Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-08-14
Romance of Sewing Machines.

Isaac Merritt Singer, the inventor of
the Singer sewing machine was native
of Schaghticoke, New York, where he
was born about the beginning of the war
of 1872. He early moved to Wayne
county, where he married CaGharine NJ.
Haley In 1880. At that time he was
wood turner. Two children were born
to them. In 1887 they moved to New
York, and soon afterwards he Joined a
company of strolling players, his wife
remaining in the city. At Baltimore he
saw in the audience an attractive look
ing young woman about eighteen years
of age, whose appearance excited Sing
er's interest. He found her out, called
upon her, and through his represents
tions that he was a single man, she ac-
cepted his attentions and promised TO
become his wife. Her name was Mary
Ann Sponsler. They went to New
York, where he had quarrel with his
wife and they separated. Instead of
fulfilling Lis promise to Miss Sponsler
to marry her he put her of with various
excuses, and finally persuaded her TO
assume the relations of wife TO him,
assuring her that when his fortunes had
improved the legal ceremony should be
performed. For thirteen years the two
lived the lives of strolling actors, play
ing temperance pieces in churches, and
earning a meagre living. They carried
all their effects in one horse wagon,
and they were frequently obliged TO
leave that behind in pledge for trifling
expenses. When in Chicago Singers
attention was turned to invention; and
he devised a reaping machine for har-
yesting grain. In 1850 he made several
valuable improvements, which were
embodied in what is called the "Singer
sewing machine" by which he acquir-
ed his colossal fortune. He returned 10
New York, and lived on Fifth avenue,
where, as wealth now poured in upon
him, he maintained a splendid estab-
lishment, having ten horses and six
carriages. Miss Sponsler still lived
VIII Ills NlACy nav
made no effort to get divorce from Mrs.
Singer. From 1887 to 1857 ten children
were born TO them, eight of whom are
now living. In 1860, twenty-four years
after their separation, Singer obtained
a decree of divorce from his wife. In
the meantime he had been building up
other family relations. One was Miss
Mary McGanigal, by whom he had five
children, and Mary E. Walter, who
bore him one child. Botn women
shared in his bounties, and the children
looked upon him as their father. These
facts coming to light, Miss Sponsler,
believing that she was Singers wife,
sued for enforcement. He denied the
marriage, but admitted the accusation
of adultery, and a settlement was finally
made whereby he purchased her a
dwelling house in New York, the title
of which was to be vested in their chill
dren at her death. The following
month after she had ordered her law,
yer to go on with the suit for divorce
she was secretly married to John Z.
Foster of Boston, under her maiden
name. She kept the marriage secret
until January, 1868, expecting TO get
the deed of her house from Singer. In
falling from chair she was severely in
jured, and believing that she was about TO
die, revealed the secret marriage, which
news came to Mr.. Singer. He induced
her, probably by threats of legal prose-
cutiOn for bigamy, to sign document
which was in fact a remuneration of
their former relations, and TO quit the
house in which she lived. Since that
time she has continued to live with Mr..
Foster. In June, 1868. Singer was
married in New York to Isabella Z.
Somerville, a woman whom he had met
in France. Six children were the re-
suit of this union. They soon moved
TO France, where they remained until
1873, when he resolved to reside per-
manently in England. He purchased
large estate in South Devon and
started to build a dwelling that should
surpass the baronial castles in the
vicinity in magnificence. But his death
ended his career in July, 1875. His
will was offered for probate before Sur
rogate Coffin, in White Plains, Westches-
ter county \. Y. 1t divided the proper
ty in America, valued at So, 900 900, into
sixty portions. There were bequests 10
his twenty four children, to women
with whom he had cohabited, and to
Mrs. Isabella Singer. Miss Mary Ann
SpOnsl NOW Mrs. Foster, receiving
nothing, contested the will. She
claimed to be the lawful widow of Mr..
Singer, but the decision of the Surro-
gates court was against her and the
general term of the supreme court af-
firmed the decision. In the meantime
another will turned up in England,
which settled his property there, valued
at about $4,000, 600 upon Mrs. Isabella
Singer and her children. The property
In America mas been all distributed to
the legatees; and recently, David Haw-
ley, of YOnkers, one of the Singers
executors, sailed for Europe, TO arrange
the accounts against the English estate.
and place il under the control of Singers
last wife or her representatives. This
will end one OF the most extraordinary
will cases ever brought before Surro-
gates court.