Sharp County record., 1879-10-02
SEARCH FOR A FORTUNE.
The Vast Estate to Which Congressman
Springer is an Heir.
TFrom the New York sun. ]

From the New York sun.
OswEGo, Aug. 30.-Two hundred and
nine years ago John Springer, wealthy
Swede, deposited fl75,OOO in bank in
Stockholm, and journeyed to America
with his family, consisting OF his wife
and one son. Their subsequent history
is somewhat obscure, but it is claimed
that four other sons were born to them
in America, and that the five, who were
named John, William, James, Joseph
and Edward, settled somewhere in New
Netherlands, and took up tract Of 49,
600 acres of land, including the whole OF
the present city of Wilmington, Del,
and parts of Jersey City and Brooklyn.
This large property was put into the
hands of n trustee, who, on the breaking
out of the revolution, as is alleged, be-
came Tory, clandestinely sold the
Springer estates in small parcels and
fled to England with the money. lnthe
excited period which followed the titles
to the property became all mixed up,
the mghtful proprietorS died one by one,
and the result was that the heirs were
not able to establish, or, in fact, proper
w prosecute their claims, and after
while the efforts to establish their rights
was abandoned and the subject passed
into oblivion.
About eight years ago some of the de-
scendants of the Springers, in looking
up the family history, came in posses
sion of these facts, and correspondence
was opened with all the persons of that
family name who could be heard Of.
About four years ago the Springer Asso-
citation was formed, with headquarters
i'm st. Louis, to make an effort to recov-
er the landed property and the t175,OOO
deposited in Stockholm, which, it is as
serted, has not been drawn, and is at the
disposal of such of the heirs as can es-
tablish their title to participate in the
distribution of the vast sum to which 1t
has now amounted.
About Il year ago, principally through
the efforts of +. p. Springer OF Proyi-
dence, r.. l., an Eastern branch OF the
Springer Association was formed, and
Yesterday the heirs in New York, Rhode
Island and Michigan, numbering about
100, held a meeting in this city, which
was attended by about 30 persons, with
authority to act for the rest. j. ii.
Springer of Plymouth, Mich, was elect
ed Chairman; j. E. Comstock of Oswe-
90, Secretary, and Mrs. N. f. Hoover
of Oswego, Treasurer. The subject of
prosecuting their claims to the real
estate mentioned, through the
courts, and the recovery Of the
fl75,OOO in Stockholm, together with
interest compounded for 209 years, was
thoroughly discussed. 1t was decided
to elect Il delegate to a meeting of the
general association, to be held in st.
Louis this fall, when plan for action
will be decided on. E. p. Springer of
Providence, h. l., was elected such del
egate. The value of the real estate
claimed by the Springer Association is
estimated to be $50, 100000, which, to-
gether with the Stockholm fund, makes
the Springer claim one of the most stu
pend0us ever put forward in this coun-
try. There are about 300 heirs, all liy-
ing in the United States and Canada.
They now represent considerable wealth
in the aggregate; and are very deter
mined, not to say enthusiastic, believing
that they will be able to establish their
claims, both in America and Sweden.
Yesterdays meeting was held at the
house of the late VIM. p. Springer, once
an inventor of some note, and whose
daughters, Mrs. j. f. Comstock and
Mrs. N. f. Hoover, are the heirs in Os-
wego, and Mrs. A. p. Wright of Buffalo,
also his daughter, is another. Congress
man Springer of Illinois is also one Of
the heirs, and was expected to attend
this meeting.