The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1876-06-09
A QUEER WILL CASE.
The Carbon. Dom. .tie Compilations OF
Daniel Miner, OF Nayns County, Pa.


tested will case, attended with domestic
complications Of an extraordinary char
acter, has Just been tried in the Wayne
County Court AT this place, before &.
4. Waller, Presiding Judge Of the dis
trict.
In January, 1873, man who had for
thirty-five years been known as Daniel
Miner died in Clinton Township, this
county. lie was the owner Of two fine
farms and considerable personal prop
erty. On the farm on which he died
were two houses, one occupied boy
woman named Catharine Hooker, BY
whom he had three children, and the
other one by Rachel Ryder, mother Of
three other Of his children. He lived
alternately with these women for TWEEN
ty-six years, Rachel Ryder, however,
being the favorite mistress, 10 whom he
confded the bringing up Of his Oldest
son BY Catharine Hooker. A year or so
before his death he was visited by an
elderly man, a stranger in the neighbOr-
hood, who had long interview with
Miner This man Miner introduced to
one or two as his half brother, Thomas
Jefferson Main, and during his stay at
Miners the latter kept him under his
personal surveillance, as il apprehen-
siye that he might make some
IDENTIFY feared 20 have made.
Shortly after the departure Of Main
from Clinton, Miner received a letter,
the contents of which seemed TO cause
him intense grief, and be did not make
them known. From that time he APP
peared 10 be oppressed with feelings Of
remOrse or sorrow over some act Of the
past, and his whole nature changed.
His health also rapidly failed, and he
died on the 4th Of January, 1873. in
great agony, and nursued To the last by
some haunting remembrance.
Among Miners neighbors there had
been for some time vague understand
ing that he had another family some
where in New York State. Catharine
Hooker was believed to know all about
TIE matter, but she never made any
revelations that satisfied the curiosity Of
inquirers. Shortly after the death Of
Miner, document purpOrting to be his
will was entered in the Registers Office
in Honesdale. and letters tcst@mentary
were issued thereon subsequently,,
parties claiming to be the only lawful
heirs of the dead man appeared, and
announced their intention Of bringing
suit 10 have the viii set aside. Accord
ing to the terms Of the Will, one farm
was left to Rachel Ryder during her
life. and the other TO two sons Of Cath
crime Hooker. After Rachel Ryder's
death, the farm was 10 60 TO james
Miner, Catherine Hooker's oldest son.
The contesting parties were Daniel ID.
Main and five Others, II Otsego County,
New York. who claimed TO be the legiti-
mate children Of Daniel Miner Main.
who was the legator under the name of
Daniel Miner. They told the following
narrative TO establish their claim as the
lawful children Of Miner:
In 1875 one Of the most prominent
farmers in Madison County, y. Y. was
David Dennison, Of Brookfield. He had
several children, one Of them being a
handsome young woman named Phebe.
In the spring of the above year Denni-
son hired man 10 work on his farm
by the name of Daniel Miner Main.
With this man Phebe fell in love, and
her parents strenuously opposing her
marrying their hired man, she listened
TO his proposal 10 run away and marry
him, and in October accompanied him
to Unadilla Forks, where they We're
married by Elder w. Il. Maxson. The
newly married pair returned TO the
brides home some DAYS afterwards and,
although her parents were deeply
grieyed and indignant at her conduct,
they forgave her and took her husband
to live with them. They subsequently
removed to Plainfeld, and finally to
Edmeston, y. Y, where Mrs. Main
found cause To repent her hasty mar
riage. For thirteen years her husband
treated her with neglect and cruelty,
spending his time and her money in
debauchery, openly supporting a
woman named Catherine Hooker, famil-
iarly known as Line Hooker. In
1855, having wasted his wife's allow
ance, Main disposed Of AL their per-
sonal property. even 10 the necessaries
of life they had in the house, and,
pocketing the proceeds. left the place,
taking the Hooker woman with him
Df~lut~ NJ " iArs Nt Aflt seven -iitA
children destitute Of food and clothing
He never returned, nor was he ever
seen by any immediate member Of hi.
family thereafter.
when Main deserted his family h,
went to Chenango County, n. u.
thence To Susquehanna County, Pa.
and subsequently settled in Clinton
Township, this county. where he died
Twenty-six years ago he met Rache
RYDER, then young and attractiy,
woman, in Dnndofi, susquehanni
County. lie took her TO his house. an,
subsequently built the second house OF
his farm and put Catherine Hooker an'
her three children in it, placing Rache