The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-03-06
FABULOUS WEALTH.
Claimants for virginia Estate
valued NJ $4,000, 900.

Greenfield (O,) Cor Gin. Commercial, Fob, 20,
II Is II fact not generally known that within
the boundaries Of this county, Highland, and
the adjoining one, Brown, there arc persons
rghtIul heirs TO property in this country
valued at ovor S5,00O000, which will be seen
by the following account, rs told us this AZ
ternoon by Rev. Il, Cumberland, pastor of
| tho a. NJ Il. church NJ this place, and ole of
the claimants. Ills account is devoid Of all
romance aid general nonsense, and from IL
we CLEAN the following: Along about 1880
one Samuel Gust esq, now spelled Gest n
wealthy resident Of London, England, came
to this country and settled in Virginia, and
bought lands, many thousand acres.
These lands are now in what Is
called Hanover and Amherst counties,
together with the Dismal swamp, and in
oude the finest and best cultivated farms in
this region. But in February, 1916, Mr..
Guist was gathered 10 his fathers, leaving
will wherein 1t was explicitly stipulated that
all his slaves, between two and three hun
dred, were to have their freedom, and all his
lands and personal property in the United
States, they and their heirs forever. They
we're also to live on IL, have II church, school
house and teacher, to whom was TO be paid
ESQ, about $3.50, per year. Agents or trus-
tees, were also appointed TO look after the es-
tates, ETC., TO whom was to bepaid salary.
One of the express conditions Of the will was
that these slaves should never be removed
from the lands; but few years after the
death of Mr.. Guist the whole. colony was sent
OIL TO Ohio, where the trustees had bought
land, which was in direct violation Of the or
ders of the will BY some legal hocospocus,
the Legislature of Virginia passed a special
act lesalizing this move (at least that is what
was told the freedmen by the agents., but all
endeavors to find this act on the statutes arc
futile; mono can be found. Furthermore
these heirs have never received the least bene-
ut from the estate, such rs minister, school
teacher, and the rents from the lands. Mr..
Guist also had two daughters who came to
this country with him, but on his death re-
turned to England where they succeeded to
the estate in that country. They are both
dead.
A few years since the heirs began raising
money to investigate this affair, and
have spent hundreds of dollars with solicit
tors in London and this country, but at last
their efforts are about to be crowned With
success. A few days since Mr.. Cumberland
received letter from Mr. Robert Gum, of
London, wherein was stated that, according
to bis index, claimants and heirs were wanted
for the estate of Samuel Gust, and gave as
his opinion that with little more time and
money all legal difficulties would be removed
and heproperty ies ored 10 to its rightfulown-
ers. But many Of these are so poor that with
n hundred dollars they would feel as if they
would never need another cent. 1t is there
fore to be hoped that the heirs will make an
Other effort TO secure their rights, and Mr..
Cumberland earnestly wishes them to do this
as soon as possible. Asa matter of course,
NIL these lands now held by the parties in
Virginia can be taken from them, as their
deeds are not valid. AS stated above, these
lands are among the richest in Virginia, and
on them are now situated the towns of Am
herst, Hanover CHI, and score or more of
smaller towns.