The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-02-28
ECCENTRIC JOHN ELWYN.
ODDITIES or MIND THAT HAD EN-
PRESSION IN A NIL.

A Fortune Dieposed Of In Characteristic
Mnnner-A Quoer Testnmcmary Docu mcnt,
but One that stood the Test Of the Law.
The Hon. John Elwyn, nm eccentric and
thoroughly original gentleman Of the old Eng
hsh school, died on the 9th inst, In Portsmouth
N. II. He was born In Bristol, England Feb. 1,
1901. His parents were In France just previous
to his birth, aud his mother having declared that
she would not be tho mother of Frenchman,
a small vessel was engaged to convey her across
the straits at time when a passage through
the French feet that guarded the coast could
hardly be obtained. But the French Admiral
threw open the blockade In confederation OF the
hospiialities no had received Mt the hands OF
Mrs. Ewyn's father, Gov. Langdon, on tho oc-
CASTOR Of a visit TO Portsmouth. Elwyn grad
uated at Harvard In the same class with
George Bancroft and the Hon. Caleb Cush Ing
lie strict Democrat, and In 1929
served In the General Court OF New Hampshire.
lie took an active part In the Jacksonian cam
naiRn, and IN 1859 was member OF Gov. Pages
Council. After that no retired to lead kind of
nomadic life. just previous to his death he wns
reading the Old Testament In the original lIc-
brew ior the eleventh time. Hts will was I'D
mttted TO probate on the 18th In Exeter. The
following ~ ver0atin copy Of the document,
and is printed precisely as u was written. The
largo roman letters. Mr. Elwyns eccentricities
are manifest Throughout; this most singular doc
umout.
We then JOHN ELwYE Of Port smonih in the coun.
OF souni rind and memory but nov scyeiy years ola,
Insstn inis Instrument for my LAST WILL and TEE.
thl re- seems TO be little estate worth the gathering
In OF careless u Is 10 one through iny whole ic OF
money wic&cdly careless you may say N you choose
muel poorer than might Tor iui very inli NY head
tnns or other else and never Of money and i never
could do two thnee ct one unr a.ill AMI notvith-
staniins never once lct my tFnsinss ABOUT money
siop a. all nor siicken ever ms O0Q@ w0re nor mead
yogS of what kla s9svcr It might b., stlll there
my ana. IN Portsmouth altogether some scyen hun.
AZ al Ia worth well more tnan ny thousand dollars Is
riga'ef nearer sGycnilnye 1ngG,snl ,ngn belize
10 guess by what Il inrs In year; though am Yong
'an ON my srcaod h The Whole S IS liz to be 1ss c 2
ssai- more. wei then ~ worth the LOOKING ait r. II
Il Norh more than tht 90 keen and want heir 10
nGssi. nc s''' II 'oi from MI Ou' III foi''' IL
NY brother and sister the only ones left besides me OF
the once nae chi ftu Of Thomas and Eliza tlwyu, the
othcrs snd al their children AL long eiuce dead. there
nepnra an rreet uie,ee vrt vel th.n tb"uSb mono ~
US - rich ent there ought 20 be already shoud gne
oI eh Se1 S2 ST mot not y Se Inv s
ieaye tRoasG SIX ii SDisE5 DOLLARS for every
yssss Younger than me was lrenshi np Oh ~, ~:
Rouesiead 4 She neither ny wtfe nor my gistrss Sut
ny heirs must deai kindly wan her to be as II M
By as sx anndred d!llars every year OF her We
tor ie ten nv ,i IS m, b MI OF ~ sst1
10 AIFRE6 FLwS now o. Pm sa UIs' now A 10 Holy
mcaa all inv Est IL 70 e. to Ills NY nephes kfrcas
s s9 Y T iIeg AN IL p should plt ~ =
III. estate TO be turned INTO then full FEE SIMPLE
clear enough 10 any court what meani should like
20 80 straight % bot ils cannot m.se Il d. "a Ia.
ORR NJ snd es tne ehids mother ls very uneOal
mony cearly 10 understand FROM me
should IKE rpy greet neP5es nut 'hey an DO a. they
O. fu lufh Nla Ia AZ fFTntt
grandfather believe Of great great grandfather
Kent and Of XIII sm wy ea DAY ~ tag
need not 60 10 the Selcral Court all ~ Last mat Lnl
icc.ins iorSard no.c, or TO me e,hag Himself sni
: ould IKE INV heir TO csii himself THOMAS ELWYN
and ihe 1iOdNs ONLY.
SfS S not not 'e ea s9s 81 sse bs nS.
scsa gs Of sS h. "S9 yGry aye e" N9SE s 81
VIII come TO let hin LIVE on THEN 1t Is good way
you deep in your oSn faith aud where You rig nest
S o s hsss ySG toq tag si, q .9
s ns ies r ssr pfeSstoJy sS, q 81, ts s
Ala jeremiah "a ID unto the house of the Rechast
thus ith tuo LORD Of nosis tac God OF lrae De,aue
| ye have ob.yed toe commandment Of Jonadab yolr
81 ou h1orS ih S" sata the Toti Of Ioss e
Co 81 10 Az JoIaia9 nc son Of h.ehaj shall not
hs5e y e h'inn, o. ne verse to me J., ~.
hebrews AND pdis bud IA Hnd VI our Old Newen sland
Ma they buried hi,n In the BORDER OF his IN.
HEAarANtt "a Tan ain rran wairn Is m mount Epl
IA. On the nortt s,i 90 the uIl Dl Gls,u;
flt Other thines to b. douc can tel NV brother. I
nlet I rs ana h.- SON ami Nr .O-Iii Il. e. ARpEN.
tl.H "a. Of Plaatl, Aii TIE three kNECU TORS OF tns
ny last W Ill aud lEsIAN 4Ar.
witnessed on the fourth page
th.s instrument Oh the afst taree pages Is signed
s,aicl ana 4ck.iuw cd ;ed TO De IA, LAST WI L AMI
IEs fAAkSf ia our s.slt by JOAN ELWYN this see.
ont a. Of sen. u er 10 the year ol our Lord OAe
thousand EIgnt Iunlrsd and seventy Two;
joins tLMNN. H.. al
witness jANEs :. PIERCE, s. d. WOODWARD, JouS
WEsIWokTH Of Chicago lllluols