The Will of Rafinesque. 



(First Page) 



THE last will and testament of Constantine Samuel Rafinesque 

 of Philadelphia. 



My own autograph Will written on the ist May 1833 at the 

 Eve of my departure for a journey in the Apalachian Mts of Caro 

 lina, Tenessee & Alabama. 



1. I leave my immortal Soul to the Creator & preserver of the 

 Universe, the Supreme Ruler of Millions of Worlds moving through 

 space, to be sent to whatever world he may deem fit, according to 

 his wise laws. 



2. I wish my body if possible to be burnt rather than buried 

 as I do not want to contamine the Earth by decay, nor be a cause 

 of desease to other men. My ashes if they can be collected I wish 

 to be deposited in a Urn, to be kept with my Collections. 



3. The whole of my property is personal, and consist, chiefly 

 in Scientific Collections, Books, Patents, Secrets and Claims. The 

 whole of which except what shall be hereafter mentioned I leave 

 to my beloved only Sister Gergette Louisa Rafinesque, now married 

 to Paul Lanthois of Bordeaux in France, and to my beloved only 

 Daughter Emily Louisa, to be equally divided between them, but 

 at the conditions hereafter specified. 



4. While residing in Sicily, I deemed myself lawfully married 

 from 1809 to 1815 to Josephine Vaccaro, although the decres of 

 the Council of Trent forbid our regular marriage. In 1811 was 

 born my Daughter Emily, and in 1814 my son Charles Linneus, 

 who died in 1815. But on hearing of my shipwreck in 1815, Josephine 



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