Published in the Middletown Daily Evening Press, Middletown, New York Thursday, January 28, 1875:
Remarkable Longevity
We are indebted for the following interesting statement to Mr. Walter Moore, the obliging ticket clerk at the Erie Railroad office at Otisville. It indicates a very healthy population, and we doubt if any town in Orange County can make a showing equally good, for it must be admitted that to find among less than 2,000 persons, 32 who are above the three score and ten allotted to man's life is quite remarkable:
Thomas Borland, 89; Mrs. Thos. Borland, 88; Mrs. Polly Green, 88; Mrs. Quigley, 87; Mrs. Annier Mapes, 87; ... Miss Dolly Smith, 83; ...
Otisville, Jan. 23d, 1875.
From The Daily Argus, Middletown, New York Saturday, Feb. 28, 1880:
Where People Grow Old
The town of Mount Hope, in this county, with 1,500 inhabitants, probably has more aged people in proportion to its population, than any other town in the county. We append a list of twenty old residents, whose united aged foot up to 1,689 years.
Thomas Borland 92, Henry McNish 90, ... Dolly Smith 86, ...
P.J. Union
Printed in The Daily Argus, Middletown, New York Thursday, May 6, 1880
Mount Hope,
Correspondence of the Daily Argus
Dolly Smith an aged maiden lady, of this village, died last Tuesday, after reaching the age of eighty-six years. She was a smart, active, industrious and intelligent woman to the last.
Dolly prepared a will which was presented in Orange County, New York Surrogate Court April 25, 1881. Dolly's will named nieces and nephews as well as identified a brother.
Dolly Smith Will Transcription:
The Last Will and Testament
Of
Dolly Smith
Admitted to Probate as the Will of Real
and Personal Estate, the 25 day of
April A. D. 1881, and RE-
CORDED in Liber No. 43 of Wills,
on Pages 347 &c.
In the name of God Amen I Dolly Smith of Mount Hope, Orange County, New York being of sound mind and memory and considering the uncertainty of this frail and transitory life do therefore make ordain publish and declare this to be my Last Will and Testament, That is to say, First, after all my lawful debts are paid and discharged, I give and bequeath forever to my niece Cornelia Conkling, of Brooklyn N.Y. my house and lot and all my household furniture situated in the village of Mount Hope, Orange Co., N.Y. I also give all the money due me, and at present, in the hands of W. L. Ogden of Warwick NY being all the money of which I am possessed, and also all I may be hereafter possessed of to be divided equally among the following named five persons, to wit: My nephews, Coe Conkling of East Salamanca, Cataraugus Co. N.Y.; Coe Smith and Gilbert Smith sons of my brother Gilbert Smith of Co. Michigan, and my nieces Mrs. Harriet Field, of Brooklyn N.Y. and Mrs. Easter Bennett wife of Alvi Bennett, of Middletown N.Y. All debts due by me at time of my death and funeral expenses to the amount of Fifty Dollars to be paid by Cornelia Conkling and should this amount not be sufficient to pay such debts the balance is to be paid by the other five legatees in equal proportion.
Should Coe and Gilbert Smith of Michigan not call for their shares as herein named, within one year after my death then I direct the same to be divided equally between Coe Conkling, Harriet Field, and Easter Bennett the same parties heretofore mentioned on this instrument.
Likewise, I make constitute and appoint Jas. B. Ogden of Brooklyn, N.Y. and Wm. L. Ogden of Warwick. N.Y. to be executors of this my Last Will and Testament, hereby revoking all former wills by me made.
In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my seal the thirty-first day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy-four
Dolly Smith
The above written instrument was subscribed by the said Dolly Smith in our presence and acknowledged by her to each of us: and she at the same time declared the above instrument so subscribed to be her Last Will and Testament; and we at her request have signed our names as witnesses hereto, and written opposite our names are respected places of residence
James B Ogden Brooklyn N.Y.
H. B. Ogden Brooklyn N.Y.
Orange County Surrogate Court
In the Matter of Proving the Last
Will and Testament
of
Dolly Smith Deceased
As a Will of Real and Personal estate
State of New York
Orange County ss
James B. Ogden and H. B. Ogden of the city of Brooklyn in the County of Orange, having on this 25th day of April in the year 1881 personally appeared before me Henry A. Wadsworth the Surrogate of the County of Orange, and being by the said Surrogate duly sworn and examined deponent and say and each says that he was well acquainted with Dolly Smith late of the town of Mount Hope and said County of Orange, deceased: that he and they were present as witnesses and did see the said Dolly Smith now deceased, by writing her name subscribe at the end thereof of the instrument now produced and shown to the deponents purporting to be the Last Will and Testament of the said Dolly Smith, deceased, bearing date the 31st day of January in the year one thousand eight hundred and seventy four: that such subscription was made by the said Dolly Smith, now deceased, and the presence of these deponents the attesting witnesses to said Will: that the said Dolly Smith at the same time declared to said witnesses the instrument so subscribed by her to be her Last Will and Testament: Whereupon these deponents each signed their names at the end of the said Will at the request of the said testatrix, now deceased and that the said Dolly Smith at the time of executing and publishing the said Last Will and Testament was of full age, of sound mind and memory, and not under any restraint and was a citizen of the United States.
Sworn, examined and subscribed before me
this 25th day of April A.D. 1887
H. Wadsworth, Surrogate
James B. Ogden
H.B. Ogden
