Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1878-09-12
Facts Stranger Than Fiction.
Troy Times.1


The career of Isaac Merritt Singer.
the millionaire inventor OF the Singer
Sewing machine, although he died
three years ago, has not yet lost its
interest for the public, owing to the
long contest there has been over his
will and the extraordinary facts
which have from time to time been
brought to light. Dir. Singers life
combined romance and infamy to an
extraordinary degree. Few men are
50 successful in amassing wealth, and
few ever sin so otrageously against
the laws of morality as he did. He
began life with nothing; for years he
experienced the vicissitudes of the
deepest poverty, yet when he died he
left an estate valued at from Sl3.0O0-
600 to s15,OOO,OO0, twenty-four chill
dren, and five women that called him
husband. But only two OF the latter
were married to him, and few OF his
children were his Legitimate offspring.
Singer was anative of Schagticoke,
in this county, where he was born
about the beginning of the war of
1912. He moved early to Wayne
county, where he married Catharine
Al. Haley in 1880. At that time he
was a wood-turner. Two children
were born to them. In 1887 they
moved to New York, and soon after
ward he Joined a company of stroll
ing players. his wife remaining i'm the
city. At Baltimore he saw In the
audience an attractive looking wo-
man about eighteen years of age,
whose appearance excited Singers
interest. He found her out, called
upon her, aud, through his represen-
tatious that he was a single man, she
accepted his attentions and promised
TO become his wife. Her name was
Mary Ann SPONSOR. They went to
New York, where he had a quarrel
with his wife, and they separated.
Instead Of fulfilling his promise with
Miss SPONSOR to marry her, he put
her off with various excuses, and f.
nally persuaded her to assume the
relations of wife to him, assuring her
that when his fortune had improved
the legal ceremony should be per-
formed. For thirteen years the two
lived the lives Of strolling actors
playing temperance pieces in
churches, and earning a meager liv-
ing. They carried all their effects in
a one-horse wagon, and they were
frequently obliged to leave that be-
hind in pledge fo- trifling expenses
When in Chicago Singers atten-
ton was turned TO invention, and he
devised reapiDg machine for har-
vesting grain. In 1850 he made sew.
eral valuable Improvements, which
were embodied in what Is called the
Singer Sewing machine" by which
he acquired his colossal fortune. He
returned to New York aud lived on
Fifth avenue, where as wealth now
poured in upon him, he maintained a
splendid establishment, having ten
horses aud six carriages. Miss Spon-
sler still lived with him as mis- wife
though he bad made no effort to gel
divorce from Mrs. Singer. From
1885 to 1867 ten children were born
to them, eight. OF whom are now liv.
ing. In 1860, tweuty-four years after
their separation, Singer obtained 9
decree OF divorce from his wife. In
the meantime he had been building
up other family relations. One was
Miss Mary McGonigal. by whom he
had five children, and Miss Mary Il.
Walter, who bore him one child
Both 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 set
Element was finally made whereby he
purchased her dwelling house In
New York, the title OF which was to
be vested in their children at hel
death. The following month after
she had ordered her lawyer to go on
with the suit for divorce. she
was secretly married to John Z
Foster. OF Boston, under hel
maiden name. She kept the
marriage secret until January, 1868
expecting to get the deed OF hel
house from Singer. In falling from {
chair she was severely injured, and
believing she was about to die. re
vealed the secret marriage, which
news came to Mr.. Singer. He indu
ced her, probably by threats OF lega
prosecution for bigamy, to sign
document which was in fact renun
citation OF their former relations, ant
to quit the house In which she lived
Since that time she has continued t.
live with Mr.. Foster. In June, 1868
Singer was married in New York 4
Isabella f. Summerville, woman
whom he had met In France. Six chill
dren were the results OF this union
They soon removed to France, wheI
they remained until 1873, when he re
solved TO reside nermanently La Eng