The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-12-14
THE HYDE ESTATE
Once More 1t Comes to
the Public Notice.
How Sum of Money Was Depos.
tied in the Sank of England
and How 1t Grew.

The revival of the story that the heirs Of
the HYDE estate of England who reside in
this country are about To finallg receive their
share, after years IF waiting and expe nsive
litigation,i is received with pleasure in Hun
terdon County. While there are several
heirs, whose title is unquestionably good,
in other parts of the State, there are
families in this county whose claim renders
them sure of enormous fortunes if the
money is divided. Ex-Judge Holcombe of
Lam bertvllle is one of the heirs, and ex-
Judge John l.. Jones OF Pennington is an
other. The late c. Z. Durham, who was
cashier of the Pennington National Bank,
belonged to the same branch of the family,
ard as his children, Willard c. Durham,
receiving teller of the Hanover National
Bank, and Mrs. Anthony KiIgore, fe of
the editor of the Huaterdon Democrat of
Pennington, will participate in the alleged
fabulous windfal.
Among those 10 other parts of the State
who can read their title clear 10 the
es ate may be mentioned DR.. r. A.
Shepard, prominent dentist and Demo-
crat in Sussex County; Mrs. Arm
strong of Jersey City Heights !;
Mrs. Livermore of Bergen, and Col,
onel W. ID. Morton, manager of Miners
Theater la Newark. The Huntrrdon
County heirs number of years ago joined
others having similar claims in NV Jer-
sey and employed the late Ex-Governor
Joseph d. Bede TO look after their rights.
From data collected by Mr.. Bedle and the
heirs the following story OF the Hyde es-
tate is obtained:
During the latter part of the last CEN
tury two brothers. John and William HYDE,
came to this country fiom England. They
we're compelled to leave their native land
on account OF their espOusal of liberal
principles. They were believers in the
doctrines enuuciated in Paine's rights of
Man, which were very unpopular with
the English arlstocracy. a few years
after they came to America their father
died, leaving an exceedingly valuable es-
tate. BY the then existing English stat
utes no heirs could inherit real estate
unless they occupied the land. and
could not enjoy personal property
unless they resided in the realm,
The law barred the Hyde brothers from
the Inheritance of their fathers wealth.
No active measures seem TO have been
taken and the bonds and securities of the
land TO await disposition by the Court of
Chancery. Ii is not known what was
done with the real estate.
At the beginning Of the century John
Hyde died. he lived in New Jersey and
married lady living at Kingston, a VIII
lage near Princeton. William resided in
the West. Johns children seem to have
taken an interes in he property which De-
lOnged TO their father, and planned to re-
cover IL. a sum OF money was raised, and
the case was put in the hands of an Eng
liSh barrister The English Court of Chan
Gerry was petitioned TO allow the American
heirs to receive the personal property, al
though such a decree would require re-
construction OF the statute on tina point
The court refused to grantthe petition. but
they and their counsel did not re-
linQaish their efforts. That a large sun,
Of money was attributed for the purpose.
and vigorous steps taken, is evident from
the fact that Asa Jones, at that time one
Of the most prominent citizens of Hunter
don County, and a son-in-law of John
Hyde. gave nearly $4,000 during his life
time toward defraying the expenses in the
case
In 1929, the amount deposited in the
Bank of England had accumulated until il
reached the sum OF e32 000.0OO William
died few years later al his home in the
West, but his heirs were apparently in
different to the fortune On the other side
of the Atlantic. Mr.. Jones and some of the
Holcom beS of this county continued their
con tributi ms, however. until some time he
between 1850 and 1860. when they seem to
have deemed the case hopeless. and abau-
doned the contest. The papers were be-
fore the English court, however. and
were doing good work. With the proven
bal slowness of the Chancery Court
nothing more was heard Of the matter
until about 1879. when the court reversed
the old decree, and decided that foreign
heirs might inherit personal property in
Great Britain.
The news soon reached this country.
VI ho; fro
lethargy. The first to move on that occa-
sion were the heirs of William HYDE.
who were before so listless. Under the
leadership Of Ex-Governor Army of New
Mexico they traced their lineage, and put
their claims into proper shape. Great
haste was required. as the court
decreed that unless claims were pre-
scented in few months the property would
revert 10 the Crown. Johns heirs wera
already in good shape, and put in what
ever additional documents were required.
Then the court settled back into its former
apal by and took its time in arranging for
division of the property Only now is it
reported that everything is ready for a
final acc uniting.
During the past fifteen years the case
for the heirs has been looked after by an
association OF the heirs known as the HYDE
associates, with an Office in New Y ark.
The amount to be distributed Is said to be
$500, 100000. The heirs of each of the broth
ers will receive S130,000,O0O There are
seven families of heirs on Johns slice. The
Jones and Holcombes. of this county. are
the principal of these. According to the
calculations the heirs are making, eact
family will receive about SIG. 600. 600.
Although there are numerous children il,
eacn Dranci, each child is sure to be made
wealthy, if everything turns ont as ex-
pected,"Frenchtown IN. j. special to St.
Louis Globe-DemocraI.