As a result of my article about Thomas Henry Armtrong and the community he helped to create and name that appeared in the July 26 issue, I received a call from Lois Hankins. She and her husband, Stan, have lived in Armstrong since 1964. She said they had a copy of Thomas Armstrong’s last will and testament.

Now here was an interesting detail regarding a member of a pioneer Freeborn County family. However, while on the way out to get a copy of this will, one prime thought came to mind. How did the Hankins couple acquire this specific legal document?

The answer is with the abstract or deed to their property in Pickerel Lake Township. This collection of documents shows the various changes that have taken place regarding the ownership of their property, which included Armstrong. And for some legal reason, document 15 is the will of T.H. Armstrong. It’s listed as Instrument 42367 dated Aug. 14, 1891. He died on Dec. 29, 1891. Yet, for some reason I don’t understand at all, his will was filed on Feb. 28, 1916.

Here are a few pertinent excerpts from Armstrong’s will, plus my attempts to provide modern values and comparisons.

“The real and personal property that it has pleased God to entrust to me, including $7,000 life insurance, I estimate to be at the present time worth $100,000.

It’s somewhat impossible to translate the values of the 1890s into present figures. The best I can suggest is adding a zero to the ends of the above amounts. Anyway, that would make Armstrong a millionaire, plus, by current standards.

He stipulated that, “I give devise and bequeath to my beloved and faithful wife, Elizabeth M. Armstrong, $4,000 from the insurance on my life … and the homestead property on which we now live. … and all the furniture now in said house. And I direct that my said wife shall have and possess my watch and chain during her lifetime, and upon her decease said watch and chain shall become the property of DeWitt C. Armstrong or Augustus Armstrong, sons of my deceased brother, Augustus Armstrong, as my said wife may direct.”

The Armstrong home was at that time located at the corner of South Broadway Avenue and West College Street, the present location of the former Broadway Theater.

There were several more details in this will worth mentioning. As I explained in the July 26 article, T.H. Armstrong was involved in the grain buying, storage and shipping business.

Thus, a part of his will states, “I give and bequeath to my nephew,. DeWitt C. Armstrong, the following property, my elevator in Albert Lea … and my elevator in the Village of Armstrong and all the machinery and property therein contained, and also the horse used in said elevator at Albert Lea named ‘John’ … and my buckboard and cutter.”

A buckboard is a horse-drawn wagon with a floor of long springy boards. A cutter is a horse-drawn sleigh. In other words, nephew DeWitt was getting the best of year-round transportation of that era.

There was another Armstrong horse named “Charley.” He was bequeathed to Thomas’ sister, Francis M. Armstrong, who also got the carriage, harness and robes. This would be the equivalent of getting a car today. (Francis was the spelling used in the will document.)

A niece named Mary A. Armstrong and her brother, Augustus, acquired Thomas’ library. I have a hunch this library consisted mostly of law books. After all, T.H. Armstrong was also a lawyer.

There are few more details, but this will do it for now for my interpretation of a will made by a former Minnesota lieutenant governor and prominent Albert Lea citizen 118 years ago.

Special thanks go to Stan and Lois Hankins for providing a copy of this particular document.

Ed Shannon’s column has been appearing in the tribune every Friday since December 1984.