Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-10-03
A LUCKY FARMER.
He lnherlts an Estate and q
Seat In Parliament.
The Earl of Caithness Raising Wheat and
Feeding Pigs In the United States
Value OF the Estate-HistOry
OF the Case. !

GRAND FORKS, n. OAK, Sept, 30.-
From a small farm on the Dakota prai-
ries TO fine old English estate and q
seat in the house OF lords Is q long step,
but James S. Sinclair, OF Lakota, Nell
son county. will make the stride in u
few days. For months Sinclair has
plowed and sowed, fed his pigs and
MIXED his COWS, while letter after let
ter crossed the Atlantic, first bearing
the news that he had become Lord
Berriedale, and later that he had in
herited the title OF Earl OF Caithness
and all the honors and acres that went
with 1t. But the letters did not reach
their destination. and seeding time
grew into harvest and harvest into
threshing before the officers OF tho
dead letter Office located the heir and
told him OF his altered condition.
The change in James Sinclair's for
tune Is brought about by one Of those
unexpected shifts of fortunes wheel
that are occasionally read Of but rarely
encountered. Sinclair's father WAS
James Augustus Sinclair, u professional
| man who had not made u success OF life.
His father was Lieut.. Col. John Suth-
erland Sinclair after whom the Oldest
son OF James \. Sinclair was named.
| Col. Sinclair had Il pension during his
life, but it ceased with his death. and
his son and his family had nothing TO
depend on but their own eXertions.
The Sinclairs were distantly related TO
George Philips Alexander. Earl OF
Caithness and Lord Lieutenant Of
Caithness, but so slight was the tie OF
kinship that no one in the family eX-
pected 10 profit by it. When James
Sinclair, The son came to realize that
there was little to be gained fighting
fortune in England, he decided on emil
grating to the United States. He had in
herited the pluck and energy that was
largely instrumental in advancing his
grandfather from subordinate posi-
ton in the Royal artillery TO lieu:en-
ant colonelcy, and decided to try farm
ing. He purchased tract OF land
about four miles from Lakota, in this
state. stocked il and bent every energ;
toward improving his little estate. He
called the place Berriedale, an old fam
ily name, and the title bestowed BY
courtesy upon the eldest son OF an earl
OF Caithness. Sinclair worked indus.
triously to win fortune in the west.
and cut off. to an extent all communi-
cation with his old home.
When Sinclair left England, George
Philips Sinclair, fifteenth earl Of CATH
ness, was - or 2s years old. This was
four years ago. The young earl had
health and strength, was married to q
daughter OF the late ]. MacNeile. ESQ.,,
and, in fact. seemed likely TO hold the
title and estates for half a century to
come and then to Dass them over
to a son. In 1889, however, the young
earl died. He left no male heir to per-
petuate his name, nor were there
other near relatives. For nearly a
year the title lay dormant, until IL be-
came certain that the earldom must
pass to another branch OF the family,
when Sinclairs father was nd judged TO
be the nearest of kin. He became Earl
of Caithness, and james Sinclair, the
Dakota farmer, Lord Berriedalc \
letter was forwarded to james notify
ing him OF the changed condition OF his
father and himself. but it seems 1t did
not reach its destination.
Sinclair's father did not long survive
after inheriting the title and estate.
Whether the unexpected fortune that
had befallen him, old age or the gOut
had struck him down is not known, but
he died early last spring quite suddenly.
Efforts were at once made to cOmmuni.
cate with the son in Dakota, who by his
fathers death became James
Sutherland. Earl of Caithnes, but
without success. Letter after
letter was forwarded, but no an
swer was returned. Either Sinclair
had been extremely careless or his
friends and the family solicitor had an
exceedingly contracted idea OF the erea
OF the northwest as the letters were
simply addressed to James 5. Sinclair,
Berriedale Farm, near Dakota" One
alter another OF the communications
found its wav to the Dead Letter Office
at Washington, and five months were
spent by the department officials in
discovering the right man for whom
the letters we're intended. Tracers
we're sent out to every city and village
in Minnesota, Nebraska and Dakota,
and finally the lost heir was located.
Sinclair at last received his foreign
correspondence, and he learned that he
was Earl OF Caithness, after having
been Lord Berriedale for year with
out his knowledge.
Sinclair steps into neat thing. His
title, which is one OF the oldest traced
back in Debrett's peerage, dates from
1855. The family estate which de-
scends to him includes, besides parks
and manors, $1,000 acres of land, from
which an annual rental Of $4,000 or
sc, 900 Is received. The house in town,
on Bslgrave square, occupied by the
young earl and countess Of Caithness ct
the time Of the death OF the former, IL
not included in the Inheritance, but re.
mains in the possession OF the countess:
The larger but less valuable portion OF
the property Is in Caithness county,
Scotland, where Is located the old fam
ily castle. Here 1t was that Marie,
countess OF Caithness and Duchess
de Pomar, who has succeeded
L. II kAA