Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1901-04-24
In HARRISON COUNTY.
Deeds Belonging to DR. Bond
are Located

g. - -0&6hS4s
Papers Found.in Strange Manner by
Philadelphia Polieeman-He Finally
NLOcates Relatives of Dead Nan by
Accident Harrison. County This State
Interested.
I The following clipped from a re-
cent issue of the Philadelphia Bulle-
tin has been sent us by Mr.. j. w.
sMeminger, who will be remembered
by many of our people. 1t will be
seen from the clipping that It there
is any merit in the claims that are
being made of lands belonging to
DR.. Bond who died here so many
years ago that the lands are located
in Harrison county. Monongalia
county had been county for many
years before the death Of Bond and
it could not possibly relate to any
thing that is located in Monongalia.
The clipping is as follows:
The publication in ''The Bulletin
short time ago of story, narrating
a remarkable discovery in West Vir-
GINA, has led to the unearthing of
Aanother discovery perhaps even
Who're remarkable in it's features
which may result in the bringing to
the local descendants of several old
Philadelphia families fortune esti-
4 MATED at several million dollars.
The article in question told OF the
i finding, in the course of the demoli-
I tion Of the "Old Presbyterian
Church" in Morgantown, w. Va. OF
casket containing the body of DR..
Thomas Bond, of Philadelphia. 1t
had been lying there since July of
1888 The sexton of the church put
himself in communication with the
descendants of the Bond family in
this city, among them was Dr..
Charles Cadwalader, of 24o S. 4th
ST., who is a descendant of Dir. Phi
meas Bond, paternal uncle of DR..
Thomas Bond. Under DR.. Cadwal
ader's instruction, the body was
brought here, and buried unosten-
tatiously in grave between that of
xthe father, Dr. Thomas Bond, and
that of the uncle, DIR. Phineas Bond.
in the burial ground OF Old Christ
Church, at 9Th and Arch SITS.
The story Of the remarkable find
aroused great interest in medical
Z military and historical circles of this
city, as well as among the many
Philadelphians whose ancestors were
prominent in Revolutionary times.
Perhaps by no one, however, were
the facts related in the story perused
with greater eagerness than by
] House Sergeant Jonathan B. Wells,
OF the Bridesburg Police Station.
Upon the conscientiousness of this
man hinges the second chapter of
4 this remarkable story. To those
! concerned, both directly or indirect
iy, it proved even of greater interest
than the first.
AS far back as 1878 or '79-it has
been so long ago that the precise
year cannot be ascertained-Wel ellis,
then an ordinary policeman, in try
ing to remove pile of rubbish from
D a place in which it should not have
been, came across bundle OF old
peppers neatly folded together and
bearing all the earmarks of time and
neglect Prompted by curious
motive to inspect them, he found
y them to be six separate legal deeds,
signed in 1856 by Patrick Henry,
then Governor of Virginia, in the
name of DR.. Thomas Bond, and con
veying to the latter about six thou
sand acres of land in HARRISON coun
ty. W. Va Wells took the papers
!, home, and, acting upon the advice of
\ friends, placed himself in communi-
cation with the authorities of Vir
ginia for the purpose of ascertalning
the identity of DR.. Bond and return
ing the deeds to the rightful owners.
All inquiries proved futile, however,
and in the course of years Wells be-
came convinced that the only value
attaching to the documents was that
Of relics Of the Revolutionary period.
One of the six deeds he gave away
to collector OF autographs, who
was anxious to secure the original
Of Patrick Henry. The others he re-
tanned in his possession.
Twenty three years passed since
the finding OF these papers. During
this period Wells was conscientious
~ trying his best to find some one
who could claim them. while the
numerous descendants OF DR.. Bond
were living in this city, totally I'm
aware of their existence. 1t remain
ed for The Bulletin" to publish, a
little over two weeks ago a story
that connected the name of Dir.
Charles Cadwalader with that of the
late DR. Thomas Bond. An hour
after reading this article Wells wrote
DR.. Cadwalader the following letter
81 q