Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-05-09
TWO WIVES AT THE SAME TIME.
The Career Of a Notwithstanding
Developments in Probate Case.

Henry Sholl. ST., deceased, came on Ior near
ing. Dispositions, affidavits, letters. etc,
introduced by counsel as evidence, developed
what had been to Sholl at least an eventful
life. showing that he had two wives with
children at the same time in two different
States. From the evidence the following
brief history of Sho and his families Is given ::
Henry Sholl was born December %, 1911,
on farm in Hempfeld township, Westmore
land county, Pennsylvania. Early in life be
learned the millwright trade, and followedit
through life. Arriving at years of discretion
-22 years of age-he was married to lady
named Elizabeth Ats. The then happy
couple took up a residence on the old home
stead, where they lived for about three years.
Two sons were born to them. In 1886 the
husband left for the West, stopping for some
time in Ohio. His family were left behind,
but for what reason is not known. he was
| next heard from in Illinois in 1S41, but letters
written at that time showed that he had pre-
viously been in Missouri and Texas. From
| 1871 to 1915 he resided in Moline, Rock
Island county, III and in the latter year, on
July 18Th he was married 20 Abigail h.
Sears. By this union there were six children
born, three of whom are now living. In 1856
Sholi, accompanied by the second family,
made visit to his mother and sister, who
were then living in their old home in Perm
sylvanis He and family remained there
during the winter Of 1867, and then they
went to Minuesots, stopping short time at
Moline, and located on the Mississippi river
at point about twenty miles above st Paul.
| Herehe went into business extensively, among
other things owning and running large saw
mill. In 1859 he failed in business in the
! latter State, and his family returned TO Mo.
line, Ill. He turned up next in the fall of
1859 in Fayette, Missouri. from which place
he wrote letter to his son Jacob, by his
first wife, then in Pennsylvania. In this
letter, speaking Of his second wife, he says
81 have got very smart woman, but not the
best natured in the world but she is the
best house-keeper ever got acquainted with"
He said he would like tosee the folks 10 Penn
sylvania. including his first wife. and won
dered if she would like to see him. He was
aware at that tins that his fest wife had
married again in 1850, but he told his son
when he answered the letter to address the
writer as cousin, for" he said, there
are none of my acquaintance in the West
that know of my having ever had family
before came West, and if my wife should
find it out she would no doubt raise breeze,
and It might create much trouble Sholl
told his son In this letter about how he
had travelled on foot over Minnesota,
by advising him to come to the West
On May Is, 1862, his second wife died at
Moline, Ill, and, as stated in letter, in
Sholps arms For the next few years he
wandered over the Mississippi valley and the
Pacific coast. He was in Benicia in 1868,
erecting Touring mill, and some time pre-
viously was in Oregon. In 1872 and 1873
he build mill in Rock Island, Ill. In 1874
he came TO California again. From Folsom,
December q, 1874, he wrote to his nephew,
Jacob A. Altman, who was then residing on
the farm on which he (Sholl) was born. He
said he was then five miles south of Folsom
and twenty-four miles east of Sacramento
city. He spoke of the beautiful spring
weather, the fine country, and expressed
very hattering opinion of the city
of Sacramento. he said he had seen
100000 in $40 pieces on single bank
counter and said there were four other just
such hanks in the city. On October 16, 1875
ne wrote letter to Pennsylvania from st.
Helens, Napa county, and spoke in the same
glowing terms of that section of the State.
In the tame year be was heard from in Kel-
seyyille. He must have left for the East
soon afterwards for he visited the Centennial
Exposition building in Philadelphia, and
also made trip to Westmoreland county.
In 1871 he was in Moline, Ill.
The wear 1879 found Stoll back in the
Golden State. When the Odd Fellows Bank
in this city failed he had $1,000 deposited in
it. For this he took stock in the Peoples
Bank. This venture evidently soured him
on the before grand State, as the following
auotatien from o letter written from Oak
vile, Nspa county, February s. 1880. and
addressed to mr. Jacob Sholl This eldest
son), will show: There are too many mill.
ionaires in California. They have got all
their riches by swindling and cheating the
community. There are very few rich people
here in California that can be trusted.
Bankers and all swindle the community if
they get the chance, and them that they
here ii he has $780, If he can't be swim
died Ont of it in some way they will
rob hin, even if they have to
kill him. They are bound to have
the money. No person is safe here to travel
a.foot d on horseback, and not even in the
stage. There are the most daring robbers in
this country that there are in the world.
| They think no more of mans Life than you
would Of squirrels" So completely dis
State that he left it in the fall of 1880, going
directly to Moline, Ill. Here he stopped bat
few days, and left for Pennsylvania. Oae
of his sons 10y his second wife) accompanied
him to the depot when he departed, and
this witness testified that his father stated
that he would be back to Illinois again. He
was not In very good health at the
time. Arriving in the keystone State,
he repaired to the farm on which he was
born, it being still owned by his nephew, J.
A. Altman, previously mentioned. Accord
ing to the evidence of the last-named and
several other witnesses, Sholl expressed de-
sire to stay there, or to consider that his
home, go that if he should become sick he
would have some place to stop. He re-
manned around that place until year ago
the present month, when he died on the same
farm on which he had been born II years
before.
The deposition of his first wife says that
about six weeks after Sholl left her she re-
ceived letter from him. written at his
uncle's in Ohio, end that he continued to
write at intervals from various parts of the
country, for the next five or six years. These
letters were all destroyed by thu burning of
! a house. This wife was married to a man
named Rooms, February IA. 1850, and has
never been divorced from Sholl. She now
lays claim to the estate.
The deposition of his second wife's father,
now residing st Moline, ILL.,, says that most
of the time from 1916 to the time of his death
Sholl was engaged in the business of a mill
wright aud building and repairing mills in
Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, Mis-.
souri,, Louisians, California and Oregon. The
last work Sholl did for his father-in.law was
in 1872 and 1873, when be built mill in
Rock Island. In 1877 Sholl and his father.
in-law had settlement, and the former
owed the latter about So 900, when he left
| Moline. This latter claim has also been pre-
seuted against the estate.
The deceasedleft property in Pennsylvanis,
Illinois, Iowa, and in this State. Altogether
it amounts to several thousand dollars. The
portion of the estate in California consists of
the 80, coo interest in the Peoples Savings
Bank, and some money which was deposited
in the Capital Savings Bank when il sus-
pended. Those who lay claim to the estate
as heirs are two sons and one daughter by his
second wife-Henry Sholl, low living in Mo-
line, ILL.,, MrE. Mary Turner, residing at Mil
ford, Nebraska, and Frank Sholl, who is
somewhere in Dakota the two sons by his
first wife-John Sholl, residing at Sewickley
vile, Allegheny county, land Jacob Shol,
| Shiptonvile, Clarion county, Pa, and Mrs.
Rooms, Sholps first wife.
Sholl had deserted his wife sufficient
number of years previous to her second mar.
risge TO make the marriage valid under the
laws of Pennsylvania.
The estate is being administered upon in
three Ststes-Pennsylvanis, Illinois and Cali
ifornia. The Illinois administrators succeeded
in getting the Iowa property. In the Supe-
rior Court of this county Clinton l.. White
appears for the Pennsylvania heirs, and the