The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-10-11
WIDOW Of DR.. PARK
TO CONTEST HIS WILL
Startling Allegation Made That the Late Educator
Was Not Bachelor AS Supposed
Married Miss Arnage in 1872 and She Will Ask For Share
Of His Estate Left to University

Careful, keen and shrewd as DR.. John
R. Park was, he made will that has
invoked a contest from his former wife,
contest that is likely to result in the
distribution of the estate Of the wealthy
testator to his heirs-at-law.
On behalf of his client, Attorney Ma
thaniel V. Jones will commence pro-
ceedings in the district court today or
tomorrow to contest the validity of the
instrument purporting- to be the last
will of the late state superintendent OF
public instruction. who bequeathed his
fortune to the University of Utah to
the exclusion of his kinfOIks, so-caIIed
foster children and the one who years
ago was entitled to the name of Mrs
Park.
An along the man who devoted his
life work to the cause of education in
Utah has been ciassed as a bachelor,
but now it develops that this appela-
ton has been in error. DR.. Park was
a married man, and legally his marital
status is said to have been unchanged
even up to the time of his death.
DR.. Park Was a Married Man.
On a lovely day in the summer of
1872. when lovers were wont to plight
their trOth. DR.. John r. Park then the
executive head of the Utah university
led Miss Annie Armitage to the altar.
The marriage ceremony was performed
by the late Daniel H. Wells according
TO the rites of the Mormon church. at
the home of the officiatOr. It was a
quiet wedding but a number of wit
nesses were present who heard the low
ers' pledges given and taken. and the
Dc
and groom husband and wife. A mar
rlage certificate bears witness also TO
the fact of the ceremony having been
performed for DR.. and Mrs. Park
But the wedding was only as a dis
turbing dream to Dr. Parks bride. and
she did not live with him. There was
no issue from the marriage. and by
mutual understanding the welded pair
separated. that is, each went opposite
ways without, it is said, the formality
of a decree of divorce by a court OF
competent jurisdiction.
Wife Marrisd WI1na1n Hilton.
Three or four years after her mar
riage to the doctor, Mrs Park. believ-
ing that she was free TO re-marry
years past has been a member of the
Salt Lake police force. Mrs. Hilton has
reared a large family of children from
her second marriage
The foregoing, il is claimed, is the
status of the marital relations of the
late DR.. John r. Park. There will be
little less surprise even among the most
intimate friends of the lately deceased
wealthy educator to learn that the va
lidity OF his will, whereby he left his
entire fortune, estimated to be worth
not less than $50, 900, for the founding
and maintenance of a library of Amer
lean history and literature for the state
university. and an endowment fund for
a university teachers fellowship, is to
be attacked in the courts.
Attorney Jones Will File Contest.
When asked at his home last even
ing to verify the report that the viii
of DR.. Park is to be contested, AttOr-
ley Jones admitted that he had been
directed by Mrs. Hilton to institute
such proceedings as would protect her