New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-07-31

For rome weeks past he interest OF the whole
country has been excited by paragraphs in the
papers, relating to a fortune of S36 900, ,00N in
England, said to have fallen to Mr.. HaIsey Church
of stock erdge, Massa ehu4etts. ard by hun been
turned over to his daughter and her nus banda
mechanic named Eli Walker, residing in Hartford,
Connecticut, We shah probably asfonish our
readers this morning by informing them that the
claims OF NJ. Hasey ChUrch and of his daughter,
| Ars. Eli Walker, have been completely over
turned and that the real heir to this yass piece of
| property is an old resident of Er COUNTY who
| Tor thirty years, has been living upon modest
| farm within sixteen miles Of Buffalo. The Monte
Christie thus suddenly elevated to rank among the
Rothschilds and Astors, is Mr.. John Church, OF
Westphalia in the township of Aurora.
A week ago Saturday last as Mr.. Church was
reading the Christian Advocate, to which he
plously subscuheS, his eye fell upon one of the
paragraphs to which we have alluded, aud his sys
TEN, we suppose, must have been slowly electri-
fed by the intelligence it bore him. In the name
| of Mr Halaey Church, he recognized that of a
younger brother, for forty years neither seen nor
heard from. Forty years ago, it seems, this John
Church, now nearly eighty years of age, left bis
family relatives at East Haddam, Massachusetts,,
under sOme circumstances of disagreement which
prevented any Communication, aRd then emigra-
ted to the then Far West" of Western New
York. Never aiterward heard from by his younger
brother, Halsey, the latter, long ago, resigned
himself to the conviction that death had left him
(Halsey) alone, the solitary representative Of the
/ family of Church.
For thirty years as we have said, Mr.. John
| ODurCh mas Deen AT w eSLpDallS on q lllLiG
farm of twenty five or thirty acres, worth, at the
utmost, not more than $1,000 or S3000 contented,
no doubt, with his possessions, and never dream
ing wealth, beyond the little to be gathered from
his scanty acres. His first glimpse of the gorgeous
vision which such figures as s35,0OO 900 summon
up, was caught, as we have said, week ago last
Saturday. The Monday following, advised and
prompted by some of his neighbors, MIR. Church
came to this city, and that evening took passage
upon the cars, bound for Massachusetts. Four
days ago his family received letters from him, an
nouncfng the complete success of his mission. Mr..
Hasey Church had recognized him as his elder
brother and the rghtfnl heir to these thirty five
millions, and the Walker family had abandoned
their proposed visit to England, after q fruitless
attempt, through Governor Seymour, to obtain
power of attorney from him. What his next step
will be we cannot say The age of Mr. Church
will undoubtedly prevent his visiting England il
person, but some Of his family may be expected
to make the journey soon.
The great fortune of MIR. Church consists, in the
main, We understand, of British government secu
rites but includes two large estates the Thames
not very far distant from London. 1t descend
, from great.grandfather of MIR, Church, and ha
been held for many years past by an elder hrothe
| of Thomas Church. his father, who came to thi
country some time in the last century. The lat
possessor died without heirs and his S35 900 O0
s have been patiently waiting several months TO
/ the American descendants of Thomas Church t.
present themselves