The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-01
ROMANCE Of !.
!. n, B, STURGIS.
Contract Marriage With
=.-. His Wife's Nurse.
A. PIONEERS. STRANGE N LIFE i. {:
ESTATE LEFT TO THOSE WHO
s .... MAY. BE DEAD. IS: :...:.. S.
A Rancher of Centerville Who Was
Very Particular About Sleep =
+. .> ing Under a. Marble I'LL. E !.
-. Tomb. =: :: -. - -
A PIONEERS STRANGE. LIFE
ESTATE LEFT TO THOSE WHO
+. !. .'..... :: MAY. BE DEAD. 81.
Oakland once San Francisco Call,


- r.: :. -. -. =. 90S: Broadway, Aug. 81:
: The filing of the#will of M B. :Sturgis,
who died In San; Francisco a few days
ago; has brought TO light the details of a
more romantic life than is usually found
among the pioneers of this State.
Some Of the provisions of the will show
clearly that the peculiarittes of this Ala
media County early settler. stayed with
him to the close of his long career of six
ty-eight: years: For. the greater part: of
his life Stnrgis lived on a ranch between
:Centervifle and Irvington{ purchased with
money that he took out of the gold mines
half a century ago. - -. . -:
F: AZ his death he: left an estate which Is
willed to two sisters whom he quarreled
with a generation ago over: his wife: He
has not seen or heard of: them since, but
|. In his closing days. he decided TO. leave
them his property. These. sisters are Mrs.
: Lucretia CrowelT:. of Toledo, Ohio; and
Mrs. Erdolia Wilcox of Adrian" Mich gan.
|. Sturgis and his wife. lived together for
many ears at Irvington, and the old man
took a prominent: part in politics: being
nearly always a delegate to. county con-
yentions. II was partly due to his wife S
thrift that he accumulated such a COM
Portable fortune. About six years ago she
was taken with her last sickness; and
prior to her death Sturgis engaged a mu-
steal widow to act as. her nurse. The
widow made a good nurse and, her must
cal powers charmed the pioneer to :such
an extent that shortly after his wife 5
death he married the eN-nurse by con-
tract. - -.
The contract was apparently in. due
form and the couple lived: in peace for
four months. Mrs. Sturgis then claimed
one-half of the old mans property. and
importuned him to deed it TO her: This
he declined TO do, and after some legal
procedure the musical widow consented
TO take $3.50 and a divorce.
;: About this time Sturgis met Mr.. and
Mrs. English of San Franciscoi and he
became very cordial and confidential with
both of them, particularly with Mrs.
English. He furnished house IN which
the Englishes lived and with whom he
boarded. He then decided TO put up. a
beautiful home on Fell street, near the
panhandle, and this was completed about
two years ago; In consideration OF tax
ing care of him for the rest of his life
+ he decided this property to the Englishes,
and after the deed was recorded a ,eool-
ness sprung UP between them, and Stur-
gis spent several hundred dollars in haY-
ing the property decided back to him. 1t
is now incumbered to some extent; and
SO is his ranch near Centerville, he hav-
ing found it necessary during the closing
years of his life to raise money TO sup
ply. funds for his numerous esseapades;
. Sturgis: was a crank regarding Wills IS;
as result he left behind him one of the
most peculiar and > original wills ever
filed. He declares: that he has no wild
ows to leave his" money to, and no chill
dren, and If any. shall substantiate their
claims to be such. each is to: get IS. He
also leaves ali his property to his two
sisters, and says: that. II they will UNDER
take. to- cover his grave with a. marble
slab or tomb to cost; not less than $500
and to exhume the remains of his first
Wife so that they may reposee with his,
that the executors are to permit this to
be done Otherwise, he wants to be bur
led in Mountain View Cemetery under a
$500 tomb, in which his wife's remains
are also TO be placed. -
In case his sisters are dead and have
left no descendants, his estate is to go
to the orphan fund of the Grand Lodge
of Masons of California. Sturgis also be-
queathed $1,000 to Oakland Commandery,
Of which he is member, for the purpose
of keeping his tomb in good order.