Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-20
NOW HELD In CHANCERY COURT.
A Mormon Who Obtained Family History
by Saying lie Wished to Pray
for Ancestors Souls
TRYING TO GET UNCLAIMED WEALTH.
The heirs by Accident Discover heir Title and at Once
Give Chase.

would figure well in a novel.
From Pittsburg he will 60 to New York,
whence he will sail Saturday for England,
to claim fortune of s., ,O0O. 900 now awaiting
the proper proofs of inheritance.
The exciting phase of Mr.. Rowbottom's s
trip is the fact that a sleek-tongued indi-
vidual, who has in his possession the family
history, but has no title whatever to the
money, left Pittsburg a month ago for
England prepared to pass himself
off as the heir and gobble the
gold. The fact that there was fortune
awaiting a claimant was accidentally dis
covered by this man, who Immediately
planned to get it, and he has sacrificed a
good income in hope of gaining his ends.
By chance the true heirs became aware of
the existence of the fortune, and also of the
designs of the imposter, and hence tine hot
chase to be made by Mr. Rowbottom.
A Singular Series of Romances.
The legal features will come in later, and
in the history of the fortune lies the ro-
nance, or the series of romances, the plot
made up Of poverty, adventure. alliance
with the nobility, and wealth. The scene of
the plot is first in England, then in India,
and final chapters of the romance are now
being enacted by the chase for the gold by
the two claimants.
Mr.. Rowbottom. who Is a member of the
plumbing firm of Rowbottom Brothers. was
seen at his place of business on Beaver
avenue, Allegheny, yesterday, and gave a
history of the case as far as he has the facts.
The story, of course, deals with the Chan
cery Court of England, but the circum-
stances differ greatly from those
generally surrounding the cases of people
seeking inheritances in the Old World. The
details of the story and late developments
would again hardly suffer it to be classed
with the numerous quests for phantom
fortunes" made yearly.
@The man who left SS0OO,oO0 without
will was Peter Pownall, and Mr.. Rowbot-
tom says that the only heirs are the latter's
mother, whose maiden name was Sarah
Pownall; w. D. Pownall, of No. 22S Wylie
avenue; Susanna Pownall, of Bedford ave-
nue., widow of James Pownall, and Thomas
Pownall, of Cincinnati.
The Story of Peculiar Man.
not been discovered. 1t is known that he
lived in England and must have been an
orphan. He was an adventurous youth,
and being attracted by the tales of wealth
and power to be gained ill India. then
just coming into fame under the
efforts of the English. shipped on board
one of the numerous vessels leaving London
for Calcutta.
From Calcutta Pownall wandered from place
to place, having numerous adventures. some
times being flush with money and at other
times poor as n church mouse, and the tide of
fortune turned. The next heard of him Is that
he married the daughter of a rich native mer-
chant prince relative of a Rajah, it is said
whose father died and left her a large fortune
Soon after the woman died without ISSUE and
Pownall came into possession of ner fortune.
Pownali, not content to enjoy his wealth
alone, and having weakness for the native
women of India, some of who are very beauti-
full, married again. His second wife was
wealthy, and in time she also died without is
sue leaving Pownall another fortune, which.
added to that he had. made him man to be
looked up to in the section of country where he
lived.
holnesick, and began to think of old England
and his boyhood home. He lived in great state
and maintained an establishment that many of
higher rank could not afford to initiate. Still
he was restless, and at last bethought himself
of q granddaughter named John Pownall who
was, he thought, his only living relative.
He wrote to John. telling him if he would
come to India and live with him he should not
want for anything; also. that if John did not
like the country his passage money and all ex-
penses of the round trip and a handsome bonus
would be given him..
Would Not Leave Home for Millions.
John Pownal. unlike his rich relative, was do
mestIcally inclined. and loath to leave his
home. Peter kept urging him to come, but he
put it off and made excuses until the chance
lair tn fort
named above, were all children of this
John Pownall, and, as it happened, three of
them settled in Pittsburg and ona in Cincin-
natl w. d. Pownall is well-Anown under
taker on Wylie avenue. and Thomas p Pow
nall, of Cincinnati. is wellknown citizen of
Porkopolis.
Peter Pownail died about rs years ago, and
up to the present time no action has been taken
by the relatives to obtain his money, but Just
why, Mr.. Rowbottom could not say. The only
explanation he could give was that the matter
had merely dropped out OF notice until interest
IN the family history was revived by Andrew
]. Kershaw. a cousin by marriage of Mr.. Row.
bottoms mother, nee Sarah Pownall
Right at this point comes in the interesting
part of the whole story.
Andrew ]. Kershaw is a mormon who be-
came wealthy in the canning business in Utah.
He professed to be a very devout Latter Day
Saint, and wrote to MIR. Rowbottom
souls of all his ancestors. and for for
that purpose. was tracing his geneology back
to the earliest known person of the family.
Though the idea was looked as that of
freak, Kershaw was humored and got posses
sion of the whole family history. He was very
particular about dates etc.. and kept CORE
spending with different members of the family.
While this correspondence was going on, a
brother of Mr.. Rowbottom's happened TO see, in
a book published in England, giving the Names
of the former owners of estates held in
chancery, the name of Peter Pownall
The fact was mentioned to Mr. Row
bottoms mother, when she said: "Why
that was the grand-uncle of my father" and
recalled the whole story. Mr.. Rowbottom
looked the matter up, and became satisfied that
his mother was correct and then wrote sharp
note to Kershaw.
A Visit From a Mormon Family.
A little before last Christmas Mr. Rowbot-
tom was surprised to receive visit from Ker-
shaw, who asked an explanation Of the formers
letter. Kershaw had Two of his wives and two
children with him, and when he left it was
hurry. and that before leaving Utah he had
sold out his canning interests, that had been
paying him large income.
1t was learned that he is now in England, and
| has lawyers looking up the case. Mr.. Rowbot-
tom said the family is OF the opinion that Ker-
shaw intends passing himself off as Thomas
! Rownall, of Cincinnati, and thus secure the
money. - e,-1tse stt'
When all of these facts were brought to light
| the Rownall heirs hastily raised funds TO send
| Mr. Rowbottom to England to thwart Mr.. Ker-
| Shaw'S supposed designs, ana Claim the fortune.
| Mr.. Rowbottom will engage legal talent in Lon
don. and the proceedings promise TO be lively in
| the extreme. is.... - &
There are two other purases Of the case
which are interesting. When Mr.. Rowbottom
was examining the record of the Court of
1 Chauncery he ran across an unclaimed fortune
| formerly belonging to Rowbottom: whose
defendants came to America. As Mr.. Rowbot-
! TOMS direct relatives In this country are the
| only ones Of the name in America, he will also
look after this second fortune.
The other point is that Mr.. Rowbottom will