West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-08-10
Fact Stranger than Fiction.

Sewing machine, although he died three
years ago, has not yet lost its interest for
the public, owing 10 the long contest
there has been over his will and the
extraordinary facts which have from
time 10 time been brought TO light. Mr..
Singers life combined romance and in
fanny TO an extraordinary degree. Few
men are 30 successful in amassing wealth.
and few ever sin so outrageously against
the laws of morality as he did. He be.
gan life with nothing; for years he ex
perienced the vicissitudes of the deepest
poverty, yet when he died he left an cs.
tate valued at from $500, 900 TO Sl5.-
100000, twenty-four children, and five
women that called him husband. But
only two of the latter were married 10
him, and few of his children were his
legitimate offspring.
Singer was native of Schagticoke, in
this county, where he was born about
the beginning of the war of 1912. He
early moved TO Wayne County, where he
married Catharine NJ. Haley i'm 1880. At
that time he was wood-turner. Two
children were born TO them. In 1897
they moved To New York, and soon
afterward he joined company of stroll
ing players, his wife remaining i'm the
city. At Baltimore he saw i'm the audi
ence an attractive-looking woman about
eighteen years of age, whose appearance
excited Singers interest. He found her
out, called upon her, and, through his
representations that he was n single
man, she accepted 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 his promise with Miss Sponsler
to marry her, he put her off with various
excuses, and finally persuaded her to as
sumo the relations of wife TO him, assur-
ing her that when his fortunes had i'm.
proved 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 meager 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
areaping machine for harvesting grain.
In 1850 he made several valuable i'm
provements, which were embodied in
what is called the Singer Sewing-ma-
chine" by which he acquired his colossal
fortune. He returned to New York and
lived on Fifth-avenue, where as wealth
now poured in upon him, he maintained
a splendid establishment, having ten
horses and six carriages. Miss Sponsler
still lived with him as his wife, though
he had made no effort to get a divorce
from Mrs. Singer. From 1885 to 1867
ten children wer9 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 mean time he had been
building up other family relations. One
was Miss Mary McGonigal, by whom he
had five children, and Mary F.. Walter.
who bore him one child. b TIN 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 settlement was finally made
whereby he purchased her a dwelling
house in New York, the title of which
was to be vested in their children ut her
death. The following month, after she
had ordered her lawyer to 90 on with
the suit for divorce, she was seer tlv
married to John f. Foster, of Boston.
under her maiden name. She kent the
marriage secret until Jar uary, 1868, ex-
pecting TO get the deed of her house
from Singer. In falling from n chair
she was severely injured, and, believing
she was about to die, revealed the secret
marriage, which news came to Mr..
Singer. He induced her, probably by
threats of legal prosecution for bigamv.
to sign document which was i'm fact n
remuneration of their former relations.
and to quit the house in which she lived
Since that time she has continued TO live
with MIR Foster. In June, 1868, Singer
was married in New York to Isabella f..
Somerville, woman whom he had met
in France. Six children were the results
OF this union. They soon removed TO
France, where they remained until 1873.
when he resolved to reside permanently
in England. He purchased a large
estate In South Devon, and started TO
build a dwelling that should surpass the
baronial castles in the vicinity in mag.
niticence. But death ended his career
in July, 1875.
His will was offered for probate before
Surrogate Coffin in White Plains. West
chester County. Itdiyided the property
in America, valued ut $4,000, 600. into
sixty portions There were beduests TO
his tWenty-four children, to women with
whom he had cohabited, and to Mrs.
Isabella Singer. Miss Mary Ann Spons-
Ter, now Mrs. Foster, receiving nothing.
contested the will. She claimed TO be
the lawful widow of Mr.. Singer. but the
decision Of the Surrogate's Court was
against her, and the general term of the
supreme Court affirmed the decision. In
the meantime, another will turned up in
England, which settled his propertv
there, valued at about $4,000 600. upon
Mrs. Isabella Singer and her children.
The property in America had been all
distributed 70 the legatees; and recently
David Hawley, of Yonker, one of Sing.
er's executors, sailed for Europe to ar
range the accounts against the English
estate, and place it Under control Of
Singer last wife or her representatives
Thus will end one Of the most extraordi-
nary will cases ever brought before a Sur
rOgate's Court
Cut This Ont and Save IL.
a cOrTcsuOudent vyrifes oy r,It,.,..