Person:Hamilton Bishop (1)

Bishop, Hamilton (deceased); born at Malta, New York, January 3, 1818, son of Samuel and Mary Bishop, natives of Saratoga County, New York. He grew up on a farm and came west in 1847, and settled in Peoria. For one year he lived at Peoria and carried on his trade of shoemaker, but later moved to Dunlap, where he resided about a year. Returning to Peoria he engaged in the livery business, which he carried on till his death, April 3, 1897. He was a very liberal business man and had a host of friends. January 3, 1843, he married Mary Spiers in Columbia County, New York. Four children were born to this union; Clara M., Mrs Thomas Mills; Eva., Mrs. L. Fred Oaks; Charles E. of Peoria; and Jerusia, who died in infancy. Mrs. Bishop is the daughter of Joseph and Jerusha (Taylor) Spiers, and granddaughter of General Solomon Taylor, whose parents emigrated from Holland and settled in New York. She is also a great-grandaughter of Dr. Spiers, an Englishman, who settled with the Shakers in New York, where he was prominent. Mrs. Bishop was born January 6, 1824, at Clifton Park, New York, where her father was a farmer. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, which she joined in 1838.

Bateman: Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Peoria County, Vol. II, 1902, page 571.

Hamilton Bishop

    Hamilton Bishop died Saturday eveing at 10:15 o'clock at his residence, 104 Second avenue, aged 19 years.  He was born at Malta, Saratoga County, New York, January 3, 1818 and was married to Miss Mary Speir, of New Lebanon, N.Y.  They came to Peoria in 1847, and since 1849 Mr. Bishop has been in the livery business in this city.  The wife and three children are living, the latter being Mrs. Clara M. Mills, Mrs. Eva G. Oaks and Charles E. Bishop.  Mr. Bishop was an honest, upright, sober, charitable man, highly respected by all.

The Peoria Journal (Peoria, Perora, Illinois) 5 April 1897, page 8.

Will of Hamilton Bishop

    I, Hamilton Bishop, being of sound mind and memory, do make, publish and declare this my last will and testament, hereby revoking allformer wills by me made.

First: I direct that all my just debts and funeral expenses be fully paid.

Second: I give and bequeath to my beloved wife, Mary Bishop, all my household goods and furniture of every nature, kind and description, and all personal property, including notes, mortgages, money, bills receivable, horses, wagons, carriages, buggies, harnesses, and every kind and character of property of a personal nature, as distinguished from real estate, to be hers absolutely forever, with full right of disposition as she may see fit.

Third: I give and devise all my realestate of every nature and kind, wherever situated, of which I may die seized or possessed, to my executor hereinafter name, or any executor that may be named by the court, in case the person named herein fails to qualify, with full power, right and authority to sell and convey the same to the same extent and in like manner as I could, if living; and I desire that the said real estate shall be sold and conveyed by him as soon after my deatha s the interests of my estate will justify, in his judgment; leaving, however, the time for such sale and disposition to his best judgment; and in case in his judgment, said real estate should not be sold, and my wife, Mary Bishop, should so desire, I hereby direct and instruct my said executer to set off to her one-third in quantity and value of all my real estate, and to convey to her the same as her sole and absolute property, to do with as she may see fit, and as fully and completely as I could, if living; but in case she should not so desire said real estate, then I wish the whole of it sold by my executor as above direced, and out of the proceeds realized therefrom, I hereby direct my said executor to pay to my wife, Mary Bishop, one-third of the entire proceeds from the sale of my real estate, which shall be hers absolutely in her own right forever, with the power of disposition as she may see fit; and I make this bequest for her benefit in liew of any other interest in real estate. The balance of the proceeds into three equal parts, and after paying the neccesary expenses of the execution of this will, I hereby direct my said executor to pay one-third of said balance, being one- third of two-thirds of the proceeds of my real estate to my daughter, Clara Mills, or her children, in case she should die before such division, leaving children. Another one-third part of said balance of proceeds, being one-thir of two-thirds thereof, I direct my executor to pay my daughter, Eva Nash, or her heirs, in case she should die before my real estate is sold as herein directed. Out of the reamining one-third of said two-thirds, I hereby direct my executor to pay to Lilly Bishop, wife of my son, Charles E. Bishop, the sum of One thousand dollars ($1000.) to be invested by her in a home, and to be hers absolutely in her own right forever, free from all clain of her husband, Charles E. Bishop. The remainder of said one-third of said two-thirds, after deducting the One thousand dollars, I desire and direct my executor in invest in some good interest bearing securities in his own name, acting as Trustee for my son, Charles E. Bishop, and that he pay over the income arising therefrom, for time to time, as he may deem best, to my son Charles E. Bishop, for his support; or so much thereof as may be necessaryf or such support, or best for him to have; and in case my said son, Charles E. Bishop, should become sick, or unable to care for himself, and any portion of the principal herein devised for his benefit, as aforesaid, shall be needed, I authorize and empower my said executor, acting as Trustee, to use such portion of said principal as in his judgment may be necessary to keep him from want; leaving this whole matter of provision for my said son, to the discretion of my said executor, acting as Trustee, as aforesaid. If, at any time, my said son, Charles E. Bishop, shall die leaving the principal, or any portion thereof, invested as herein required for his benefit, and leaving a child or children, then such child or children shall have whatever may be left of his shre of said estate in equal parts; but in case my said son, Charles E. Bishop, should die without leaving child or children, then it is my will that whatever may be left of his share shall be equally divided between my two daughters aforesaid, or their heirs.

Fourth: I desire my wife, in case of my death, to make some provision for the proper care of my sister, Betsy Morris, and I can trust the generosity and kindness of my wife in that respect, and leave it entirely to her, as I know she will never see my said sister come to want.

Fifth: I hereby appoint John L. Flinn as Trustee for the portion of my estate set apart for the support of my son, Charles E. Bishop, and fully authorize and empower him to do any and all things in connection with said fund, as fully and completely as I could, if living; with full power of naming a substitute, in case he should desire to appoint any Trustee to act in his place.

Sixth: I hereby nominate and appoint John L. Flinn as Executor of this my will and testament; and also make him as Trustee as aforesaid, with power and authority to continue as such Trustee after the settlement of my estate, and after the expiration of the time for the settlement as provided by law.

    In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this eighteenth day of January, A.D. 1895.

Hamilton Bishop