Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-10-05

he uled Aug. z, lolb o
Aged IS.
o This monument is erected by
20 Pixley johnson.
o
'oooooooooooooooo ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Captain Stephen Burroughs was be-
yond question a man Of prominence and
ability. In addition to the military
service he rendered his country in the
war Of the Revolution he is distin.
guished as the originator of the federal
system Of money or the application of
the decimal system Of mathematics to
the currency.
PresidentDwight, of YaleCollege, is
quoted as saying before he died that
captain Burrough was a wonderful
mathematician, and citing the fact
that he had calculated a certain diff
cult measurement in astronomy three
times with variation of only one-hall
Of az inch. Pixley johnson was an
ardent friend and admirer of the old
man (who was blind, as the descrip,
ton says, for the last few years of his
life), and this admiration led him to
seek aud obtain permission from Gap
tain Burroughs children to erect the
stone, which still stands in the old
cemetery.
OF these children there were six
teen. ten Of whom lived to become men
aud women. The old mans estates,
qhich were large, have naturally been
divided aud subdiyided; but with the
growth Of the city Of Bridgeport prop.
erty has increased in value so that the
Burroughs family is one Of many
wealthy members.
THE NEXT OF KIN IN COURT.
The estate Of one Of the grand
daughters, Mrs Catherine A. Pettin.
gill, who died January II Of the pres.
emit year, was valued at something like
quarter OF million Of dollars. 1t
has been administered upon in part,
but about 100000 worth Of property
(S7S,OOO by inventory prices) still re-
mains in the hands of the executors
by order Of the Probate Judge, and on
Wednesday Of this week an appeal is
to be taken from the provisions Of the
will on the petition of the old lady's
next kin These are OswaldP Backus,
q lawyer practicing at No. 265 Broad>
way, and Mrs. Tappan, an old lady
ninety years Of age, living in South.
port. it F0r
Mrs. Pettingill, the testator, was
seventy eight years Of age when she
died, one year and two hours later
than her husband, Allison A. Pettin
gill, formerly editor of the Bridgeport
Standard and man Of some promi-
hence in local matters. Mrs. Pettin.
gill was woman Of strong character,
with exceedingly pronounced likes and
dishkes, who spent, her friends say
the latter part OF her life more 10
thinking OF the past than in taking
part in affairs Of the present.
She was, as may be inferred from the
terms Of her will, a member Of St
Johns church, an aristocratic Episco
pal corporation, worshiping in very
handsome granite building on the cor
DER Of Park and Fairfield avenues, one
" the most desirable locations
in the beautiful little city Mrs Pet
tipgill lived and died in a very elegant
mansion next to the church.
Her will Is an elaborate but not
surprising one. After providing Tor
the payment OF her debts and funeral
expenses she bequeathod $500 to two
cemetery associations for the keeping
Of two family burial lots. Various be
quests Of money and real estate to her
relatives are next written. and by
article 8" Of the will the Burroughs
block is devised to the board Of di
rectors Of the Bridgeport Public Ii.
brary aud Reading Room. The Bur.
roughs block is new aud very hand.
some business building on Main street
in the center OF the city, and is valued
At neary 100000 Other requests Of
comparatively small sums and articles
OF small value to various charitable
organizations and to st Johns church
follow, aud then come the two clauses
which are to be disputed, ul
PIoUs PURPOSES TO Bs CONTESTED
By one of these clauses her resi-,
dence, mentioned above, and $4,000
cash are bequeathed to the Society Of
st. Johns Parish. provided the society
(church) erect within three years
chapel to cost not less than $50 900 TO
be known as the Burroughs Memorial
Chapel. Last, the total residue OF her
estate is left In trust Of the rector of
st. Johns parish, the pastor of the
First Congregational church Of Bridge
20 t and the Mayor OF Bridgeport, and
their successors in Office, and TO Mas
thaniel Wheeler, Edward Sterling,
Samuel w Baldwin and John Hurd,
all OF said Bridgeport, to have aud to
hold the same in trust for the purpose
Of establishing a permanent fund Of
real and personal estate which shall
be used for the charitable assistance
aud benefit Of INDECENT unmarried
Protestant females over the age Of
eighteen years, residents Of said city OIL
Bridgeport; land il is my wish" the
will continues, that this fund shall
be held and managed by the manager,
or directors Of the Bridgeport Protes
tsnt Widows Society, of Bridgeport
and their successors 10 office forever
as they, from their knowledge and ex.
perienoe 10 a similar department Of
humane work, would probably be bet
ter acquainted with the class Of women
this fund is intended to help and BEN
eft" s
! The Home to be thus founded, Mrs
Pettingill directed, should be called
the Burroughs Home, and she gave
her old homestead specially to be used
as tho Home building. In conclusion
she says in the will:- y
1t may be better to organize aud
establish a corporation under the gen.
eral laws Of this State to carry out the
charitable uses aud purposes OF this
trust, aud il 50, in the judgment o.
said Board Of Trustees, i direct them
so to do, but | am very solicitous that
this gift shall not fail TO be carried
into effect, and ask said trustees to acl
] wisely ia this matter
Il The formal document fled in the
i Probate Court in opposition TO the
last portions Of the will, as described
here, gives as the legal ground of con
test that the testator seeks TO estab
lish perpetual trust--a thing abhor-
rent - the law. But rumor says that
| II will be sough. to show that undue
| Influence was brought to bear on Mrs
| Pettengill, who signed the viii odlS
three weeks before her death. r
The matter is likely to come up fol