The Indianapolis journal., 1886-04-11
INHERITING MILLIONS.
A Family in Northern Indiana Fall Heir to
Five Million Dollars in Money.

Logansport Special to Cincinnati Enquirer.
Letters have been received in this city by sew
eral prominent persons informing them that an
immense sum of money was lying at Washing
ton to which they were heirs 1t is stated that
over to the government as indemnity for French
spoliation during the French and Indian wars
which rightfully belongs to the estate
of Colonel Ball. who was then in con-
troll of large lines of shipping at Phila-
delphia. and many of whose ships were
seized by the French. The amount of the claim
and interest is estimated at S., ,000 000 The news
has aroused much interest among the heirs here,
some of our most prominent residents including
Mrs. Daniel Conrad, S. A. Custer. Mrs Susan
Krieder, Samuel Horne, George Horne. Mrs. A.
j. Sutton Mrs. Andrew Burnett, Samuel Con-
rad, Mrs. Mary Morehart, l.. b. Custer, Chaun-
cey Custer, Mrs. Elizabeth Brown, Mrs. Joseph
Chestnut and others. Besides these are George
Custer, of Lithopolis, O.; John l.. Custer of
Bonaparte, Ia; Levi d. Horne, of Rochester,
Ind. and Adam w. Horne, OF Oregon.
AS it 10 known that there csn be no more than
one hundred heirs in all branches Of the family.
the fortune falling to each will be considerable
averaging nearly $50 000
The information just received revives all the
legends OF the family concerning its genealoey.
From interviews with the most interested heirs
the entire story of the family its origin and fort
une was learned. 1t has long been tradition
of the Custer family living here that one of it's
ancestors, Colonel Ball. was a marvelously rich
shipping merchant in Philadelphia over 125
years ago. A daughter Of this Croesus of coloni-
al times was married to an English gentleman
in those early days, The Revolutionary war
and the progress of civilization carried this
branch of the family westward through sue
cessive generations. Although the genealogy of
the branch of the family living here can easily
be traced back, yet there remains no defnite
record of the death of Colonel Ball and the dis
posal of his enormous riches. About sixty years
ago it is known that he distributed large tract
of land in Greene county, Pennsylvania, among
his heirs AS the land was then considered
worthless, Paul Custer disposed of his portion
for small sum- as did nearly all the other heirs.
The lucky purchaser made $l1, 600 out Of the
speculation.
Thirty years ago the descendants of the old
millionaire in this neighborhood were aroused
by receiving letters from lawyer Charles De
Lessing, of Philadelphia, which stated that vast
plats Of real estate in the business portion of
Philadelphia belonged to the heirs of Colonel
Ball. and that he had collected $l0 900 in rentals,
further requested that as there was some dispute
over the property. each heir should sign over
power of attorney to him, as q matter of con-
venience. Many foolishly did this, and were
swindled out of their birthright Authentic
records. however, still exist pointing to the fact
that Colonel Ball once did own large portions of
Philadelphia when young city and several
was certainly in the millions, but for nearly
century one branch of his family has been de-
frauded of their just inheritance by trickery and
deception, they claim. The heirs in this city
and county will make an organized effort to get
their own.