The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1874-06-05
a Legal Romance.
THE BUSINESS HEART OF PORTLAND. ME-.
TO REVERT TO HEIRS AT LAW BY THE
REsUSCITATION eF A TITLE ONE
HUNDRED YEARS OLD,

About a year ago lady made her ap-
pearance in this city at the office of the
Register of Deeds. She was about forty
years of age, quietly but richly dressed in
a French gray silk. After some prelimi-
nary inquiries about the records she OBJ
tanned permission to examine them, and
visited the room continually. Although
very pleasant in manner, she minded her
own business, and evidently was deeply in
tent on Investigating the index as far back
as the earliest days OF which any records
are kept III this country. If she had only
presented herselfa dozenI- lines her pursuit
would not have attracted much notice, but
weeks and months flew away, and that IA
mIllar figure still hovered among the musty
documents until late in the autumn. FL
nally the direction of her inquiries gave 4
clue to the. motive of her researches. If her
motive was correctly construed and her
position is tenable, lawsuit is foreshadow-
ed that will dwarf in its proportions any
known to New England in the present
century, involving the title to the very
heart of the business centre of Portland,
valued we should judge, at millions of dol
lars. If we are correctly informed, the
lady's curiosity was quite natural. She is
Miss SkillingS, resident in New Hamp-
shire, n descendant of one of those ''other
children" left by Thomas Skillings, the
ancestor of the Skillings family, mentioned
in a clause of his will as entitled to an equal
share in the property, but who could not
be traced. We understand that she has
all the documents to prove her descent :;
the second marriage of her ancestors wife;
her rights that have been handed down to
her by her own immediate ancestors and
Is ready to give good reasons for allowing
her claim to lie dormant so many years.
She IS not crazy, or monimaniac, but an
extremely well educated woman, well
verscd III the dry details of digging ND
legal proofs and connecting the chains of
evidence. Among other documents un-
earthCd. now on record in the Cumberland
County Registry of Deeds, and the one
upon which the whole legal fabric of the
claim Of Miss Skillings is based, is as fol-
lows
This indenture Of lease, made and conclu-
ded upon this tenth day of April, Ammo
DOmini one thousand seven hundred and
Hiucty-twO, lay and between Samuel Skill
ing, OF the District of Cape Elizabeth in
the County of Cumberland, gentlemen, OF
the one part, and Euoch Ilsley, Of Portland,
in the county aforesaid, merchant, of the
other part, witnesSeth
That the said Samuel Shilling, for himself
and in behalf Of the other heirs OF his faith
er, Samuel SHILLING deceased, for the con-
sideration hereinafter mentioned, hath lcas-
ed and TO farm letIen, and by these presents
. said EnOch, his heirs and assigns all the
/ land lying between We sOUthwesterly part O
the county goal-yard and the southwesterly
part of the hay-Scalcs, and between Back
9treet and Middle street, in the said town q
Portland (whereOn Capt Joseph Bailey now
dWells, and who has been a tenant at vii
under rs many years past and now hires tlt
house on said land OF the aforesaid EnoCI
/ llsley), for the full term OF ninety
years from the y < hereof, to h,. full
completed, to improve rs he the said Euoch
( IuS heirs or aSslGnees, may think proper
or build and erect any buildings he mG7
think proper, and improve them as ht
I chooses, for and during the term o. tim,
. aforesaid. And the said Euoch Uslcy dUtl
covenant and engage TO pay unto tho sal,
Samuel Shilling, for himself and the heir
aforesaid, one dollar per year yearly for tn
/ rent Of said land, and at the expiration O
said term Of ninety-ninc years TO yield an,
! deliver unto the said Samuel and the 0the
heirs aforesaid quiet and peaCcaJle posses
+ sion Of said land and all the buildings there
. on, provided he or they pay the said EuoCh
/ his heirs, or assigns as much money rs thr
/ endltercnt men may judge said buildings 4
/ be then worth when delivered up at the en-,
( OF nluety-Hlnc years. To the true perform
/ ance OF each and every article aforcmeuuOn
/ ed the parties bind themselves, their heirs
/ executors, and administrators each TO th
Z other in the penal sum Of thirty pounds.
In witness whereof they have hereuuto in
, terchaugably set their hands and seals thi
. day and year aforementioned.
/ ENOCH ILSLEY, (SraL)
SAMUEL SHILLING, (SeaL)