The sun., 1897-05-23
HENRY PARISH'S ESTATE.
WILL CONTEST THAT MADE A STIR
FORTY YEARS 400.



Prominent In society and business In
New York His wife ana Her Hrothers
Charged with Conspiracy Against Him.
The Surrogate has before him at tho present
time several contests over last wills and tcsta'
ments brought on the ground either OF incom'
petoncy or undue influence. and shcse events
serve TO recall from tho pnst Ave memorable pro-
ceodings In this city OF similar legal aspect via
regarding the wills Of Alice Lspenard and John
Mason, made some sixty years ago; OF Henry
Parish, of tho second husband Of the lato Mrs.
Hicks-I,ord, and OF Commodore Vanderbilt.
Alice Lispenard was member OF the rich
Rnickerbocker family who were the owners OF
the old-time .Lispenard meadows, which were
situated at the foot Of n road that became l'ispe
nard street. Tho attack upon her will was based
upon her alleged idiocy; that upon the Mason
will was framed upon the testator's subJection
to uuarrelsome family influence while he was on
his deathbed; that upon the testamentary dispo-
oitions Of Henry Parish in respect OF two codicils
was due to allegations by his relatives OF a con-
npiracy on the part Of his wife and her brothers
to obtain property that had previously been be-
uueathed TO his brothers and their families; and
chat upon the will OF Commodore Vanderbilt
was based upon alleged undue preferences. Tho
Parish will case outranks them oil In human In
terest, as may be imagined from the statement
that the continuous legal inquiries into 1t lasted
from March, 1866, to June 1862, and occupied
variously the surrogates Court the Supreme
Court, and tho Court Of Appeals. Eighty wit
nesses were examined, and their printed testi-
mony Hlls three volumes of 800 pages each.
About the time of the naval war with England
there lived in the quaint village OF Coxsackie on
the upper Hudson River, few miles below Al
bany, q Quaker storekeepcr named Parish. who
had married sister of that Thomas Powell who
became noted owner Of steamboats,. Country
Merchant Parish had three sons. Henry, Daniel,
and James, and two daughters, who in time be-
camo leaders In New York society. Henry and
Daniel began life as clerks for their uncle.
Thomas Powell, in his forwarding warehouse at
Newburg, where they mado the acquaintance of
young Joseph Kernochan. Each Of the three
eventually became a merchant in New York
city, and finally. during the forties, retired with
O fortune then deemed large, yet not OF impor-
tance as compared with the millionaire esti-
mates Of to-day. Henry became junior in the
firm of Disbrow. Gillespie, Parish Sc Co., busi-
ness concern whose style was changed after
ward to Disbrow, Parish 6 Holbrook. and when
Parish retired to Holbrook 6 Co. The Parish
brothers and their friend Kernochan soon became
prominent not only In business but also in New
York society.
Henry married Miss Susan Maria Delaheld
member of a notable Knickerbocker family then
represented in the military, medical, and legal
her "
cards. While the couple lived together appar-
entity happily, there was never any appreciable
sentiment expended toward the other by either.
The courtship was well known to have been on
Rrse but weak III In SanR aecoants and she
ried Parish for money, while he welded for
Henry
with their families long resided at 81 and SO
Barclay street then residential thoroughfare)
In adjoining three-StOry houses.
Soon ette. retiring fGm Henry tS Parish
Europe. pc Before leaving. he. IN septem6er. is4S,
leader N Ss6 Ss the tn 5 sSd
. fair income awarded to his wife. He was a
EetiGent man. and While Will the will was being n made
The will also left small iegaeies to her Deladed
Henry and 6aniei Parish q removed @ ii from Barclay
etreet-pushed uptown by advancing trade.
Gnoa 0as hsr newy Sus
houses there, with conservatories fronting on
Ths % hall
century before the architecture Of upper Fifth
of Safse fsSe sf'
four yesrs @ % old and IL his = wife thirty,seYen and
he q ts o
riage drives on the, old Bloomingdale road or
the pSss road Third
Union Club or Racket Court Club where he
f0ssIss WI shi mse
among s Mfs and %fs
Parish was left to her own devices, Practically
years that succeeded their return from Europe. s
High living and an indolent life could produce
sssas Gf IT hs 5 yhS snG dfs Sa
banking office Of Prime. Ward & Co., Henry
h'S into he %hsR " sRe he
Sexton Brown Of Grace Church, whereof Henry
Parish was an attendant-the Brown who for a
Of. balls and receptions as regards the out:
eide side comforts Of guests. and was the hero Of
seIton and dill His r ThermomRstsr. Re M Taken home.
It was found that Mr.; Parishs entire right side
right arm and leg. rendered. useless. To quote @
from court decision made by Judge Henry +;
Rsny To w To
tally ,S until b his i death within two
the evidence showed. under the care Of nurses,
like baby, and he realized the poets line, and
as We as Of her broshsTs
$sasass d.sGfIsies tho gsS1sstie had / %s$s s A.
% %S$sls q ths Phsns RssnR; Pan She,ssf b he S !
Of 9a %
Delsdeld brothers - was @ It's President that his his
scauainatHnee. with b bis future wife had beer
known. The legal brief ironically in effect sc
called. for it comprised when filed in court q
volume of nearly 1000 printed paResl prepared
and signed by those astute lawers, John X. Por
ter and Charles O'Conor told the story of that
monotonous and wearisome life which he passed
until his death, seven years later.
Mrs. Parish constituted herself her husbands
keeper. His condition was aptly described in q
court opinion that of an educated man who
gould not write nor speak nor pictorial OIL
block alphabet to make his wants or desires
known: yet who apparently had physical health
bibbed child would be. and at other times he
could use n fork or spoon with his left hand
upon his food as 1t was ordered by his wife, His
old habits were initiated by her as far as pos
Bible. Thus, having been accustomed before hit
paralytio seizure TO go every morning to market
she now accompanied him in a carriage to the
same market, where he seemed to have gim
merngs OF his old habits. She would drive hin
downtown and ride past old scenes Of his com
mercial life, so as to afford him additional glim
merings OF former career. And on such occa
sions ne would exhibit faint symptoms of mem
ory by the expressions OF his features and dis
cordant sounds that soon became jargon which
only his wife professed to understand. Sht