Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1882-03-17

menced. In 1743, or FIVE wears after
the marriage of Jonathan Lawrence,
Lawrence, there eliminated series OF
events which served to consolidate sew
eral large estates into one, the one
now called the Lawrence Townley es-
tate. The male line of the Town
ieys became extinct upon the death
OF John Townley, the incumbent
OF Townley Hall. He married as q
second wife Standish, by whom he be-
came poss essed of an estate known in
England as the Staudish estate. and
which was bequeathed to him by his
wife; she being childless, and this, to-
gether with the Townley estate, inheri-
ted from his father, Sir Richard re-
verted to Mary Townly and her heirs.
Dorothy, VINO married Howard, pro-
prietor of Corby Castle, also died, her
husband having died in 1704 childless,
and having willed the Howard estates
to her, and her will conveys all of which
she died possessed to her 'sister Mary
Lawrence, and her heirs male in
America forever Thus the combined
properties of four distinguished fami-
lies, in the Kingdom VIZ: The Wild
drington, Tow..ley, Standish, and How
ard estates, constitute the prize for the
successful aspirants. The most con-
spicuous of these estates is the Town
ley. Townley Hall is the seat of one of
the most notable of English families.
This family were among the very few
who were allowed to retain possession
of their lands after the conquest. They
figure in general history from the DAYS
of the desolating wars of races. The
Hall is situated in the vicinity of Barn
ley about twenty miles north of the
city of Manchester. The estate en-
braces in the words of chronicle "broad
lands in Lancashire including much
upon which the present city of Man.
chester now stands. In accordance
with English custom the occupancy of
Townley Hall, since proprietorship
has ended In the family, is determined
in the act of Parliament, leasing the
Hall to the next of kin, or a promi-
nent representative of the name for
his lifetime, the annual rental being
paid into the bank of England, and in
vested by the order of the court of
chancery in the public funds, for the
benefit of the estate, this has been
leased three times the latest occu-
pant whose will was passed was Colonel
Chas. lTownley, who took possession
Dec. S1st, 1910, and died Nov. 16. 1876.
The wills of these occupants convey
no real estate. No titles exist to any
of the proprietors, included in the con-
solidated estate. No one is to be dis
possessed of any rights of realty. Nor
is there any bar of rights of inheritance
claimed by foreigners. The limitations
which decide incapacity of any political
rights of aliens are these three.
1st. They are incapable of any politi.
cal rights, such as holding any office of
trust or becoming member of the
privy council or parliament.
I'd. They cannot hold landed estates
except for the term of twenty-years.
Sd. They cannot own British ships.
By force of statute IL and II William
Third, chapter 6, section l, all persons
(including naturalized citizens) may
inherit aud make title by descent, from
any ancestor; although father or mother
of other ancestors by from, through or
under whom they derive their pedi-
grees were born out of the British
realm. The statute unrepealed secures
to the next of kin, even when branch
of the family has become extinct, to
which the estate regularly descended
by the law of primogcniture J;
an instance of the effect of English
law with reference to foreign claimants
is given in the case of Portington VS..
Attorney General House of Lords
which involved s35,000 sterling which
was interest covered into" the treas
ury Ct. apply the Americanism, the
principal 100000, having been pre-
viously recovered; all of which was
distributed to American heirs. These
observations are substantially those
given in the Solicitors Journal and Re-
porter, London, August 2S, 1862 Pre-
vious to the death of the late d. B,
Carver, which occurred in 1878, the
matter was apparently on the high
road to success with such plausibility
that movements of considerable mag
nitude were excited among the English
tenants upon the estate to obtain specu-
lativo advantages. The presumptive
heirs to this estate are in humble life
and dependent upon others to prose
cute their claims, consequently an as
sociation has been formed for the
speedy prosecution of the claim, as
they have now reached a suitable
preparation for instituting legal pro.
ceedings. The interest which will now
be awakened by the proceedings which
will shortly be commenced by Mr.
Usher and his associates in London
"who have becomesh.lite prominent
by reason ef their successful prosecu.
ton of similar claims," will by nc
means be confined to kindred mos
concerned.