William Haight Leggett

     William Haight was born on Wednesday, 15 April 1789 at 301 Pearl Street in the City, County & State of New York.⁴ William married Margaret Peck Wright, daughter of Augustus Wright and Katharine Uyt ten Bogaert [second], on 28 December 1814 at the Brick Presbyterian Church in the City, County & State of New York. They were married by Rev. Mr. Spring.⁵ He and Margaret Peck were blessed with 11 children. William Haight Leggett and Margaret Peck Wright lived at 307 Pearl Street in the City, County & State of New York. William Haight Leggett and Margaret Peck Wright lived at Rose Bank, Morrissania, West Farms, Westchester County, New York. Morrisianna consisted of 250 morgan obtained originally by Capt. Richard Morris from the indians. Capt. Morris came to Westchester in 1674 from Barbados. 29 October 1850, William and his wife, Margaret, were listed on the U.S. Federal Census in West Farms, Westchester County, New York. Enumerated in this household were William H. Leggett [61 New York], his wife: Margaret W. [56 New York], William L. Allen [33 New York - lawyer], his wife Catherine M. Allen [32 New York], Margaret L. Allen [9 New York], Sarah Allen [4 New York], John W. [23 New York], George F. [21 New York], Francis W. [16 New York], servants: Maria McCullogh [21 Ireland], Alice Galghar [51 Ireland], Alice Macaulff [28 Ireland], James Riley [16 Ireland- coachman], James Riley [52 Ireland - laborer] & Bridget Leary [36 Ireland]. His real estate value was $80,000.⁶ 18 June 1860, William and his wife, Margaret, were listed on the U.S. Federal Census in the City, County & State of New York. Enumerated in this household were William H. Leggett [70 New York], his wife: Margaret [64 New York], son, George F. [30 New York-clerk], George's wife: Charlotte M. [25 New York], Phebe Leggett [35 New York], Mary Nelson [16 New York], Sarah Leggett [6 New York], & domestics: Ann Meridan [30 Ireland], Mary O'Neill [30 Ireland], & Mary McCullough [25 Ireland]. Value of property $5,000 for William & $500.00 for George F.^7,8 William made his will on 21 October 1861 at the City, County & State of New York.

