The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-09-23
HIS TWOWIVES
The Romance of Jay
GOuld's Life.
HE KEPT 1T SECRET.
AS Was Characteristic of
the Man.
BUT HE HAD NO DIVORCE.
So the First Wife Is the Lawful
Widow.
NOW A DAUGHTER TURNS UP.
She Is Getting Ready to Make
Fight for the Dead Mans
Millions.
0W A DAUGHTER TURNS UP.

SHEN ENNE, WYO,, OepG, Zz-lne state
ment that the eldest daughter of the late
Jay Gould, millionaire and railroad mag
nate. is the wife CT a humble employe of
the Union Pacific Coal Company, residing
at Rock Springs, Wyo.. will be surprising
news to the world, but such is the claim
of Mrs. b. F. Pierce and there does not
appear TO be- much question that the lady
has the proof to esta abli'h what she claims.
Mrs. Pierce says that her mother, Jay
GOuld's first wife, from whom it is claimed
he was never divorced, is still living at
Rouses Point, Clinton County, New York.
According to her story Jay Gould met his
first wife, a Miss Sarah Ann Brown, at the
little town where the woman now resides,
and on the 10Th of May. 1858, the couple
were married in New York City by Rev.
Hanna. a Methodist minister.
Mr.. Gould was then comparatively a
poor man. The couple did not live hap
PLY together and before year of married
life Mrs. Gould left hsr husband and re-
turned TO ROuses Point, assuming her
maiden name. She has lived there in OBJ
scurity all these years, but she claims that
neither she nor Mr.. Gould ever secured
divorce.
On The 18th day of February, 1854, a
daughter was born to Mrs. Gould or Mrs.
Brown as she was ever attsrward known.
When the child was 21A years of age her
mother gave her in adoption to James and
Mary Morton of st. Thomas, Canada. In
1866 the Mo rtons moved to Hamilton,
Caldwell County, Mo-, and it was there
that Miss Morton met Benjamin Franklin
Pierce to whom she was married on Oc-
tober 8, 1882.
Mrs. Brown never obtruded herself
upon her husband after leaving him, but
| in 1889. after the death of the second wife,
she called upon him in New York and in
formed him of the existence OF their
daughter, his eldest child. Mr.. Gould ae-
knowledged the claim and promised 10
make a settlement of a certain amount on
the child. This he failed to do.
The daughter never knew of her rela-
tion to the Gould family until after her
marriage and removal to Wyoming. She
was led to believe by her foster mother
that her father was dead, but knew of the
existence of her own mother. although she
had never had any communication with
her. Early in 1891, Mrs. Brown, who had
lost all track of the Mortons and of her
daughter, began to trace her up and located
her at Rock Springs. where Mr.. and Mrs.
Pierce had settled
In July or August. 1891, Jay Gould's
private ear was in Rock Springs. Mr.. and
Mrs. Pierce solicited an interview with
Mr.. Gould, and a gentleman representing
himself TO be that individual met them,
aud the case was stated to him. The gen.
tIeman said to them if their statements
were true the best thing they could do was
to N axe tn en- public.
Mr.. and Mrs. Pierce now have reason TO
believe that it was not Mrs. Pierce's father
with whom they talked, but DR.. Mum,
Mr.. Gould's physician.
Mrs. Pierce'S mother was informed OF
the interview, but she advised her daueh-
ter to wait while and see if Mr.. Gould
was disposed TO do anything. She desired,
if possible, to prevent aUy publicity of the
affair After the death of Mr.. Gould in
December, 1892, Mrs. Brown came to Rock
Springs to ascertain if George Gould, as
administrator of his fathers estate, had
taken any action in the matter. he having
previously been informed of the existence
of the child by former marriage.
George Gould and his attorneys have
entirely ignored all communications sent
them on the subject, and failing to secure
what they believed TO be their legal rights
Mr.. and Mrs. Pierce have determined to
resort to tie courts. They have employed
able counsel and expect to begin suit al
soon as they have collected their evidence.
They have secured the marriage certificate
of Jay Gould TO Sarah Ann Brown, and
those who knew the late Jay Gould and
who have seen Mrs. Pierce say she bears
strong resemblance to her father
Mr.. Pierce is the nominee of the POpu-
list party for State Auditor of Wyoming,
and himself and his wife enjoy the conf
denee and respect of the entire commu-
nifty where they reside. 1t was with con-
siderable reluctance that ne consented to
give out the facts of his wife's Relationship
for publication.
The marriage certificate of jay Gould to
Sarah Ann Brown is now in a safe
deposit vault In the First National Bank of
Rock Springs. Mr.. Pierce says that his
wife has the only legitimate claim to the
Gould estate, and he proposes 10 establish
her identity and secure her rights. He says
that he and his wife had hoped that they
would be able to have their just claim
recognized. Mr.. Pierce has been boss at
the Union Pacific coal mines at Rock
Springs for years. and is now engaged In
making a canvass of the State.