The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-10-28
HUNT FOR GORMLEYS ESTATE.


John G.rmleys heirs are trying 70
straighten out the affairs of about the
most tangled up estate ever left TO
family Of boys and girls by an eccen-
tric father. ..Gormley died short time
ago in the town OF wilma. Jefferson
county. n. ". and his neighbors be-
lieve that he was the wealthlest FARM
or that ever lived in the northern part
Of New York state.
His first venture in business was TO
buy a sheep. This he rented 10 neign-
Dor who was 10 return him two sheep
at the end OF three years. Every dol
lar he could earn went into sheep
which he let out on shares In the same
way. He had 800 sheep In less tnaA
ten years. Then he turned his atteh-
tiOn to COWS. This was an the Deklh-
ming OF the war. when mich COWS were
scarce and fodder plenty. The COWS hS
rented at $40 year. and half the hetp
OF many a well-to-do farmer was NJ
property. lie had leases regularly pIc-
pared. in which the man who rentei
the cow agreed TO keep Il insured, teeu
it well. and II he kept il untll ~ was
years old. he contracted Go return q
2-year-old heifer instead OF the COW
To GormleY. In this way he Kept ms
stock young. The rent money went
into more cows. His live stock was
rented over three counties, Jefferson,
I Lewis ana 81. Lawrence. ana lt TOOK
him three months every year go go
around and collect his rent. with the
opening OF the Utica and Black River
railroad came a change i'm his business.
10 was severe blow 10 him. 10 tapped
his teffit3rv 6nd farmrrs could ship
the.r'furplus t1D to rp Hket. lhls
brought down nthe renps1 uaf COWS, ana
for ten years pismore sSJ8was the price
Even@at this. With cows costing frohl
! sS TO $50. ths snor9a2us ipterest ~
S"ffe was f}fcea afteN-A time 10 turn
! his attention TO real estate, Some farm
| ers who hired cows from him could npl
| pay the rent Then he took notes
| which gradually became mortgages
! and then he had 90 take the Farms IL
! subscribed TO nearly every local pane
| within a radius OF - miles OF ms loll'
FOR the purpose OF getting the adver'
| tisements OF mortgage foreclosure
! sales. He was present when me "a
| came Off and If a bargain presented u
! self he had the money In his pocket u
| pay down.
1t was one of his characteristics Il
| keep his business to himself after h'
! wife died. "A few years ago. sh9i
| time before he died a lawyer. VINO az
much business for him asked hlil U
list his property i'm order that MS chh
dren might know where To nnu
should ANYTHING happen 10 him. I'M
he refused 10 do. saying that the IN.
| dren might hunt tor II, Ana thlS nv
| are doing. The county records IN lut'
| counties are being searched. ana Idt y
after farm thew find he owned MHl
cages that they never heard or COW
and sheep that they never drealIeu oi
they find belong to them
The man had a remarkable meihor!
He could not write. His COW lease
were all written. When his pocketboo
| was properly arranged he could pic
ont any mans lease. For the purpos
OF testing him the friend asked apout
certain mans lease. and Gormley ra
them over. touching the edges as
counting, and brought 1t out re
knew that he could not write. II q
, wanted some one 30 read Tor MN "
, ! excuse would be that he did n1t nav
his glasses with him.
Three sons and five daughters su
S vive him all well educated Two
Il them went TO California as teache
and married there. They are settlir
up their affairs without the aid or
LAWYER When = farm is found belon'
'e ing to them they get together ana D
le for II. the highest bidder taking II. III
,e same plan Is follswed with the persoi
" acres of land I'm fourteen farms, vii
buildings and stock. have been -four
to belong to him. II is not believe
that all the personal property VIII ev'
be discovered Lawyer J.. j. Gooda
of this city who knew and did bus
I'd ness for him for thirty years. says ]
was worth more than 100000.
Two sons and one daughter are IN
~ married The oldest son was marie
a few years ago. His father picked OF
m his wife. and shrewdly FASTENED u
match by telling the son that the 81
was after his money. tnenJ accusing u
u girls father OF trying TO set trap II
the son, and getting up SUCH a 70
M generally that he was not invited TO u
,d wedding at the brides home. But
was there and made his peace by tel
ing how ne FASTENED the match by n
ms oppos' ton and 20 show his good fait
of h presented hic son a deed of 25'
acre farm al stocked. the house ful
80. nished and everything ready for n
~ young people 10 begin life as prosper
Gus farmers