Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1891-10-01
A LUCKY FARMER.
He Inherits an Estate and q
Seat In Parliament.
The Earl OF Caithness Raising Wheat and
Feeding Pigs In tho United States
Value Of the Estate-- History
Of ths Case.

Of this Case.
G4KNp Forks, N. Oak, Sept 30. :
From small farm ON the Dakota prai
ries to a fine old English estate and 4
seat Ia the house OF lords Is Fopg step
but James S. Sinclair, OF Lakota, Mel
son county. will make the stride in I
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 0f Earl OF Caithnesl
and all the honors and acres that weni
with IL. Bit the letters did not reach
their destination, and seeding time
grew into harvest Gnd harvest intt
| threshiug before the officefs OF the
dead letter Office located the herr and
told him OF his altered condition.
The change in James Sinclairs 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, a professional
| man who had not made success OF life.
| His father was Lieut.. Col. John Suth-
erand Sinclair after whom the oldest
son Of James A. Sinclair was named.
| Col. Sinclair had pension during his
| life Init 1t ceased with his death, and
his son and his family had nothing 10
depend on but their own exertions.
The Sinclairs we're distantly related TO
George Philips Alexander, Earl OF
Caitbncss and Lord Lieutenant Of
Caithness, but 80 slight was the tie OF
kinship that no one In the family ex-
pected TO profit by 1t. When James
Sinclair, the son came to realize that
there was little 10 be gained Sighting
fortune In England, he decided on emf
grating TO the United States. He had in
herited the pluck and energy that was
largely Instrumental in advancing his
grandfather from subordinate posi-
zion in the Royal artillery 10 q lieuten-
ant colonelcy, and decided TO try farm
ing He purchased tract Of land
about f0isr miles from Lakota, in this
state, stocked ii arid bant every energy
toward improving his little estate. He
called the place Berriedale, an old farns
lily name, and the title bestowed by
courtesy upon the eldest son OF an earl
triously TO win fortune in the west,
and cut of, TO an extent, all communi-
cation with his old home.
When Sinclair left England, George
Philips Sinclair, fifteenth earl OF Cath
ness, was y or q years old. This was
four years ago. The voting earl had
health and strength, was married 20 o
daughter of the late j. MacNeile. esq.
and, in fact, seemed likely to hold the
title and estates for half a century TO
come and then TO pass them over
to son. In 1899, however, the young
earl died He left no male heir to per-
petuate his name, nor were there
other near relatives. For nearly
year the title lay dormant, until IL bs-
came certain that the earldom must
pass to another branch OF the family,
when 5inclairs father was ad judged to
be the nearest Of kin. He became Earl
of Caithness, and James Sinclair, the
Dakota farmer, Lord Berriedale A
letter was forwarded TO James notify
Ing him Of the changed condition OF his
father and himself, but II seems it 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 we're at once made 10 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
e exceedingly contracted idea OF the erea
OF the northwest as the letters were
simply addressed to 'James 5. Sinclair, |
betriedale Farm. near Dakota One
alter another Of the communication |
found its wav 70 the Dead Letter Office |
at Washington, and FIVE moffths were
spent by the department officials III
tine right man for whom
the letters were intended. Tfacers
were sent out to every city and village
In Minnesota, Nebraska and Dakota,
and finally the lost heir was located.
at last received his foreign
and he learned that be
was Earl OF Caithness, after having
been Lord Berriedale for a year with.
out his knowledge.
Sinclair steps into neat thing. His
title which is one Of the oldest traced
back in pebrett's peerage, dates from
1865. The family estate which de.
scends TO him includes, besides parks
and manors, 1900 acres Of land, from
which an annual rental OF So, 900 or
$4,000 is received, The house in town.
ln Belgtave square, occupied by the
Young earl and eotntess of Caithhess at
he time of the death Of the former, is
lot included in the inheritance, but re.
mains Ia the possession Of the countess.
The larger but less valuable portion OF
he property is in Caithness county,
Scotland, where is located the old fam
II castle Here IL was that Marie,
Of Calthness and Duchess
le pomar, who has succeeded
Nine Blavatsly as the head OF the
Society in Europe, had
aet famous interview with the spirit OF
Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots. She was
he wife of the fourteenth Earl of Cath.
less. The interior of the castls wac
'efitted during the reign there OF the
present high priestess OF the Theoso-
lhists, and is in fairly good condition.
Lost In Big Horn Canyon.
SALT LAKE CITY, Sept. 3O,-Several
of the Burlington & Missouri
River railroad surveying party which
lave been running lines through the
sinking Water country in the big basin
,at.vean Buffato and Yeilowsfoue mark