In Verchères, on 24 January 1795, Thomas and his wife met Me. Duvernay to sign a mutual Will, leaving everything to either survivor. Six years later, 29 June 1801, they went to William Henry to meet Notary Me. Crebassa and make a certified will indicating the share of each of their children.
In the General Dictionary of Canada from Father Lejeune, it is said that the City of Sorel was called William Henry from 1787 to 1830. The name Sorel returned after 1830.
The Will of 1801, in part, states:
"Premièrement comme Chrétien a recommandé son âme à Dieu, quand elle sortira de son corps, à Dieu Père, Fils et Saint-Esprit, Suppliant sa divine Bonté par les mérites de la Passion de Notre Seigneur Jésus Christ, par l'intercession de la très Sainte Vierge de St-Thomas son Patron, de tous les Saints et Saintes de la Cour Céleste de lui pardonner ses offenses, lui faire Miséricorde et le placer au nombre des Bienheureux. Le dit testateur veut et ordonne que ses dettes soient payées et tort, si aucun se trouve, réparé par son Exécuteur testamentaire ci-après nommé. Veut et ordonne que son corps soit inhumé selon le Droit Canon de l'Eglise Presbytérienne, sans aucune pompe mais d'une manière décente."
In this Will, Thomas Handfield asks for blessings from God the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, Jesus Christ, Holy Virgin of St. Thomas, his patron saint; other saints; and asks that his sins be forgiven. He also states that he wished to be buried according to Canon Law of English Presbyterians, without pomp but in a decent manner.
Despite the desire he expressed in his Will, Thomas received the last sacraments according to the Catholic church and was buried in the Verchères cemetery with his deceased children.
To his son Alexis, born of his first marriage, who, being of age, received the inheritance that came from his mother (receipt 01 September 1788, Me. Duvernay), he left nothing "because of the bad treatment that he made him undergo". Alexis died before 1801, the date of this Will, with only one heir, a daughter born in 1788.
To his son Thomas, he left the farm at La Beauce.
To his son Jean-Baptiste, he left half the farm of Petit Côteau with the stone house.
To his son Francois-Xavier, the other half of the farm of the Petit Côteau and the wooden house.
To these three sons he imposed the obligation to give the total sum of 800 livres to their sister, Marianne, according to the value of their legacy.
An equal sum was given to Charlotte and Marie-Joseph, two of their sisters, at the time of their marriage.
Elizabeth, daughter of his first marriage, also was to receive her inheritance at her marriage.
At the time of the drawing up of that Will, Marianne was not married, however, the following year, 22 November 1802, she married Michel Petit of Verchères, who appears to have been not to his father-in-law's liking, since on 19 January 1803, Thomas met with Notary Me. Mondelet of Montréal, and altered his Will to completely disinherit his daughter Marianne.
But after the death of her husband, Thomas' widow had the Notary Pinet come to her home at Petit Côteau 12 September 1828, and gave Marianne the sum of 800 pounds which her father had deprived her of in his will.
It seems that among mothers of families, when it comes to their men, they understand each other very well. Marie-Joseph Senécal did not want to displease her husband while he was living, but she also understood very well that he had been unjust towards one of their daughters. Perhaps, on his death-bed, Thomas suggested to his wife, in a good moment, to act in this manner.
In order to be able to establish his other son, Joseph, Thomas bought a farm in the Seigneurie of Cournoyer (St. Marc), by contract before Me. Mondelet 14 July 1801 from Jean Baptiste Hétu, an area of 60 arpents. At his request, the land was surveyed on 20 June 1801 by P. Dezery, surveyor of Montréal.
This last farm is shown as Lot 454 in the Saint Marc Land Registry and in 1971 was the property of Mr. Arthur Charron. The house and farm buildings are gone.
August 5 of the same year, Thomas and his wife returned to William Henry (Sorel) and completed their Will of 29 June 1801.
The 17th of June 1828, after a life, sometimes adventurous, but well filled, after having refused military advancement and perhaps the honours in the army of his father's country, he would have obtained them, no doubt, if he had gone to England, like his brothers, and not remained for what seemed to him to be his duty, and the hard and ungrateful life of a pioneer. Thomas left his large family forever at the respectable age of 88 years.
In the register of Verchères, the priest wrote: born in England -- a very understandable error because he was an Englishman. At his marriage, Thomas had declared he was native of Port-Royal in Acadia. He also was a deportee from Acadia -- but a voluntary deportee.
His wife followed him to his grave a year later, on 14 July 1829 at the age of 77 years.
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