In re Bradstreet's Will

5 Fla. Supp. 70
CourtPalm Beach County Judge's Court
DecidedFebruary 6, 1954
StatusPublished

This text of 5 Fla. Supp. 70 (In re Bradstreet's Will) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Palm Beach County Judge's Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Bradstreet's Will, 5 Fla. Supp. 70 (Fla. Super. Ct. 1954).

Opinion

RICHARD P. ROBBINS, County Judge.

Lillian A. Bradstreet, a widow domiciled at the time of her death in Palm Beach, died on February 4, 1953 leaving her last will and testament dated October 15, 1952, and admitted to probate and record in this court February 11, 1953, set forth in full below—

Last Will and Testament
I, LILLIAN A. BRADSTREET, of Palm Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida, being of sound and disposing mind and memory, do hereby make, publish and declare this as and for my last -will and testament, hereby expressly revoking all former wills, codicils and other testamentary dispositions by me at any time heretofore made.
First: I direct payment of all my just debts and funeral expenses as soon as practicable after my death.
Second: To my cousin, Nellie Goodridge Dodd, of South Hamilton, Massachusetts, I hereby give, devise and bequeath TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS' ($10,000.00) in cash; also lots numbers 199, 200 and 201 in Floral Park, Palm Beach, County of Palm Beach, Florida, with all buildings, furnishings, personal and mixed thereon. It is my wish that this property be not disposed of for a period of ten (10) years after my death, but can be leased for an income.
Third: To other cousins or relatives, if living, between whom and me there is no particular interest or contact, I purposely refrain from making any bequest or devices to any of them.
Fowrth: To my friend, Mrs. Margaret Davis, of 143 Caroline Street, Sarasota Springs, New York, I hereby give, devise and bequeath TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS ($2,000.00) and two (2) antique chairs which I promised her.
Fifth: To Madame Yvonne Paul of 25 East 48th Street, New York City, I give, devise and bequeath TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS ($2,000.00) for my love and affection for her.
Sixth: ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($1,000.00) is to be set aside in case it would be needed for our mausoleum in Woodlawn Cemetery at West Palm Beach, Florida.
Seventh: To Mrs. Ray Masters, of Black Mountain, North Carolina, I give, devise and bequeath TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS ($2,000.00) in cash.
Eighth: A list of jewelry which I wish to give friends is attached to this Will.
[73]*73Ninth: All the remainder of my Estate, both real and personal, which I have not heretofore bequeathed in this Will, shall go into the residue and a trust created for the period of ten (10) years and the income divided and paid to the beneficiaries semi-annually, if alive. In the event of the death of any of the said beneficiaries, their bequest will revert to the trust and not to any of their heirs. At the end of ten (10) years the trust account is to be divided among the beneficiaries who are living and not to any of their relatives after their death.
Tenth: Should there be no beneficiaries living at the end of the trust (ten years) I give and bequeath what remains in trust to the Crippled Children’s Society of Palm Beach, Florida, in memory of my husband, Benjamin M. Bradstreet.
Eleventh: I hereby nominate and appoint the First National Bank in Palm Beach, with Frank Swanson of Palm Beach, as my Executors of this Will and appoint Horner Fisher, attorney of West Palm Beach, as attorney for my Executors of this Will.
Twelvth: It is my wish that this Will is not made public or published in any newspaper.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I, LILLIAN A. BRADSTREET, have hereunto set my hand and seal this 15th day of October A. D. 1952.
Lillian A. Bradstreet
The foregoing instrument was signed, sealed, published and declared by the said Testator, Lillian A. Bradstreet, as and for her Last Will and Testament, in the presence of us, who at her request and in her presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses, this 15th day of October, A. D. 1952.
Hazel S. Sowell West Palm Beach, Fla.
Olga E. Fenn West Palm Beach, Fla.
J. Mildred Booth West Palm Beach, Fla.

On July 29,1953 the executors filed their petition for a construction of the will, a determination of beneficiaries and other relief, in which they posed with distinctness the following questions—

Question No. J — What property is included within the words “with all buildings, furnishings, personal and mixed thereon” in the second numbered clause of the will?
Question No. 2 — What property is included within the words “this property” in the second numbered clause of the will?
Question No. 8 — Does the language “it is my wish that this property be not disposed of for a period of ten (10) years after my death, but can be leased for an income” (a) Create a valid restraint upon the alienation thereof by Nellie Goodridge Dodd? (b) By whom and for whose benefit can said property be “leased for an income”?
Question No. U — If there be living “other cousins and relatives” (save Nellie Goodridge Dodd) does or does not the third numbered clause of the will operate to disinherit them?
[74]*74Question No. 5 — Is the bequest to Mrs. Margaret Davis of “two (2) antique chairs which I promised her” a valid and effective bequest and if so, what chairs are included within said words in the fourth numbered clause of the will?
Question No. 6 — What if any disposition is to be made by petitioner executors of the $1,000 referred to in the sixth numbered paragraph of the will under the direction that it “be set aside in case it would be needed for our mausoleum in Woodlawn Cemetery at West Palm Beach”?
Question No. 7 — What if any effect has the eighth numbered clause of the will, no list of jewelry having been found attached to the will or with it?
Question No. 8 — Is the ninth numbered clause of the will effective or not to create a trust of the residuary estate therein referred to?
Question No. 9 — If said trust be valid and effective, from what date will the ten year term thereof be measured?
Question No. 10 — To whom do the words “the beneficiaries” contained in the ninth numbered clause of the will refer?
Question No. 11 — If the words “the beneficiaries” contained in the ninth numbered clause of the will be construed to refer to those named in preceding clauses of the will, in what proportions are they to share (a) in distribution of income, and (b) in distribution of corpus?
Question No. 12 — Do the words “the Crippled Children’s Society of Palm Beach” sufficiently designate “Palm Beach County Crippled Children’s Society, Inc.” as the beneficiary under the tenth numbered clause of the will?
Question No. 18

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Bluebook (online)
5 Fla. Supp. 70, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-bradstreets-will-flajudct12-1954.