I, William H. Leggett of the City, County, and State of New York, do hereby make, publish and declare this instrument to be my last will and testament as follows viz:
First - I direct my executors hereinafter named to pay all my just debts and funeral expenses, and to collect all debts due to me, including to those owing to me by any of my children; all monies owing to me by my children will be evidenced by charges on my account books, or by their notes or bonds at my property; all endorsements made by me for or on account of any of my children, for which my estate shall become chargeable, shall be charged as debts owing by those of my children for whom such endorsements were made and shall be paid by them.
Second - I give, devise and bequeath to my beloved wife Margaret W. Leggett all and every article of household furniture and chattel property contained in my present residence at no. 9 East 16th Street in the said city of New York to her own free use and disposal forever, and I request that the same pass to her without inventory or appraisement. I also give and devise unto my said wife the use, rent and income of my house and premised at no. 9 East 16th Street, city of New York, with the appurtenances to have and to hold the same to my said wife and her assigns for and during the term of her natural life, during which period all taxes and assessments imposed thereon shall be paid by my executors out of my remaining estate. I also give, devise and bequesth unto my said wife and her assigns, for and during the term of her natural life, one annunity or clear yearly rent in sum of three thousand dollars free of all taxes and other deductions, to be _____ and payable out of the remainder of my estate, to be paid to her by equal monthly installments on first day of each month, the first payment to be made on the month next of my decease; and I hereby charge the whole of my estate, real and personal not herein before disposed of, to and with the payment of the said annuity yearly rent or sum of $3,000, accordingly. The _______ devises and bequests to my wife are made and intended in lieu of her dower and life estates in and to all my estate. The mortgage for $5,000. held by me on the St. Nicholas Hotel property in the city of New York, is to her held,___ ___ to my said wife the payment of the funds left by her father to her intrust during her natural life.
Third - I give, devise and bequeath to my daughter Catharine Maria, wife of William M. Allen, the sum of five thousand dollars, the same to be invested by my executors hereinafter named, in bond and mortgage or improved real estate in this state [to be approved of by her husband], and the interest and income thereof to be paid over to my said daughter yearly and every year during her natural life, and after her decease the principal thereof to be distributed to and among her children in equal shares.
Fourth - I give, devise and bequeath to my son John W. Leggett his bond now held by me to secure the payment of five thousand dollars together with all interest that may be due thereon.
Fifth - I give, devise and bequeath to my son Francis W. Leggett the sum of seven thousand five hundred dollars.
Sixth - All the rest, residue and remainder of my estate, real, personal and unused, whatsoever and wheresoever the same may be, I give, devise, and bequeath to the executors of this my will hereinafter named in trust however should any possess the same for and during the term of the natural life of my wife; to pay all taxes and assessments imposed thereon, to keep the buildings in the same ______ and in good condition and repair, and insured against loss by fire; and if any personal property shall remain after payment of my debts and mortgages and the legacies herein before bequeathed, to invest the same and keep the same invested, either in government securities, or in bond and mortgage or improved real estate situate in this state, and the net income of my said residuary estate, after the payment of the annuity hereinbefore devised to my wife, shall be applied by my said executors as follows viz. they shall yearly and every year divide the same in eight equal parts, and pay over one of said equal parts to each of my eight children, and in case of the decease of any one or more of my said children before the division of my estate as hereinafter provided, leaving lawful issue, the share of such net income belonging to each deceased child shall be distributed and divided unto and among the lawful issue of each deceased child, such issue, if one, taking the same solely, if more than one, jointly and equally, share and share alike, and if any of the issue of such deceased child shall have died leaving lawful issue, such issue shall take the share or shares which his, hers or their parents should have taken if living. After the decease of my wife and not before, I direct my now executors to divide all my said residuary estate real and personal or the avails thereof so held in trust by them, in eight equal parts, each of which said equal parts shall there after continue to be held in trust by my said executors, separately and distinctly, each from the others viz. One of said parts in trust for my daughter Catharine M. Allen and during the term of her natural life: one other of said parts in trust for my son Augustus W. Leggett and during the term of his natural life: one other of said parts for my son Edward W. Leggett and during the term of his natural life: one other of the said parts for my son Samuel M. Leggett and during the term of his natural life: one other of said parts for my son Thomas B. Leggett and during the term of his natural life, - ane other of said parts for my son John W. Leggett and during the term of his natural life, - one other of said parts for my son George F. Leggett and during the term of his natural life, and the remaining one of said parts in trust for my son Francis W. Leggett and during the term of his natural life, - and my said executors shall yearly and every year pay over to my said eight children respectively for and during the term of their several natural lives, the produce, interest, and income arising from the shares of my estate ___ and allotted to them respectively. And I do hereby authorize and impower each and every of my said children respectively, by an instrument in writing on the nature of a will and executed in the manner provided by law for the executor of wills to dispose of the shares of my estate so as aforesaid allotted to them respectively to and among each of their respective issue and descendants, and in each share and proporation as my said children respectively by such instrument shall nominate and appoint: and upon the decease of my said children respectively, the principal of the share of my estate so as aforesaid allotted to such deceased child and what may remain of the interest and income thereof, shall, as soon after the decease of such child as conviently can be done, be distributed and divided unto and among such of the issue and descendants of such deceased child and in such shares and proportions as shall be appointed by the will of such deceased child as above divided. If any of my said children shall die without having disposed of the share of my estate in as aforesaid allotted to them by appointments will as above provided, then, and in such case, the principal of the share so set apart which child and what may remain of the interest and income thereof shall as soon after his or her decease as conviently can be done be distributed and divided out and among the lawful issue of such deceased child, such issue, is one, taking the same solely, if more than one jointly and equally share and share alike, and if any of the issue of such deceased child shall have died leaving lawful issue, such issue shall take the share or shares which his, her or their parent would have taken if living.
Seventh - I hereby nominate, constitute and appoint my sons Edward W. Leggett, Thomas B. Leggett, John W. Leggett and Francis W. Leggett to be the executors of this my last will and testament, and trustees of my estate for the benefit of my wife and children as herein before provided: and as they will have authority to employ and appoint agents to let any real estate and collect rents, I trust and hope that neither of my said sons will make any charges for their own services occurred as executors or _____ under this my will.
Eighth - I do hereby authorize and empower my executors herein named the survivors and survivor of them, to sell and dispose of either at public or private sale any part or all of any real estate lying out of the City and County of New York, whenever the income derived from such real estate, shall not equal the interest on the price or sum offered for it, - and such sales, to execute and deliver to the purchaser or purchasers thereof good and sufficient conveyances in the law for the same. The proceeds of such sales to be invested by my executors either in government securies or on bond and mortgage as hereinbefore provided in respect to my personal estate.
After the decease of my wife, my Executors shall deem it expedient, and most to the interest of my estate and best calculated to carry out the provisions of my will in respect to my real estate, I authorize and empower my executors to sell and dispose of any part or all thereof, situated in the City and County of New York, either at public or private sale and at such terms and prices as they shall deem expedient and such sales or sale to execute and deliver to the purchaser or purchasers good and sufficient conveyances in the law for the premises sold.
Lastly . I hereby revoke and make null and void all other and former wills by me made. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty-second day of October A.D. 1861.
William H. Leggett
[The above instrument consisting of two entire sheets of paper was at the date thereof signed and sealed by the testator William H. Leggett in the presence of each of us and was at the same time published and declared by him to be his last will and testament and we at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other sign our names hereto as attesting witnesses. H. W. Eastman of Roslyn, Queens Co., N.Y. and Jacob Robinson of no. 16 Columbia Street, N.Y.].

William died on Wednesday, 23 December 1863 at his home at no. 9 East 16th Street in the City, County & State of New York very suddenly at a quarter after ten that evening. William was buried at the Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, Westchester County, New York. He was removed from the Friend's Cemetery where he had been originally buried. Quaker graves were usually not marked. A stone was placed on his grave about 2000 by David J. Leggett & his father. His will was probated on 19 January 1864.