80

This is the only reference to his brothers, if any, and his sister, discovered in his correspondence.

It would be interesting to know if the Lesters settled in the vicinity of New York on the eve of the Revolution; if so, did they remain Loyalists?

On April 28, 1792, the Lieutenant-Governor for the new Province of Upper Canada wrote a private letter to Evan Nepean, in which he states: “Poor Holland, that good and faithful servant of the Crown, is worn out in body, though in full possession of his intellect. His deputy, Collins, possesses neither strength nor intellect.” (Correspondence of J. G. Simcoe, I., 146.) Collins continued in office, however, until his death on April 16, 1795. From Governor Simcoe’s memorandum it would appear that Major Holland was in poor health in 1792, at which time he was only sixty-five years of age. During the autumn of 1791 and the winter of 1792 Simcoe was at Quebec, and had many official conferences with the Surveyor-General respecting the country, and during the

winter at social functions Simcoe and his talented wife were hosts and guests of the Hollands.

' Major Samuel Hollangjlied aithuebec on December 28, 1801, and was buried in the fa ‘ lot on December 31st.~ His age is given as seienggfiifef years i ‘ ' ra ister.

The will of Major Samuel Holland was drawn and executed at Quebec on October 14, 1800. This document is in French. The preamble states that he was Surveyor-General of the Province of Quebec, and had resided in the City for fifteen years (whereas he purchased ”Holland House" in 1780). The notaries who drafted the will s‘ate that they found the said Monsieur Samuel Holland seated in his window in an apartment, with an outlook at the rear of the house, ill in body but sound in mind, memory, judgment and understanding, so that it was evident to the said notaries that, knowing there was nothing more certain than death, and nothing so uncertain than the hour, he wished to testify of his last wishes, etc. After recommending his soul to his divine Majesty, he gives his soul to God the Father all powerful, and his body to the earth, and orders that his debts be paid. In this will he mentions his farm on the Sainte Foye Road, a township of the Island of St. Jean, comprising several thousand acres of land, a parcel of land acquired from the Seminary of Quebec in 1786, and “un grande emplacement proche 1e Chateau Saint Louis.” He bequeathed these properties to his wife, Marie Josette Holland, during her lifetime, and after decease the properties to be divided equally between his children, John Frederick, Charlotte, Susanna, Frederick and George. Charlotte was also given three hundred pounds. He states that he had provided for his other children at the time of their marriage.

The will was signed by Samuel Holland and by two Notaries Public— A. Dumas and Chas. Voyer.

On October 25, 1800, he executed a codicil in which he bequeathed to the two infant daughters of his deceased son, Henry, the share of the property bequeathed in the original will to George Holland. To John Frederick he gave his books on mathematics and mathematical instruments, which would indicate that he considered that his eldest would value them more than any of the other sons.