The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-09-30
A MILLIONAIRE's WILL.
The Eccentric Requests Made by Nelson
Curtis, or BoAton.

BosToN, September GA week ago last
Saturday Nelson Curtis, one OF the wealth.
lest citizens Of Boston, died at his residence
in Boston Highlands, leaving an estate var.
iously estimated at from sl,250,OO0 TO s2,.
100000. lie was 4 seli.made man. Over
fifty years ago he came to this city on foot
from one Of the inland towns OF Massachu.
sets, poor, almost iriendless boy. lie
first obtained employment us a mason's
assistant, but he soon evinced extraordinary
shrewdness, business capacity and enter.
prise. At the age Of eighteen be left other
people Of less natural ability 10 carry NOR.
tar and lay bricks, and with financial back.
ing from n well.known business
man who had become interested in
him, he undertook large aud profitable
building contract. This was the initial
step Of business career that amassed q
great fortune. Mr.. Curtis became one OF
the best builders in Boston. Great clusters
oi buildings erected BY him adorn every
part Of the city. lie was the contractor
for the Boston Museum, the Fitchburg
Railroad depot, the United States hotel,
and about half the Catholic churches in
Boston. The great possessions OF real es.
tate which he had acquired were OF tine
best paying class OF late years he has also
been heavily interested In certain valuable
stocks, particularly .hose OF the Boston &
Albany Railroad. lie was shrewd, money
getting man TO the last.
His funeral services took place on the
Tuesday following his death, and In the
afternoon OF that day the provisions OF his
will were made known. The disposition
OF his vast property was surprise and q
disappointment TO the majority OF his rela.
tives. To his wife, Mary L. Curtis, he be.
queathed only his household estate and the
income Of SO, 700, to revert on her decease
TO Nelson Curtis, the son OF his brother
George. To his several sisters and brothers,
excepting George, and to their children, he
made comparatively small bequests Of a few
thousand dollars each, including one OF five
thousand to General Nelson A. Curtis, the
celebrated Indian fighter. 1tisto his brother
George Curtis that the great bulk Of his
property, amounting to ut least Sl,o920, ,0O0
is bequeathed. George Curtis and Solomon
A. Bolster, an attorney, are made executors
and trustees without bond. In view OF all
these facts great dissatisfaction exists
among all the heirs, with the exception oil
those belonging to the George Curtis branch
OF the family. A strenuous attempt will
be made to break the will, on the ground oi
undue influence, alleged to have been ex.
ercised by George Curtis and Solomon 4
Bolster. The will is dated April Is, 1876,
with n codicil strengthening the authority
OF Curtis and Bolster dated July l2, 1878.
The fact that the testament has been Of 50
long standing may prove a bar to its over.
throw. -E-.
Mr.. Curtis had niece who resided with
him and who was to him more like a
daughter. To her he left only FIVE thou.
sand dollars. She has been aware OF the
provisions Of the will for several years, but
was informed by her uncle at one time
that they were to be materially changed.
Indeed, it is said that the deceased himself
was uneasy about the disposition OF his
property. and shortly before his death, he
declared that he would not be surprised in
the least il the Will should be contested in
the courts.
IL - Stateu tuat ioT HuIlllleT vi years
past the chief beneficiary, who is a well
known lumber merchant and ex.alderman
OF this city, has been in close confidential
relations with the millionaire, and that he
and Mr. Bolster together have practically
managed his affairs. For the past five
years Nelson Curtis has been in failing
health, having suffered two strokes oil
paralysis. Still, with the exception OF one
or two brief intervals, he was believed to
have retained full possession OF his facul.
tics. The matter comes up for hearing
before Judge Mckim in the Probate
Court, October 0.