Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-19
HUNTING FOR HEIRS.
A Pittsburg Man in the Shadow of a
Million Dollars.
THE SPRINGER ESTATE REVIVED.
Titles to Nearly All the Property in Will
mington Clouded.
ONE HUNDRED YEAR LEASES EXPIRE

Vigorous search is being made over West
ern Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana for the
heirs to the Springer estate in Wilmington,
Del, valued at over S1OO, 100000. The
estate was famous in legal circles Is
or 20 years ago. In 1870 the
land at Wilmington, Del. was valued
at $50. 0O0. 900. The matter was stirred up
then but for some reason it was dropped.
The basis of this immense fortune was laid
century and a half ago by bachelor named
Springer, who came to this country from
Sweden. He had some money and bought
immense tracts of land on the present
site of Wilmington, Delaware. He
afterward leased this ground to
land improvement company for a term of
100 years. At the end of that time the land
and buildings were to revert to his family
and their heirs. Soon after that he leased
600 acres adjoining the city on the same
conditions, and all of it is now covered by
the city of Wilmington.
Hunting Heirs for Millions.
These leases have expired, and a search is
being made for the heirs. An item to this
effect was published several weeks ago in
THE DISPATCH, and yesterday it was
learned that s. E Pearson, foreman for
the Keystone Bridge Company was one of
the heirs. Mr.. Pearson was visited at his
home at Turtle Creek, and declared he was
one Of the heirs, but he had lost track of
the estate. He remembered of hearing his
mother speak Of it 10 years ago, when he
was boy. His mother died soon after, and
he did not know what had become of the
Ha g. L. L
up his claim. He said:
springer, the old bachelor who founded
the estate, was accompanied to this country
by several brothers, from one of which my
mother descended. The grandchild of one of
the original family went out to Indiana and
settled in Crawford county in that State. My
mother, Hannah Springer, was born there
and afterward married Claybourn Austin
Pearson, my father, and settled in Hazelton,
Gibson county, Indiana
when L was very little boy rcmem-
Der of hearing my mother talk of the estate.
In 1870 she was corresponding with an at
torney named Springer in St Louis, who
was pushing the case.
Worth Sso,oOo,O 900 Twenty Years Ago.
"He declared then that the estate was
worth 100000 and that there was
large sum of money in q bank in Stock.
nOlm, OWeuen, on Wnlcn interest mas Deen
compounding for over a century. The
lawyer told my mother then that her share
of the estate would amount to s416, 900.
suppose now it is worth in the neighbor-
hood of 81 100000. 1t was stated then that
the leases which had been given for 100
years had run out 40 years ago.
"Soon after that my mother died, and I
being too small then to understand the case,
lost sight of it until 1 heard there was
search for heirs. There are eight in our
family and two have since died, but leave
families who will get their share. 1 pro-
pose to 60 to work on the case and if there
is any of the estate coming to me I am 60
ing to try to get it. There is no doubt
about the fact that the estate is there, and 1
will have no trouble proving that I am one
of the heirs I have an idea that Congress-
man Springer, of Illinois, is one of the
heirs. r.. ..-..-. g..