The Last Will and Testament of Margaret Ruedger
19 Aril 1886

I Margaret Ruedger concidering the uncertainty of this mortal life and being of sound mind and memory do make and publish this my last will and testament in manner and forme following that is to say I give to my Children Renold Ruedger Fred Ruedger Emma Humphrey Henry Ruedger Sander Ruedger John Ruedger and Lydia Ruedger all my real Estate consisting of the South east quarter of the Northeast quarter and the North east quarter of the southeast quarter of section eleven Township twenty five north Range nine East of the third principal meridian and ten acres off of the entire east side of the north west quarter of the southeast quarter of section eleven town twenty-five north Range nine east of the third principal meridian also all that part of the southwest quarter of the northeast quarter lying south of the right of way of the Gilmore, Clinton and Springfield Rail Road except ten acres off of the east side of said tract of land containing twenty nine 15/100 acres (illegible) also all that part of the northeast quarter of the northwest quarter lying south of the right of way of the Gilmore, Clinton, and Springfield Rail Road containing eight 47/100 acres more or less also all that part of the north half of the southwest quarter lying south of the right of way of the Gilmore Clinton and Springfield Rail Road containing forty two 25/100 acres more or less and also the north west quarter of the southeast quarter except ten acres off of the east side of said described piece containing thirty 70/100 acres more or less all being in section eleven in Town twenty-five north of Range Nine east of the third principal meridian. All of the above described land being in Ford county Illinois and described by Warranty Deed.

Each one of my children I desire to have share Equally in said estate after each one received the portions mentioned in this will. The Real Estate may not be sold by them until the youngest of them shall become of age.

I give to my son Reynold Ruedger the two horses he has been raising for the past two years and to Fred Ruedger I give two horses one of them the horse he has used the past year and the other a yearling bay colt. It is my wish and my will that all my personal property, notes, and effects of Every kind Except the Real estate be converted into money by Public sale or otherwise and used to pay off the indebtedness against me and my Real Estate. It is my wish that the proceeds from the farm be used to take care of my minor children and that my brother-in-law Jacob Blesch should be guardian for them and that Byron Liskeof Roberts Ills and B. H. SkeelsThawville Ills be and I hereby appoint them as my sole executors of this my last will and testament. I further wish that if there is any surplus after paying my indebtedness after this sale of my personal effects or at any time from the proceeds of the farm that my daughter Emma be paid One Hundred Dollars in money. It is also my wish that my boys have the use of the farm if they so desire provided they will do any where near as well by it as any one else for it is my desire and wish to and then so they can care for my younger children. Should there be any more from the proceeds of the farm than enough to maintain my children it is my wish that it be used to improve the farm or be divided equally among the children after the youngest becomes of age. I desire that my brother-in-law, Jacob Blesch, to have supervision of the farm and advise with my children or in case of improper management of the farm or should my children not wish to use the farm then lease to other parties to best advantage as in his judgment he may deam best until the youngest child shal become of age when Equal division shal be made.

In witness thereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the 19th day of April AD 1886 Margaretha Ruedger

Witnesses:
Jacob Blesch, Roberts IL
Thomas Adamson, Thawville, IL

Notes on the Administration of the will:

1886-1887

Regular documentation of receipts and bills for Margaret�s estate were submitted to the court. The income, including note payments received from people, amounted to $1153.24. Some of the expenses paid out were as follows:

J. Blesch (guardian), first $50 in Dec. 1886, then $227.28 in January of 1887! In April he receives another $50, then $15 in May, and $110 in August. Perhaps some of the large amounts were tuition for school; John was sent to Valpariso College in Indiana, as was his oldest brother, Rheinhold.

1888-1889

R. Ruedger paid $100 in rent. Perhaps he was renting out the farm. My grandmother, his oldest daughter, always called the farm the Beeset Farm, but I have not found any written record of that name for the farm. In November of 1888, Emma Ruedger Humphrey is paid $136 �for support of children�, so apparently she was looking after her younger siblings at this time. In January 1889, Ed Hailing is given $5 for �caring for John�. In March, R.L. Ruedger is given $6.06, but no explanation is given.

1889

Apparently, Margaretha had lent out quite a bit of money. By 1889, her executors had collected it all--$1687.23! None of the loans were over $185, so you can imagine the length of the list. Some familiar surnames found on the list are:

Ruedger-$8.20
J. Blesch-$62.59
Haling-$26.50

They paid out the same amount of money, but the reason for the expenditures aren�t listed. Again, we see familiar names:

R. Ruedger-$33.80
E.S. Haling-$1.33
J. Blesch-2 notes and interest (the only time a reason is given): $1025.31

1889-1890

Even though there was a paper giving �final accounting�, the reports of income from the farm continue. R. Ruedger paid rent three times, all of differing amounts: $52.42, $147.58, and $200. He is paid $5.97 for shelling (corn?). Emma receives her $100 mentioned in the will, plus $125 for boarding her sister Lydia. In June, R. Ruedger is paid $51.30 for putting in tile (perhaps for drainage) In June, $8 is spent on clothing for Lydia. Jacob Blesch says: �bought with other goods for myselg for which I got no receipt.�

1890-1891

R. Ruedger pays rent only once, for $200. In Oct. Jacob paid $8.40 for Lydia�s clothes. In December, Henry Ruedger is paid $43.80 for tiling. In November, $2 is spent on shoes for Lydia. In March of 1891, Emma is paid $50 for board and clothing for Lydia. In May, Lydia gets another pair of shoes, this time costing $2.75. R. L. Ruedger is paid $54.45 in June for more tiling.

1891-1892

R. Ruedger pays his annual $200 rent. In October 1891, Henry Ruedger is paid $23 for painting and repairing the house. In November of that year, Lydia gets $4.40 worth of new clothing, and, the next month, she gets new shoes for $3.85. Brother Henry Ruedger is paid $300 for laying in tile in December.

1892-1894

This is the last report on file. By 1894, John would have been 20, and Lydia 14. R. Ruedger pays rent twice in this period, once for $147 and once for $160. R.L. Ruedger is paid for materials �for improvement� ($51.93), for boarding help and hauling corn ($9.60), and for a cloak for Lydia ($10) John Ruedger is given $70 cash for school, and H. Ruedger is paid $35.96 for painting and work. It is interesting to note that at this time P.J. Foster, Reynold�s brother-in-law, is paid to build a barn on the farm.

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