Last Will and Testament of Angelina McGlade (Angélique Ménard)

Angelina McGlade was the second wife of my 2x-great-grandfather John McGlade (1827-1891), and the stepmother of my great-grandfather Arthur Joseph McGlade (1861-1925, son of John McGlade and Bridget Dunne).

She was born Angélique Ménard, daughter of François Xavier Ménard and Angélique St. Ongé. I have not yet found her baptismal record, but I believe she was born about 1834, in the province of Québec, perhaps at or near Montreal; her Ontario civil death record (24 June 1894) lists her place of birth as “St. Marks. Que.”

On 21 May 1855, at Lachine, Québec, Angélique Ménard married Félix Henrichon, a blacksmith by trade. The couple moved to Perth, Lanark Co., Ontario, where they adopted an Irish lad by the name of William Joseph Madden, also known as Willie Lee Harrishaw (with Harrishaw an anglicisation of the French Henrichon).

Félix Henrichon died 1 March 1879, leaving Angelina a widow who apparently supported the household as a seamstress.

Angélique Ménard (here listed as Angeline Herishau), Widow, Seamstress, in the 1881 census, shortly before marrying the widowed John McGlade.  With her sister-in-law Marie Léocadie Henrichon, and her adopted son William Madden (son of Michael Madden and Mary Scanlon, also known as Willie Lee Harrishaw), to whom she left all her worldly possessions. 1881 Census of Canada, Ontario, District  111, Lanark South, Subdistrict B, Perth, Division I, p. 13. Library and Archives Canada.

On 31 January 1882 (St John the Baptist, Perth), Angelina married the widowed John McGlade, whose first wife Bridget Dunne had died just over a year earlier (on 26 December 1880). The couple can be found together in the 1891 census for Perth, along with John’s son Arthur, aged 30 and still single (he married Catherine McCarthy, daughter of Eugene McCarthy and Honora/Ann McDonald [McDonnell?], in 1899) and a 70-year lodger named John Slaven, but with no sign of William Henrichon/Madden in the household.

When John McGlade died (26 September 1891), he left a will in which he granted his second wife Angelina McGlade “an Annuity — a yearly sum of One hundred Dollars ($100) to be paid to her during the term of her natural life by my said son Arthur McGlade, in quarterly payments of Twenty-five dollars each.”

Angelina McGlade’s will (transcribed below) indicates that at her death (24 June 1894), her stepson Arthur McGlade was in arrears of payment, for which debt she forgave him, on condition that he pay her funeral expenses.

Last Will and Testament of Angelina McGlade

This is the last Will and Testament of me Angelina McGlade of the Town of Perth in the County of Lanark and Province of Ontario Widow made this Fifth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety four.

I Revoke all former Wills and other Testamentary Dispositions by me at any time heretofore made and declare this only to be and contain my last Will and Testament.

I Direct all my just debts funeral and Testamentary expenses to be paid and satisfied by my Executor hereinafter named as soon as conveniently may be after my decease.

I give, devise and bequeath all my Real and Personal Estate of which I may die possessed in the manner following that is to say

I release my Step son Arthur McGlade from all arrears of annuity or other monies that may be owing to me at the time of my decease, but he shall pay my funeral expenses and this release is given subject to such payment.

All my household furniture and the contents of the house and all my money in bank or elsewhere I give and bequeath to my adopted son William Harrichon otherwise William Madden

All the residue of my Estate not hereinbefore disposed of I give, devise and bequeath unto my adopted Son William Harrichon And I nominate and appoint my adopted son William Harrichon to be Executor  of this my last Will and Testament

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand the day and year first above writtenAngelina X McGlade [her mark]¹