The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-06-08
THE HYAr7-nrrczEIL FORTUNE.
Fnrron HrrAnn.-

| EDITOR HERALD
An article from the Conneilsviile Cou-
! rier in last weeks HERALD relative to iht
alleged fortune OF Thomas Hyatt contains
many inaccuracies. Lewis Mitchell. one
OF the sons Of James Mitchell, came tu
the Tarkeyioot country shortly afier the
Revolutionary War in company with his
three brothers. James. Thomas and John,
the two former of whom served in the
war. and two sisters, Margaret and Eliz-
abeth.
Lewis married an Abrams. a daughter
of one Of the first settlers. and lived the
remainder OF his life on the farm which
he owned now owned by A. \. Tissue
aud died there at an advanced age; he
was buried AT what Is called the Cross
Roads graveyard, not far from the little
village Of Harnedsville.
Lewis Mitchelrs children were: Asa,
Eli, mot Elij4h). William, otho. Huldah,
Rheavay, Heila, Eliza and Sarah. Asa,
Eli and William enigrated TO Texas at an
early day, and the fortune, il there is one,
comes through one or more of them. AS
has been stated, Lewis Mitchell died ir
Turkeyfoot, and had never been in Texas.
He is said to have been a man OF fine pres
ence and wonderful intellect, and the
three sons mentioned were likewise fine
looking men, intelligent and learned.
These brothers had heirs of their own in
Texas. and it is hardly possible that their
descendants have all died or disappeared
from that country.
Ohio. Mitchell, the only son remaining
in this country, had the number Of daugh-
ters mentioned in the article. but he had
also one sou, a veteran OF the late war,
now living at Markleysburg. Fayette Co.,
Pa, who has no heirs. The Miss Van
sickle mentioned is married and lives in
the same town, Markleysburg, instead OF
Markleton.
The daughters of Lewis Mitchell all
married and have many descendants.
Rheavsy and Eliza married two brothers
named James and David Patterson, and
they have heirs galore, who are all very
much alive.
Huldah married Henry IIartzell, who
is the father Of the two ladies mentioned,
Mrs Burnworth and Mrs. Jennings, both
of whom have been dead a good while.
They have descendants to the third and
fourth generations in plenty in West Vir-
ginia, Illinois, as well as Pennsylvania
aud other states. Mrs. Critchfeid, wife
of Senator Critchield, is daughter OF
the Mrs. Burnworth spoken of and great
granddaughter of Lewis Mitchell. Mrs.
Jennings had numerous family. and
their progeny is, Of course. correspond
ingly large. Hila married John r. Burn
worth, whose only heir was Patterson
Burnworth, and his heir is \. p. Burn
worth, of Confluence Sarah married
Mr.. Let's. but she left no heirs.
1t will be seen that, if there is any
money coming, there viii be plenty Of
claimants besides Hyatt and his immedi-
ate family, or his deceased wifs's. rather.
IN any event. under the law, he could
only have the use Of it during his life.
Outside of the heirs named Mitchell,
who certainly live somew here in Texas,
there are Hartzells, Jennings, Burn
worths and PsttersOns, in vast numbers.
Asa Mitchell was married., surely, and
one of his sons visited this county forty
years and more ago, and there were 9TH
ers. So that, in view of what has been
said, if ell the heirs turn up and have an
equal share in the division Of the prop
erty, Mr.. Hyatcs share viii be consider
ably lossened.
Unfortunately, perhaps, the writer of
this belongs 20 the wrong branch of the
family, like the Confluence man. It
minht not be out Of place TO state that Z.
L. Mitchell. attorney-at-law, Oakland.
Md, investigated the fortune, as alleged,
in Texas, and he could discover no tar
gible basis for its existence.
Addison. Pa, May -, 1888. NJ.