Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-04-28
AN HEIREss TO MILLIONS.
A Flower WOman's Prospects of OBJ
tanning Great Wealth.

One of the most familiar faces on Chest
nut street, says Philadelphia special to
the New York World, is that of Mrs.
who has flower stand at the corner OF
that thoroughfare and Twelfth street.
She is never absent except on the bleakest
of wintry days, and drives quite a lucra-
tive business from the sale of nOsegays,
being patroniZed by all classes. To-day
somewhat romantic story was brought
to light about the little flower seller,
which, If properly verified, will soon lift
her and her family out of the ranks of
comparative Obscurity to that of social
and other prominence that vast wealth
brings. Mrs. Emerich is said to be heiress
to millions and ii is asserted that there
will be very little difficulty in establish
ing the necessary relationship in order to
secure the mOney-that now awaits an
owner.
Mrs. Emerlch, who lives with her son,
VIM. B. Emerich, at 1925 Federal street,
claims to be one of the heirs to the estate
of John Nicholas Emerich, who died, as
supposed, without will about 135 years
ago. He was anatiye of Hesse-Darmstadt,
and amassed his wealth in the ocean
trade. His partners were Stephen Girard
and John Jacob AstOr. He died on one of
his own vessels at sea while on his way
to Philadelphia, and his remains we've
brought to this city and buried in
the old German Lutheran Cemetery. the
present site of Fifth and Cherry streets.
At the time of his death Mr.. Emerich's
estate was worth several million dollars,
but it has increased since, and is to-day
worth probably $25, 600 600. This includes
S4,000,000 on deposit in the Bank of Eng
land, large sums deposited elsewhere,
and valuable property in this city, New
York and Germany.
During the past century persons claim
ing to be the rightful heirs have several
times set up claims, but no settlement
was ever reached. The present agitation
grows out of an application made by Mrs.
John Boss, Of PIttsburg, to Max Scham-
burg, the Austrian Consul, to secure a
distribution of Emerich's estate. She
claims to be one of the heirs and that
Emerich was her maternal grand uncle.
She recently received from Germany a
paper giving brief account OF the finding
of a will in an old book in Philadelphia
church. The matter was not mentioned
for the reason that the name of the maker
of the will, John Nicholas Emerich, was
not remembered by even the Oldest men,
bers of the church, and also because it
was evident the paper had never been ad-
mitted to probate. Mrs. Boss at once re-
ported the discovery TO John Kessler, her
sOn-iu-law, and about the same time let
ters were received from relatives in Ger
many and the matter placed in Consul
Schamberg's hands.
Mrs. Emerich, the flOwer-wOman here,
will join with Mrs. Boss. She says she
will have no difficulty in proving
her cla N. She has in her pos
session i family Bible containing the re-
cords of births and deaths OF her hus-
bands ancestors, which traces them back
directly to the dead millionaire.
She says there were two brothers, John
Nicholas and Boltus Emerich, both of
whom were very rich. They were born
and reared in Hesse-Darmstadt, where
Mrs. Emerich's husband and his ances-
tors were reared. Her husband was
Daniel Emerich, a grandson of Benjamin
Emerich, who was nephew of the rich
brother. Boltus died in Philadelphia and
disposed of his property by will. Mrs.
Emerich has, in addition TO her Bible
record, a number of papers proving her
husbands ancestry.
There are probably half dozen other
claimants .in Philadelphia. Counsel has
been consulted and steps will be taken at
an early day to secure redistribution Of
the estate and establish the validity OF
the claims of Mrs. Emerich and others