The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-04-04
PHANTOM FORTUNES.
The Jcnncns Estate as it is-Thc Chances of
ever Realizing Anything from il.

= NV w 40 - hS -
ever Realizing Anything from il.
On the borders of Suffolk and Essex,
two miles from the old English market
town of Lavenham, whose parish church,
renowned for its exquisite tracery work
and carving, is a monument of the pious
muniticence of the De Veres, stood ut the
close of the last century q s%umptuous
and stately mansion called Acton Place,
RACED to the ground more than forty
years ago. 1t was not at that time an old
house by any means, says the New York
Times, from which we clip, having only
been erected about 1920 by Robert Jen-
mems, who had purchased the estate.
This gentleman was q member of Il of
the first families who grew wealthy in the
Birmingham trade. His father, Hum
phrcy, acquired an enormous fortune in
that town by button making and other
metal work, and took up his abode at
Erdington Hall in the neighborhood. He
lett several sons, who appear to have had
souls above buttons, and set up as gen
tlemcn, although we believe that the
descendants of his brother make buttons
at Birmingham to this hour. Charles
Jennens-Humphrey's eldest son who
attained manhood-married into the old
Norman family of Burdett-the same of
which the Baroness Burdett-C outts is so
worthy q scion-and seated himself at
Gopsall in Worcestershire.
Robert, brother of Charles, seems to
have resided in London, and to have
been much in the army; he was aidc-dc-
camp to William I'LL, and subsequently
much occupied in real estate transac-
tions. Although it does not appear that
he was related to Sarah, Duchess of
Marlborough, whose maiden name was
the same as his, there was q close init
macy between them, and Mr.. Robert
Jennens was largely intrusted with the
management of the vast and scattered
properties, and the investment of the
enormous boards which John Churchill
and his grasping wife were daily accu-
mulating. With both Jennens and his
wife-the descendant of an eminent
Florentine family settled in England
the duchess was in constant correspond
ence, and most o. her letters contain an
allusion to their only child, William.
This William Jennens was godson-
some scandal mongers even limited that
he was son-of King William I'LL, page
to George l., and lived thirty-eisht years
into the reign of George III. He inher-
tied from his father, whom he survived
seventy-three years, a large fortune, and
probably derived moro from his uncle,
since it is difficult otherwise to account
for his fortune being at his death so CO.
lossal, inasmuch as Robert Jennens' let
ters to the duchess do not indicate that
he was more than %affluent, and William,
| though living far below his income, was
not a miser, but lived at Acton Place in
handsome style, noted for his luxurious
table, and had a house i'll Grosvenor
square, the best place of residence in
London. But at his death it vas found
that he had, besides large real estate,
accumulated upward of two millions
sterling, q sum almost unknown up b
that date. When he died, in 1898, the
| dividends Oh most of his stocks and the
interest on his mortgages had not been
claimed for years. In his iron chest
we're bank notes of 1888, to the amount
of 9l9, 900, and several thousand new
guineas. He had never employed a
regular steward.
A will was found in his pocket, but
unsigned. His servant explained that
Mr.. Jennens went to execute it at his
lawyers, but finding that he was without
his spectacles deferred doing SO. On
what little points do our fortunes some
times turn. This omission cost several
people hundreds of thousands sterling.
In the absence of q will the realty passed
to the heir-at-law. This was the de-
scendant of his fathers Oldest brother,
Charles, of GopsaII, whose daughter and
heiress married William Hammer. By
him she had n daughter, Hester, wife of
Assheton Curzon. They had a son,
Penn. He married Lady Sophia, heiress
of Earl Howe, and that earldom becom-
ing extinct, was revived in the person
of her son. Thus the present Earl Howe
owns at this day the real estate of Will
liam Jennens. Now, for his personally.
In default of a will duly executed, admins
tration with the will annexed was on the
sixth of July, 1898, granted to William
Lyon, Esq, and Right Hon. Mary
Viscountess Andover, the cousins german
once removed, and nearest of kin of the
said deceased. They were the grand
children Of his aunts, and a step nearer
to him than the inheritors of the real es-
tate, but not SO near in direct male de-
scent. The connection of his father
and mother with the Marlboroughs was
brought to light by this devolntion Of
the personally, inasmuch as there was
found mong the papers at Maurestield
the seat of Lord Beauchamp, head Of
the Lygon family-a series of letters be-
tween the J%ennenses and the MARI
boroughs, which Lord Beauchamp pub
lishcd last year; probably at the instance
of his accomplishtd fathcr-in-law the
late Earl S%tanhope. the historian. But
it is notable that neither the Curzon nor
the Bcauchamp pedigree in the Peer.
age " refers to the source of SO much Of
their property.
Here, then, is the history of the i'll
who is supposed to be awaiting heirs.
From some inexplicable circumstance
the idea got abroad that it remained I'm
appropriated, and it must be presumed
that certain cunning persons connected
with the law have found it profitable to
encourage this fond delision. Aquar-
ter of a century ago the Genflcnon's
Magazine printed a statement to the
effect that:
"The long litigatcdcase of the Jennings
estate has been settled by the court OF
chancery. The property lies principally
in the county of Suffolk, and at n period
was estimated at E 1000, 900, but only one
half of that amount has been divided by
the late decision. Two claimants reside
in Chelmsford. One, q iourneyman
painter, has received $500, 00O."
But next month follows an explanation
to the effect that:
"Our correspondent, it appears, de-
rived his information indirectly from the
painter himself, vino, much advanced in
years, having been called to town to ut
tach his signature to some document con
nected with the proceedings in his be
half, fancied that he had by his autograph
oa.rro1 the D%rODerty I"