The Western news. [volume] (Stevensville, Mont.) 1890-1977, 1900-04-04
HUNT FOR AN ESTATE
By Heirs Of an Eccentric New York
State Farmer.
A Fortune Made i'm Renting sheep
and Cows Left In q Tangled
ConditiOn-SOme Queer
Traits.


John Gormley's heirs are trying to
straighten out the affairs of about the
most tangled up estate ever left to
family of boys and girls by an eccentric
father. Gormley died short time ago
in the town of wilma, jefferson county,
n. Y, and his neighbors believe that he
was the wealthiest farmer that ever
| lived in the northern part of New York
| state.
| His first venture in business was to
| buy sheep. This he rented to neigh
| Dor who was to 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 500 sheep in less than ten
years. Then he turned his attention to
COWS. This was at the beginning Of the
| war, when milch COWS were scarce and
fodder plenty. The cows he rented at
ten dollars year, and half the herd of
many well-to-do farmer was his prop
erty. He had leases regularly prepared,
in which the man who rented the cow
agreed to keep it insured, feed it well,
and if he kept it until it was eight years
| old, he contracted to return a two-year-
old heifer instead of the cow to CORN
ley. In this way he kept his stock
young. The rent money went into more
| cows. His live stock was rented over
three counties, jefferson, Lewis and
| ST. Lawrence, and it took him three
months every year to go around and
collect his rent. With the opening of
the Utica and Black River railroad
came change in his business. 1t was
a severe blow to him. 1t tapped his
territory, and farmers could ship their
surplus hay to market. This brought
down the rental value of cows, and for
ten years or more five dollars was the
price. Even at this, with cows cost
ing from $40 to $50, the enormous inter.
est he made is easily figured. !,
He was forced after time to turn
his attention to real estate. Some farms
ers who hired cows from him could not
pay the rent. Then he took notes,
which gradually became mortgages,
and then he had to take the farms.
lie subscribed to nearly every local pa.
per within radius of IS miles of his
home, for the purpose OF getting the
advertisements of mortgage fore
closure sales. He was present when the
sales came off, and if a bargain pre-
sented itself he had the money in his
pocket to pay down.
| 1t was one of his characteristics to
keep his business to himself after his
wife died, few years ago. 4 short
time before he died Il lawyer, who did
much business for him, asked him to
list his property in order that his chill
dren might know where to find it
should anything happen to him. This
he refused to do, saying that the chill
dren might hunt for it. And this they .
are doing. The county records in three
counties are being searched, and farm
after farm they find he owned. Mort
cages that they never heard Of, cows
and sheep that they never dreamed of,
they find belong to them.
The man had remarkab BILE memory.
lie could not write. His COW leases
We're all written. When his pocket
book was properly arranged he could
pick out any mans lease. For the pur-
| PooS VI tSStIlS 4llHl luc lItGUu AShGO
| about certain mans lease, and CORN
ley ran them over, touching the edges
as if counting, and brought il out. Few
| knew that he could not write. If he
wanted some one to read for him his ex-
cuse would be that he did not have his
glasses with him.
Three sons and five daughters survive
him, all well educated. Two of then,
went to California as teachers and mar
ried there. They are settling up their
affairs without the aid of u lawyer.
When a farm is found belonging to
them they get together and bid for it,
the highest bidder taking it. The same
plan is followed with the personal
property. So far more than 1000 acres
of land, in IA farms. with buildings and
stock, have been found to belong to
him. 1t is not believed that all the per-
soual property will ever be discovered.
Lawyer l.. J. GoodaA, of this city.
who knew and did business for him for
30 years, says he was worth more than
| 100000.
Two sons and one daughter are un-
married. The oldest son was married !.
a few years ago. His father picked out
his wife, and shrewdly hastened the
match by telling the son that the girl
was after his money; then accusing the
girls father of trying to set a trap for ;,
the son, and getting up such a row gen.
orally that he was not invited to the !.
wedding at the brides home. But he
was there, and made his peace by tell
~, T. =.
opposition. and to show his good faith
he presented to his son a deed of 25O-
acre farm, all stocked, the house fur
nished, and everything ready for the
young people to begin life as prosper.
Gus farmers.-Chicago Inte- Ocean.
/ - -