Where There are More Wills, There are More Ways...

see Robertson pedigree chart

Remember this guy?  Captain Isaac John McSparling Acker, love that name.  One piece of evidence pointing to him being in the Coast Guard is that he didn't own his ship, or at least not when he died.  Here is his will, where he leaves everything to his youngest son Joseph, his executor.

In the Name of God Amen.  I Isaac J. Acker of Birch town in the County of shelburne Master Mariner being in good health and of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding do make and publish this my last will and testament hereby revoking and making void all former wills by me at any time heretofore made.

1st In the first place I give devise and bequeath all my real and personal property estate and effects of which I may die seized and possessed wherever situate or to which I may be in any way entitled to unto my son Joseph Acker and his heirs and assigns.

2 I hereby nominate and appoint my said son Joseph Acker sole executor of this my said last will in witness whereof I have hereto set my hand and and seal this twenty eighth day of December in the Year one thousand eight hundred and ninety-three-

Signed sealed published and

delivered by the said testator as his                                Isaac J. Acker

last will in his own presence who

at his request in his presence and in

the presence of each other have signed

own names as witnesses hereto.

His other two sons, Stephen H. and Isaac Acker are appointed the appraisers of his property.

Here is the inventory, completed in Churchover on Feb. 23th 1897, only 4 items:

Land with Buildings Detached....$225.00

House Hold furnature......................20.00

Live Stock 3 Sheep............................6.00

1/3 of Meddow land ....................    10.00

Total .............................................$261.00

This next document is from the estate file of Ann Elizabeth Acker Robertson, daughter of Capt. Isaac above.  On 14th January 1929 Joseph Ellis Robertson swears that he is her husband, she did not make a will, and her estate is less than two hundred dollars.  He names all her heirs: 

Samuel Robertson, Isaac Robertson, Joseph Robertson Jr., all of Churchover, aforesaid, Havelock Robertson of Boston, Mass, sons and Hattie Smith, married woman wife of Edward Smith, of Malagash, NS, Cassie Jackson of Boston Mass married woman wife of Albert Jackson, Rilla Thorne, wife of James Thorne, Boston Mass, Grace Wilson, wife of George Wilson, Boston Mass, Blanche Fredericks, of Boston Mass, wife of Jack Fredericks, daughters.

(At the time, both Joe, who is not a Jr., and Havelock were living in Valley Stream New York, but I think everything else is true)

Joseph E. Robertson of Churchover in the County of Shelburne and province of Nova Scotia Fisherman along with Henry H. West and Lewis O. Fuller bind themselves for $400 that Joe will administer the estate properly.  An awful lot of money when you consider that only 30 years before, 3 sheep were worth $6.  No wonder it took 3 people to put up $400.