The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1848-03-09
WILSON HEIRS ASSOCIATION

WILSON HEIRS ASSOCIATION
According to previous notice this Association
convened at the Brandon House this day, at 10
o'clock, A. NJ, and organized by appointing SETH
KELLER President pro. tenn
]. w. BoYNToN, Secretary.
The meeting being organized, the following high
" valuable Report, prepared BYE. I. HoDGEs Esq
of Boston, was presented, discussed, and adopted.
TO THE WILSON ASSOCIATION.
Last summer the official authorities OF your Asso-
citation submitted to me certain papers touching the
title to property in England for the investigation OF
| which YOU have united. At the request OF your Of
fcers, have carefully examined and compared those
documents, and have applied for further information
at such sources as gave promise of light this side OF
the Atlantic. Though the authentic facts discover
ed in tho course Of these researches are few and OF
remote connection with the main subject Of inquiry,
vet the indications developed are numerous,-con-
siscnt with each other and directly declare the OK
;stence of landmarks beyond the sea- which, If dis
covered, will DO unequivocal evidence Of the rights
Of the heirs Of JEREMIAH WILSON to a large and
valuable property in England. therefore beg leave
to present to you the theory which the Information
have gained seenls to support, and to offer few
suggestions concerning the means to be adopted by
YOU to dcveope, and possible confirm TO the heirs
in this country, the title to these estates
The following narrative presents what believe to
be the facts which bear upon the title to this pro-
S pertv. and though my belief is based upon no Ga-
thentic evidence yet it supported by such circunl-
stances as can rot fail produce moral conviction
: of its truth:
4 Robert Wilson was the owner Of certain estates in
England, viz: farming lands situated at Stoneleigh
in Warwickshire, and several houses Supposed to
o be 46 in number) in Frying pan alley in London
, He died in 1914 leaving two Children one, WILLIAM
the Younger to whom he devised the estate at Stone
C leigh, and another, BENJAMIN, the elder, to whom
: he devised the rcyerson in tho houses in London
having given them BY the same will to his wife, o'
G her life.
S In 1865 Benjamin came to this country and set
D tied in Charlestown near Boston. In 1851, and
u probably upon the death of his mother, the wdo"
Of Robert Wilson, Benjamin went to England, and
n while there, died. William, his younger brother
o procured from his widow in this country the docu
mens necessarily the settlement Of his estate anl
II the confirmation Of the rights of the widow and chill
y dren, Beniamns children died without heirs, save
/ jeremiah who left six sons and from whom are dc
II scended all the persons interested in this property
II William died without heirs about 1875. After
) the death of William person pretending to be al
agent of Lord LElGH's of Stonelegh, came to this
: country and procured from jeremiah and his oldest
II son, lease of the Stonelegh property, and power
. of attorney to collect the rents of the London houses
> and gave bond for the payment Of large sum Of
: monev,-probabIy 10000. Or, instead Of giving
u the bond, it is more likely that the payment of this
:, sum of money was stipulated in the Lease, and thai
the Lease was an indenture in two parts, one FOL
! each pary The lease probably for sixty years
e though it may have been for ten only. These pa
e pers were made by, and probably acknowledged be-
n fore. JosEpn WILSON, Esq, one Of the Justices
|, the quorum. l am inclined to believe the estates
= were entaed, and therefore this agent found it lie
cessarv to have the eldest son Of jeremiah JOIN VIII
the father in making the lease for the purpose OF Sc
curing the estates against him. for the term OF sixty
veors should the father die before the termination
of the demise Or, it may be, that the proceeding
C before Mr.. WILDER were intended by this agent tt
c have the forco of common recovery, mode o
IS barring entails, devised by the English lawyers attic
: the passage of the Statute of Westminster. If how
ever such was his design, the proceedings were ut
terIy insufficient for that purpose Tho only cir
J cumstance that gives any foundation for this sus
10 pcion is the oft repeated averment in the fanlil.
{ that Judge Wilder of the Probate Court, made
= record of the Lease power of attorney, Or bond.
One copy of the lease and the power of attorney
were taken by this pretended agent the other cop.
- of the lease which was left with tho Lessor, ant
in was then the only evidence of title in their hands
nj was subsequently distracted from their possession
N nv stranger who seemed to be an Englishman, an
n who took great pains to got the document into hi
I'd hands, The heirs in this country have at diiferen
" times made efforts to obtain the property but the
have been fruiess save that in their progress
IN facts have been developed from which an interenc
1T may be drawn favorable to the claim. The mos
u important of which are these different branche
of tho Leigh family, between 1925 and 1880, had
long contested suit concerning the title and estate
at Stoneeigh. At this time Mr.. WHITE was on
poycd by the heirs in the United States to invest
=, rate their claims. He recommended that the heir
% should make terms with one or the other OF thes
ID portes-after which recommendation, his conduc
he and silence gives to suppose ho was bribed