Lydia Updegraff

     Lydia Updegraff was born on 14 May 1804 at Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.¹ She was the daughter of Abner Updegraff and Jane Devine. Lydia Updegraff married, at age 20, William Jordan Howard, age 24, son of William Howard and Elizabeth Jordan, on Friday, 14 May 1824 at Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.¹ Lydia Updegraff died on 2 June 1871 at age 67 years and 19 days.¹ She has also been reported to have died 2 July 1871.¹ She was buried in the Howard lot, in the Allegheny Memorial Cemetery, located in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.¹
     She left a will in 1866. It states:

     I, Lydia Howard, of Allegheny County, widow of William J. Howard, Sr., being of sound mind and understanding, do make and publish this my last Will and Testament, hereby revoking and making void all former Will by me at any time heretofore made.

     My estate at this time consisting of household and family effects; also, the sum of Six thousand dollars invested in Bonds of the United States; and an Estate for years in trust until the year A. D. Eighteen hundred and Eighty, under the will of my father, Abner Updegraff, in the lot of ground on the corner of Diamond Alley and Smithfield Street in the City of Pittsburgh, (being sixty feet on Diamond Alley, and one hundred and twenty feet more or less on Smithfield St.)

     I dispose of as follows:

     First. I give my household and family effects to my daughters, Rebecca and Mary.

     Second. I give to my Executors hereinafter named, the said sum of six thousand dollars and Estate for years, in trust nevertheless, as follows, viz: That they will promptly and regularly collect the interest, rents, issues and profits thereof, and (after the payment thereout, of my debts, if any I owe, & funeral expenses, and the current reasonable repairs, expenses and taxes incident to the management and care of said Estate), will pay over the same as follows: To my daughter, Rebecca, Nine hundred dollars per annum while she remains unmarried. To my daughter, Mary, Nine hundred dollars per annum while she remains unmarried; said sums to be payable to them at least semi-annually. The residue thereof after said payments, to be paid (at least semi-annually) share and share alike to my other children and grandchild, viz: Caroline, wife of William Jack, of Hollidaysburgh, Jane, wife of John C. Reno, of Cincinnati, Ohio, William J., of Philadelphia, Abner U., Hartley, James M., and W. Howard Nimick, son of my deceased daughter, Henrietta, wife of Alexander Nimick, and should any of my said children die- the lawful child or children of such, shall take the share of their deceased parent, and the surviving parent if any of such child or children. I hereby appoint guardian to receive from and receipt to, my executors for the share of such child or children. And the said Alexander Nimick I do hereby appoint guardian to receive and receipt for the share of the said W. Howard Nimick.

     Third. Should Rebecca or Mary marry, then and in that event the said annual bequest and payment of Nine hundred dollars to such one of them as may marry, it is my will and desire shall cease, and that sum merge into and become a part of the said residue of the interest, rents, issue and profits of my estate, and out of such residue she shall be entitled to and have a like and equal share with my said other children and grandchild.

     Fourth. If the said interest, rents, issues and profits of my estate from any cause increase to an amount which would make the annual sum payable to Rebecca and Mary while unmarried, less than the respective shares to which my said other childrn and grandchild would be entitled, then and in that event it is my will and desire that Rebecca and Mary shall have a like and equal share with them.

     Fifth. If a majority in number of my said children should deem it for the best interests of all that the said lot of ground on Diamond Alley & Smithfield St. should be improved with a better class of buildings than are now upon it, then I do diect that my Executors shall appropriate and expend the said sum of Six thousand dollars towards the cost and expense of such improvements, and I hereby give and grant to my Executors full power and authority to borrow whatever additional sums of money it may require to complete them, and to mortgage my estate in said lot and the rents, issues and profits thereof to secure the re-payment of the same with interest- (suggesting only and not directing, that no greater sum than, two-thirds of the net yearly rents, issues and profits should be applied in any one year, to and on account of such re-payment.

     Sixth. If the said sum of Six thousand dollars is not thus applied as stated in Article Fifth, before the year Eighteen hundred and Eighty, then it is my will and desire that my Executors shall divide the same in January, 1880, to and among my children and grandchild W. Howard Nimick, share and share alike, and should any of my children be deceased at that time, then the child or children of such shall be entitled to the share which their deceased parent would be entitled to had he or she been living.

     And I do hereby constitute and appoint my sons, William J., Abner U., Hartley and James M., Executors of this my last will and testament.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I, Lydia Howard, the testator have to this my will written on four sides of this sheet of paper set my hand and seal this Twenty-eighth day of January, A. D. 1866.

LYDIA HOWARD (SEAL)

     Signed, sealed, published and declared by the above named Lydia Howard as and for her last will and testament in the presence of us who have hereunto subscribed our names at her request as witnesses thereto in the presence of the Testator and of each other.

WILLIAM MEANS
ABNER L. LINTON
JOHN A. WOLFE


STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA
ALLEGHENY COUNTY, S.S.

     I, Geo. H. Stengel, Register of Wills, etc., in and for said County, do hereby certify the foregoing to be a full and perfect copy of the Original last Will and testament of Lydia Howard, Deceased, as the same remains on file, and is of record in my office at Pittsburgh, in Will Book, volume 15, page 168.

     WITNESS my hand and seal of said office, this 17th day of February, A. D. 1904.

Geo. H. Stengel
Register.