The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-07-17


the sewing machine man died, it was
discovered that he left no less than
FIVE wives and twenty-five children, as
claimants to his immense estate.
Instead Of squandering the money in
frui,less litigation, the various wo-
men who supposed they were his
wives, have apparently been well ad-
vised, and the matter has been
amicably adjusted and the estate
divided among his victims and their
children.
The Chicago Laier-Oceaa an
nounces the result as follows:
All contests against the will of
Isaac NJ. Singer in this country have
been disposed Of, all claims against
the estate have been settled, and
more than $4,000, 600 distributed TO
the twenty-five persons named in the
will. This has been accomplished
within two years, and the surviving
executor has gone to England to
settle up the estate Of $1,000, 900 in
that country.
1t will be remembered that five
women called Mr.. Singer husband,
and twenty-five children called him
father. The will divided the proper
ty in America, valued at about
8 200, goo, into sixty portions, these
including requests to all his children,
illegitimate as well as legitimate, and
to his last wife. To the children of
his frat wife wife he gave $40, 500 i;
to the eight surviving children OF
Miss Sponsler who was known as
his wife when be turned his atten-
tion to inventions, he gave 81, $780,
coo; TO the five children of Mary
McGarigal, who lived with him as
Mrs. Matthews, be gave the sa me
amount to the child of Mary E.
Walter, who lived with him as Mrs.
Merritt be gave portions valued at
S4O0, 600, to his last wife be gave
500, 600, and to her six children
portions valued at s., 800, 600.
Mary Ann Sponsler, or, Mrs.
Foster, claimed to be the lawful wild
ow Of Mr.. Singer, and contested the
will, but the decision was against
her, the court holding that Isabella
Z. Singer, Of England, vas the wild
ow. The executors compromised
with Mrs. Foster, payingh her S75, 900.
The children all claimed their por-
lions, and all the property in America
has been distributed.
The property in England was set.
tied on Mrs. Singer and her children.
There was q queer complication in
this case, as Mrs. Singer, whose
maiden name was Boyer, was mar
ried under the name of Summerville.
Before bis death Mr.. Singer made a
trust deed, conveying this property
to his wife, and signed q will giving
the property in England exclusively
to her.
Mrs. Catherine NJ. Singer, the first
wife, is living with her children in
Brooklyn; Miss Sponsler, now Mrs.
Foster, is living with her husband in
New York; Miss McGarigal, other
wise Mrs. Matthews, is in Europe /;
Miss Walter, or Mrs. Merritt, is liv-
ing in Europe. All the romance and
sad experience of the women came
out in the contested will case. But
now that all complications have been
arranged, aud all claims paid, this
celebrated case" will cease to in
terest the people.
Mrs. Singer, the last wife, lives 90
the country seat in Paignton. Eng
land, where her husband had planned
to erect a residence that was to out
shine all of the old baronial castles.
This was to be called the "Wigwam,"l
was to have a private theeter and
reading-room, Conservatives, ban
qaet halls, and all the modern appli-
ances and improvements. This was
put Under contract, but was not COM
pleted at the time of Mr.. Singers
death. Mr.. David Hawley, execu-
tor of the Singer will, left New York
on Saturday for Paignton TO complete
arrangements for placing the English
in the control of Mrs. Singer.
The woman who took up with an
adventure in Francer, and who sew
eral years after, as Mrs, Singer. was
snubbed by New York society, will
then be worth nearly S6,0O0, 600.