Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1890-10-23

HEIRS III Robert Morris 70 sue for 4 VAST
Tract OF Land in Now York.

BUFFALO, Oct IA large number Of the
heirs Of Robert Morris. the millionaire Of
the revolution and Washlngtons financial
agent during the darkest days Of the strug-
Gle for American Independence, have de-
cided to bring an action for the recovery OF
a large tract OF land iii the western counties
OF this state, said 10 embrace 90 acres.
and estimated to be worth something like
$50. 900, 900. The heirs reside In this state.
Pennsylvania and Ohio, and it is the de-
scendants of Robert Morris In the latter
state that have taken the initiative in an
effort to recover property of which they be-
lieve the great patriot was fraudulentIy
dispossessed, and to which they believe
they have valid claim as his heirs. The
history of Robert Morris land purchases IN
western New York In the history OF the early
civilization and settlement OF the counties OF
Niagara, Erie, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus.
Allegheny, Wyoming, Genesee and Orleans,
and will bring tho investigation OF
the claims back to the period Immediately
succeeding the revolution. The end of the
contest for independence left Robert Morris
in possession Of vast wealth. In May, 179l,
Mr. Morris acquired the redemption right
of Massachusetts, to all the territory west OF
the Phelps and Gorham purchase, liz this
state, which was afterward designated the
Holland purchase and the Morris reserve.
Mr.. Morris subsequently extinguished the
title that the Indians of the six nations had
In the lands by paying them $165GO0. In
1892 he sold to the Holland company 3.00O.-
600 acres in the counties named, reserying
for himself tract of SOC, 900 acres lying be-
tween the Phelps and Gorham purchase and
the lands of the Holland company Mr..
Morris secured the Indian title to these
lands at a council of the natives held at
the stBig Tree which is now in the heart
of Geneseo. On satisfactory treaty be-
ing signed, and the payment made to the
Indians, Mr.. Morris began to put his reserve
$780, 900 acres on the market. The Phelps and
Gorham purchase consisted of {, 000, 900 acres
OF land that had been coded to Massachu-
sets by New York, and about the same time
that Mr.. Morris made his purchase Oliver
Phelps and Nathaniel Gorham bought this
immense tract for 81 ,00O,0 900. They, too.
put their land upon the market, and of this
tract Robert Morris purchased at per cent,
an acre tract adjoining his own, compris-
ing ,204, 900 acres. This is the land in uues-
ton in the proceedings about to be insti-
tuted by the Morris heirs. To Wilhelm and
Jan Willink and others interested i'm the
Holland company MIR. Morris mortgaged the
tract or 1,204,O0O acres, when ill fortune
overlook him, and when for long time he
was confined in debtors prison. The Will
inks and their associates of the Holland
company took advantage of the straits to
which the speculation had reduced Mr.. Nor
ris, and by the foreclosure Of tie mortgage
acquired full title to the land, had it sur
yeyed and opened a land office for it's sale
at Batavia, with Charles Ellicott as their
resident manager. The greater part of this
domain was sold lid t1 1905 to bona fde nur-
chasers and settlers, and the affairs of the
Holland company were wound up by the
Farmers Loan and Trust company, of this
city, in 1s45.