once the property of my great grand mother Anna Drayton. The
[illegible][corrected to:] meant tray.The Frame miniature to be drawn for.
AI Notes
Loose sheet of cream paper inscribed in pencil in the hand of Mary Anne Perry FitzSimons (‘Minnie’) — the compiler Amy’s mother — itemizing the household objects, silver, and china she intends Amy to receive. Functions as an informal testamentary memorandum rather than a legal will. Mr. FitzSimons mentioned parenthetically is Minnie’s husband Samuel Gaillard FitzSimons Sr. Continues on the next sheet (p085). ‘Mulberry’ is a recurring plantation reference. ‘Anna Drayton’ is the compiler’s maternal great-great-grandmother on the Perry side (the elder Ann/Anna Drayton Perry whose 1830 will is excerpted on book-001/p613–p616). ‘Minnie’ is the family nickname for Mary Anne Perry FitzSimons. The right-margin diagonal annotation ‘Already given’ is a section-header repeated/circled to the right. The struck-out word in the Bible clause is resolved as ‘meant tray’. Surname ‘Hennig’ remains uncertain — possibly ‘Irving’ or ‘Suing’.
Page continues on p085. The “Anna Drayton” referenced is the elder Ann/Anna Drayton Perry of the compiler’s maternal line — see book-001/p613–p616 for her 1830 will. The “Mr. FitzSimons” parenthetical refers to Minnie’s husband, Samuel Gaillard FitzSimons Sr., the compiler’s father. The companion silver pieces “Vegetable dish” and “Sauce boat” appear braced together with marginal annotations that may indicate engraved monograms (e.g., “Lucy’s hand-monogram”). Surname “Hennig” remains tentative; alternates considered include “Irving” and “Suing.”