In this post, I share the last will and testament of John C. VanScoter. It was written in Erie, Pa on December 16, 1898. The type is fading but I used the edit feature of our photo program to darken it and make it more readable. Click to see enlarged.

This was among the various papers that are in my possession. I initially was not certain who John was, and wondered why it was among Leota VanScoter’s personal effects rather than among a more immediate relative. But it was easy enough to determine.

John C. was the brother of Merritt VanScoter, Merritt being my great, great grandfather and the father of Frank Miles VanScoter, my great grandfather.  John would have been the uncle of Frank. So, John C. is my great, great, great uncle.  So why did Frank end up with his uncle’s last will and testament?

Well, John C. and his wife apparently had no children. The VanScoter book (page 628) states that John and his wife Helen Morrison were “no issue” which means no children. Also, other research does not reveal any evidence of children. The last will and testament makes no reference to children either.

The January 10, 1899 edition of The Buffalo Evening News had an obituary for John that begins  “John C. Van Scoter, one of the best known business men of Erie, Pa., is dead.” I can’t access the rest without paying a fee, but that is not a problem as I found a nice write up about John in Nelson’s Biographical Dictionary and Historical Reference Book of Erie County, Pennsylvania. It is a history of Erie County, as well as portraits of governors and representative citizens from between 1790 and its publication in 1896. This book is available for free access through google. See here.

**Genealogy research tip: check the many antique books available for free access through google. **

It says this about John C. VanScoter:

“John C. Van Scoter, loan agent, North Park, Erie, Pa., was born in Allegany county, New June 29, 1834, and is a son of Elias and Mary (Halstead) Van Scoter, natives of Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut, respectively. He received his early education in his native county.  Opening a dry goods store in Hornellsville, N.Y., he operated it until 1858. In 1860 he came to Erie, Pa., engaging in mercantile pursuits, and later becoming interest in the oil trade, which he continued for four years, when he became interested in lake trade. In 1892 he closed out his lake interests to enter his present business exclusively, having previously devoted a portion of his time to it since 1881. Mr. Van Scoter was united in marriage in 1860 to Miss Helen, daughter of Horace and Hannah (Hall) Morrison, natives of Saratoga County, New York, a Christian lady of rare talent and amiability. She departed this life March 17, 1895. Mrs. Van Scoter was a member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. In politics, Mr. Van Scoter is a Democrat, and is one of Erie’s most respected and influential citizens.”

— You will note in the will (page 1) that John wanted a memorial window for his wife Helen at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.  The church still exists up in Erie.

— On page 2 of the will, note is says the balance of his estate goes to the legal heirs of: Selah, Merih, Jonas, Lucinda, Mary. These are his siblings, see page 617-618 in the VanScoter book. See a photo of brother Selah on page 619. Of interest, I think Selah bears a resemblance to my father, which would have been my dad’s great uncle.

Merih? Perhaps it is a k, as in Merik. There was brother Merritt, which seems to be the proper spelling of the name. I have, however, seen it spelled in various other ways in formal and informal family documentation, such as Merik, Merrick, etc. Perhaps they pronounced it with a K sound, despite the t. Or maybe with a “k” is actually the proper spelling? I do not find a relative named Merih. Merih must be brother Merritt. It makes sense that Merritt’s son Frank (my great grandfather) ended up possessing this will.