The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-07-22


WEALTH THAT ATTRACTED LoNG-roR-
GOTTEN FRIENDS.
Surrogate Calvin, OF New York city, dc.
cidcd yesterday the long-pending question
OF heirship to the $4,000 left by old black
Anthony Jones, long time \ servant in the
Bloomingdale Deaf and Dumb Asylum. He
died three years ago last April.
Anthony Jones was born In Virginia, the
| slave Of Mr.. William Jones, who lived Mt
"The Wilderness" Spotsylvania county.
Anthony worked for his master as 4 farm
laborer and in gold-mines until he ran away.
On his recapture he was sold to John Ellis,
from whom he ran away and gained his
liberty. He arrived in New York city thir-
ty years ago, and lived here until his death,
steady, industrious, saving servant. He
left real and personal property, the realty
having so risen in value that it was said
two or three years ago that his estate
amounted to about 100000. He had in the
Harlem Savings Bank 81, 052.22; in the Sea-
mems Bank for Savings, 2,100; in money,
81, 942.70; and held mortgage Of 5000 on
uptown property.
Nothing was then known OF old Antho-
ny'S having family, and the Public Ad-
miniStrator took possession OF the estate.
Thereupon appeared Mr.. Horace Lacy, OF
Virginia, rs attorney for black man in
Yirginia-Isaac Smith-and q black woman
in Louisiana-Mrs. Elizabeth keaton. They
claimed to be brother and sister OF the in
testatc, and urged an immediate allowance
OF $4,000 on the ground that they at that
moment had the opportunity OF buying
lands advantageously OF Mr.. Lacy, and
wanted to secure it and put in their crops
that year; that they were in great poverty,
had large families, and were industrious
and frugal farm-laborers. Their attorney
remained here until he wearied Of the
tedious delays in legal decisions, and
then went back to Virginia without
were other claimants. a stout, young black
man. of Yazoo City, Miss, urged that he
was a son of Anthony Jones, and that he
bore the same name, although he had drop
ped the Jones to adopt the surname OF an
other master. Another claimant was an old
black woman, living somewhere up the Mis-
sissippi river, her name Mrs. Patsy Minor.
She, too, was born in Virginia, slave, and
her - young miSSuS," Lucinda Gordon, be-
came the wife Of William Jones. the master
Of Anthony. Patsy was Jones's property
| until she was liberated by the war.
! Long before Lucinda Gordon married
Jones, Anthony had wooed Patsy, and it
was shown to the court that ''for six OF
seven years he paid her considerable attcn-
ton, and repeatedly asked her to marry
him, and she at length consented" They
obtained permission to marry, and they
lived in all the coniugalty that slavery
knew; were recognized and respected rs
| husband and wife, and were faithful to each
| other for thirteen Years, when Anthony
IL n 60. NIL and IutS 1lpH
several children, all of whom died in in
fancy. The last one was born after his
fathers flight to the North. Anthony wrote
from New York city to Patsy inquirlng
about "their child.' This letter was an
important item in showing the recognition
required to Substantive Anthony, Jr., as
an heir.
Complaining the claim OF Patsy as the
wife OF Anthony Jones, were her other mar
riaecs. one before and one after the thirteen
wears with Anthony. Her first married re-
lation was with slave named James Willis,
who was sent South by his master. This
terminated their relation. Whether it had
been regarded as slave marriage is not
known. Eight or nine years after Anthony's
letter from New York. Patsy, believing him
to be dead, was married to Gabriel Minor,
her present husband.
Anthony after arriving in New York
began to live with another woman as his
wife. She died before him, leaving no chill
dren. The Surrogate had thus four mar
riages to contemplate.
When Anthony and Patsy were living to-
gether the laws OF this State held that the
marriages OF slaves were as valid as those OF
| free persons, and that their children were
| legitimate.
The long-pending question decided by
Surrogate Calvin was whether Patsy is en-
titled to an inheritance as Anthony's widow,
and whether Anthony Smith is a legitimate
son and heir. The marriage OF Anthony
and Patsy, although respected in Virginia,
was not recognized rs lawful by the statute
of Virginia. But the new Constitution OF
Virginia legitimated children born as An
thony Smith was.
Surrogate Calvin concluded that PATSY
Minor is the lawful widow Of Anthony
Jones, and is entitled to one third OF the
personal estate and Il dover interest in the
realty; that her subsequent marriage to
Gabriel Minor could not affect the validity
OF the marriage relation between her and
the inteState, particularly as it was eight or
nine Years after, and she believed him dead;
also, that Anthony Smith is the lawful son
and heir OF the interstate, more especially so
under the laws of Virginia Of 1865, which
provide that wherever negroes have lived
rs man and wife and ceased to cohabit be-
fore the passage OF that act, all the children
OF the woman recognized by the man to
be his shall be deemed legitimate. This
recognition being evidenced by the letter to
the wife making inquiry for their child, if
Anthony Jones had died in Virginia instead
OF New York Virsinia's laws would have
recognized the Anthony, Jr., as Anthony
Jones's child; and il Virginia would have
recognized him the courts OF New York
certainly ought to-"
AS the result OF this decision, Isaac Smith
and Elizabeth keaton, alleged surviving
brother and sister Of the intestate, are rot the
next of kin or entitled to any OF the estate.
Ne,c York Sun.
KILLED By RATTLESNAKE.-On Monday