The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1881-10-11
Philadelphia Inquirer, August 28th 1881.
BIG HOPES.

Philadelphia Inquirer, August 26th 1881.
BIG HOPES.
4 ATEN.MILLIOM DOLLAR HEIRLOOM.
The Great Expectations of the Van
Horn family--Immense Wind.
fall at Bergen City for q Sew.
enth GeEeratiOn.
In the spacious communicating Offices
nm the second floor of NJ. 3ll Walnut
street. last evening, there was gather
ing of the Van Horn family. There
we're Van Horns, Van Hoerns, Van
Hnrnes, DC. but all were animated with
the same peasureahle feelings that
sprung from the contemplation Of joint
participation, in the near future, of an
estate roughly estimated to be worth
from ten to twelve million dollars Un-
der The circumstances million or two,
here or there, makes no great difference
The object Of the meeting was to hear
the report Of the secretary, H. b. Sink.
the most important part of which was
to the effect that the preliminary work
Of the association is now all complete
and affairs in 6rst class order to proceed
with ligitation- Owing TO the compare
lively small number of members present
it was decided to adjourn tine meeting to
some time next month.
The Van Horn Association was orga
nized some two wears ago, and since
that time Mr. Sink, himself one of the
heirs, has, with others, been working in
cessantly in tracing the various descen-
dants nf Barnet Christian Van Horn,
whose possessions at what is now Ber-
gen City, n. j., are the objective point
OF the associations efforts
Barnet Christian Van Hoorn, as the
name was at that time spelled, was ,orn
in 1888, and died in 1926. He owned
large tracts OF land on the present site
OF Bergen City, some OF the property
extending from New York bay to New
ark bay. Barnet Christian had nine
sons, of whom Richard, the eldest; and
Jac ID. the youngest, remained at Ber-
gen; the other seven, Peter, Ahram,
Barnet, Isaac, Christian Nicholas and
John emigrated to Bucks county around
about 1870. aud it il from Bucks county
the present association has gained its
strength.
at has always been known in the
family that there we're valuable posses
sions that could he obtained for the
trouble Of trying" said Mr.. Sinks to an
Inquirer reporter; but the effort was
never before made At first there were
family fends. caused hy various branch
es leaving the Dutch Church and jim.
ing other denominations, and afterward
other causes operated against united &C
tion. chief among them being the ole
axiom that what is everybody's bust
ness is nobody's business. Then thu
preliminary work to be done before eu
case could be got into shape was enor
nous. Every one OF old Barnet Chris
ttian's sons married, and We had to trac
each branch of the family down iron
that to the present time We found th
descendants scattered over twenty-five
different States and Territories, 10 eacl
lof which we have correspondent. Tha
fparl OF the work is now about compile
ted.
Reporter. Yon had great man,
names to look up, no doubt2
| Mr. Sinks. Over 10000; they are al
Ihere. s
i Turning to stack Of folio s'ze'
books, Mr. Sinks selected one Of them
and continued: Nav here is the recof'
OF just one of the branches. Let N
see. This was Peter Van Horn. Pete
one of the snns Of Barnet Christian, hat
twelve children, In tracing the genealo
Igy of that branch have had to run owe
2 900 names. 81 that you can Judge 70
yourself what the total labor has. been
Reporter. What is the total numbe
OF heirs
| Mr.. Sinks. About seven hundred
Reporter You think your case is no,
in good shape2
Mr.. Sinks--It couldn't be better. w
have the chain complete without q posi-
hility OF doubt Some time ago wa
nver, at Bergen, and asked the author Q
ls.Win6eld's Handbook OF Land Titles Q
Hudson County," about the property "
lare after, without saying anything to hir
about our case and be said the heirs wou
have good case. His book. based o
course, on the Official records, show
that the title to the property was in Bar
y net Christian until about H76, whe
squatters took possession. have her
no less than 500 wills or copies OF an
extracts from wills Here, too, are Gel
Itificates from the Secretaries Of Slate Q
New York aud New Jersey setting fort
that the estate OF Barnet Christian va
never settled up
Reporter--Then you will soon make
start after the ten millions?
Mr. Sinks AS to- the exact value 9
the property in question estimates diffsI
: have heard it valued at from twenty +
thirty million dollars. For practices
purposes l say ten or Twelve miflio
: dollars is Its value. However, thatis
t question that may we'll be left for settle
: ment afierward What We 6rst want
Ito obtain possession. and we shall tax
steps in that direction at once. probabl
: In few weeks, by commencing proceed
. Iings at Trenton,N j.
Il Mr.. Sinks alsof stated that many G
I the Van Horn Association member
] have an interest by intermarriaqes, i
: the Anneka JAMS and Lord Waldor
claims, hut that the present efforts ar
to he concentrated on the recovery 9
the Bergen property.
Foreign Friends.
New York. October 5.-The steame
!, Canada from Havre. with the Frenc
delegation invited to the Yorktown Gel
ebration, arrived in the lower harbo
this morning 1t was met BY the Frenc
. and American men-of. war which wer