The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1882-08-02
The Hedges Family.

u ldIBt uuluuel VI nVi'o " tulS ESTATE
in Mason county. Among the mum.
Der we have been furnished the fol-
lowing names: Marvel Hyatt, Heze.
kiah Hyatt's heirs, Rebecca Yauger's
heirs, William Wilson, Henry Rifle,
Fisher Barnett, Joshua Hyatt, Benz.
Brown, and Mary Yauger. The
Commercial says:
An immense fortune amounting
with interest to over $3.50, 1000, 900, is
now lying in the Bank q England,
belonging to the Hedges family in
America. This fortune vas left by
Sir Charles Hedges, who died in
+17l4. Sir Charles Hedges, of the
Doctors Commons, WIS n English
Tory politician Of note vho gradua.
ted at Oxford in 1875. He was, ,ap.
pointed Secretary ofstate by King
William III. in 1700-being then
Judge Of Admiralty-in place Of Earl
of Jersey, and was returned to Pari.
ament about the same time. While
there he drew up and presented the
bill to enforce the Abjuration Act
which forever set al rest the claims
of the Pretender, and established
Anne's succession to the throne. In
1701, he was replaced by Earl of
Manchester. In 1902 Queen Anne
assembled the throne and Sir Charles
Hedges was again appointed Secre
tary Of State for which place he was
pressed by the Earl Of Northumbe-
land who declined to serve in tie
Cabinet unless he was reappointtd,
giving his reasons why he shouldbe
restored, that he had lost his place
by reason of a conscientious vob in
the House Of Commons. In 17Q6 he
was appointed one of the Com MISS
toners on the part Of England p set
tie the terms Of the union d the
English and Scottish Kingdoms
He remained Secretary of State until
1907, when owing to the power of
the Duke Of Marlborough, and in.
trigue of the Duchess Marlborough,
together with the threat Of their son.
in-law Godolphin, Lord treasurer, to
resign, and pressure brought 10 lbear
by prominent Wings, then getting
into power, the Queen was eompell-
ed to provide a place in her Cabinet
for another son.in-law of Marlbor.
ough, the Duke of Sunderland, and
with the utmost reluctance she ap-
pointed him Secretary Of Slate in
the place of Sir Charles. He died in
1714, leaving son, Charles Hedges,
Gent, who died 1870, leaving son
and four daughters. The son was
named Joseph Hedges, and he emil
grated to America about this time
and settled in Maryland. He died
in Monocacy, Nd, in 1882. Joseph
Hedges left several sons and daught-
ers, all of whom settled in Prince
George and Frederick Counties, Nd,
and in Berkeley and Brooke counties,
Va, (now West Virginil,) The de.
scendents Of these children moved to
Ohio, Kentucky. Missouri, Louisiana
and other States, and wherever found
are among the most enterprising and
influential people in the locality
There is an "Association of the He'd.
ges Heirs in the United States" with
headquarters in Kentucky, DR.. T..
W. Hedges, Cynthiana, President
There was q well attended meeting
of this Association in Cincinnati,
May, 1881. 1t is not yet known
when and where the next meeting
will be held. There are also several
State associations in various States,
auxiliary to the United States Asso.
citation. An editorial in recent is
sue Of the New York Evening Post,
in referring to this fortune, says:
The Hedges family, which like SO
many other families, is said to be
scattered all over the United States" "
has recently learned that there is a
nice little property of S250,00O,00O in
England ready to be divided among
all Hedges who can prove descent
from common ancestor" who died
some century or two ago in England.
He did not leave behind him $780,
100000, but his unclaimed property
has been accumulating ever since his
death, and has now reached the very
respectable figure we have given. 1t
is Of course in the Bank Of England,
where all unclaimed sums of this sort
accumulate, but how it is invested
does not appear. Invested funds it
is we'll known, doubles every few
years or so, and if the Hedges meet,
as they probably will, some obstacles
in the way of efecting a distribution
the delay will after all only make the
family the richer. In 1890 the fund
ought to be about s500,000,OO0, and
by the beginning Of the next centu.
ry s1,00O,0O0,O 900, and however large
the family may be, the division of
sums of this magnitude will make a
perceptiblo difference not only in
their private fortunes, but in the ma.
tional courses themselves. The sud.
den transfer of $1,000 100000 or ev-
$3.50, 100000 from the vault of the