The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1891-02-07
II BEAN ESTATE.
Three of Lafayette COunty's Citizens
Will Enjoy Parts OF its Wealth.

Newspaper readers will recall the
publication some years ago Of the state
ment that Thos. Bean had died in
Texas, leaving an estate supposed to be
worth something like $l0,0OO,O0O, the
only heirs thereto being some distant
relatives, thought to be living in Wash
ington and vicinity. After three years
of diligent search, the heirs haye been
found in Washington and Virginia.
And half Of the princely estate Of So
600 acres of the finest cotton lands in
the counties Of Grayson and Fannin,
and vicinity in eastern Texas is to be
divided among twenty-one prominent
Washingtonians, the other half to 90 to
the Virginia branch of the family.
The story is a romantic one, the first
chapter being laid in the year 1872, when
Col. CollamOre Bean, of Washington,
elOped with Miss Winifred Murray. the
daughter of an old Virginia family
The parents Of the young lady had dis
~cOuntenanced the young mans atten-
tions to the daughter, so he boldly
carried her away from the old home
stead and pushing for Washington,
married her in Christ Episcopal church.
The young couple never obtained the
parental forgiveness, so they settled
down here and lived a peaceful life. The
result of that union was four children,
one of them being Thomas Bean. When
this child obtained his manhood, he
grew restless under the cramped sur
roundings of Washington and pushed
out boldly for the west. For many years
he was lost sight of, although he is now
to memory dear in the hearts of his
hopeful heirs.
About three years ago the papers
printed a telegram from Bonham relat-
ing the demise of ThOs. Bean and the
rumor that his only heirs lived in
Washington.
The supposed heirs relatives of the
missing Thos. Bean Immediately went
70 work to ascertain if the Texan was
their long lost kinsman.
They traced Thos. Bean first to Vir-
ginia, then to Palmyra, Missouri, to
to Fayetteville, Arkansas, and finally
to Bonham, Texas, where through the
medium OF his Masonic connections his
identity was established with the de-
ceased land king. 1t seems that the
young nan after drifting to Texas
became a surveyor and by thrift and
speculation acquired the immense tracts
Of land referred to.
Then followed three years of harass-
Ing litigation, some %pretenders Of the
legacy, Beans in Tennessee and others
places, making a strong effort to estab-
lish their claims upon the estate. The
Washingtonians had the lead, however,
and after fighting the Ease stubbornly
through several courts have now by Il
recent decision established their cases.
Thomas Bean died without children
and the Texas law provides that in such
q case the estate shall revert to the
deceased relatives, who are OF course the
Beans upon his fathers side and the
Murrays OF Virginia upon his mothers s.
The decision rendered by Judge E. L.
Agnew, of Bonham, a few weeks ago
places the estate in the hands of two
administrators, DR.. FL. p. Howard and
Joel Hume who will make the division
or the 100000 0 property within a
year.
The above is copied from a Washing
ton City paper; but there are several
parties in Missouri who come in for a
large share Of this princely fortune.
Among these are Mrs. E. Meng, of
Dover, and her two sons, DR.. j. w.
Meng, of Lexington and DIR. Ed. r.
Meng, OF Dover. These two latter
inherit through their father, who was
descended from the Murray family in
Virginia. Their interest will amount
to n fifth Of the estate.