Laura's will

While researching another post, I found the text of Laura Ingalls Wilder's will on this page. I thought it was pretty interesting just to glance at, and thought I'd share. 

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: That I, the undersigned Laura Ingalls Wilder, being in good health, sound and disposing mind and desiring to make disposition of my affairs while in health and strength, do hereby make, publish and declare the following to be my last will and testament, in manner and form, following to wit:
1. I direct payment of all my just debts and funeral expenses.
2. I will and bequeath to my daughter, Rose Wilder Lane all my Copyrighted Literary property and the income from same for and during her natural life and at her death I direct that said Copyright Literary property and the income from same be given to the Laura Ingalls Library of Mansfield, Missouri.
3. I further direct that the beneficiary under the aforesaid bequest shall pay the sum of TEN AND NO/100 DOLLARS ($10.00) annually to the De Smet Cemetery Association of De Smet, South Dakota, for the care of the Ingalls family lot and that said beneficiary further pay the sum of TEN AND NO/100 DOLLARS ($10.00) annually to the Mansfield Cemetery Association of Mansfield, Missouri, for the care of the Wilder family lot.
4. I will and bequeath all the balance of the property that I may die possessed of whether it be tangible, intangible, real, personal or mixed to my daughter, Rose Wilder Lane.
5. I hereby constitute and appoint N.J. Craig of Mansfield, Missouri to be the Executor of this my last will and testament.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF I HAVE HEREUNTO SET MY HAND TO THIS MY LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT, CONSISTING OF TWO PAGES. THIS THE 6TH DAY OF FEBRUARY,1952.
(SIGNED)WITNESSES: (SIGNATURES)
____________________
Laura died in 1957. Her estate consisting of stocks (abt. $10,000); bonds ($27,000); bank account which included insurance policies ($11,800) and copyrights (estimated at $30,000) was settled in 1958.

When Rose Wilder Lane died in 1968, her heir was an "adopted son", Roger McBride. Mr. McBride claimed that once the copyrights to Laura's books were bequeathed to Rose, they became her exclusive property. Therefore, Laura could not return from the grave and hand the literary rights over to the Laura Ingalls Wilder Library. Thus, he became the literary heir to Laura's work, which he transformed into the "Little House" series on television. 

Elizabeth
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