Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-05
Descendants GALORE
Who May Be Heirs to a Part
of Greater New York.
ALAWYER'S DISCOVERY
MANY wAsHINGToNIANs SAID
TO BE INTERESTED.
Movement to Revive New Harlem
Charter and Demand Millions in
Real Estate
|ALAWYER'S DISCOVERY

Some persons of this city have recently
received communications from William
Pennington Toler of New York city to the
effect that the town Of New Harlem Is
legally still in existence as a corporation,
and that they are descendants Of the origi-
mai grantees and joint heirs to many mil
Hons of dollars worth of property now re-
garded as part OF Greater New York.
Mr Toler. who has been investigating this
matter for some years. has, he claims. SUBJ
stantfal proofs at hand that these proper
ties can be recovered by the heirs If they
form themselves into the original town cor
poration and bring suit. as town. against
the proper authorities. The idea of calling
an old-time town meeting seems ridiculous
at first thought but Mr. Toler says there
can be nothing more sane.
About two and a half years ago Mr..
Toier undertook to right this alleged civic
wrong. and to restore to the descendants of
the twenty-three original patenteeS of the
town of New Harlem the hands, properties
and rights of which 1t IL said they had
been deprived for long term Of years.
He believed that former attempts which
have been made by heirs had failed sim
ply because recovery could be made only
by the town" and not by individual heirs,
or any group Of heirs. which would have to
be regarded by the courts az having the
status Of an individual
Grants From English Monarchs.
Between 1864 ard 1858. under grants and
charters from the King of England and
the Duke Of York, through Cows. Nicolis
and Dongan, twenty-three men were cre-
ated a, corporation known as the town OF
New Harlem, and all lands on Manhattan
Island, east and north Of the line between
New York and Harlem, and certain other
lands outside of said island, " ere given by
these patents to the twenty-three grantees
ana to their heirs, successors and assigns
forever"
The rights Of the two towns were said to
be absolutely equal under their charters
but New York. In its rapid growth. extend
ed it's limits, and the citizens Of Harlem.
personal holdings. neglected the land owned
In common by the town. So New York
swallowed UP Harlem.
But, according to statements made con-
corning the case, the town OF New Harlem
never gave away or sold the valuable water
front nor did 1t dispose of certain ''undi-
vided lands" It was never asked and It
never consented to unite with the greater
city. It's original members, removed by
death or scattered by time. took no steps
to interfere with the taking by New York
and by the multitudinous "squatters' OF
land then only moderately valuable.
Only Individual Protests.
After while the protests came, but, as
has been said. they were individual pro.
tests. and the courts read to the claimants
the statute OF limitations. It was not the
business Of the courts to tell the claimants
that only the town itself could sue; and II
is this information that Mr.. Toler Is bring
ing to the attention of about forty thou
sand persons, who. he says, are heirs Of the
original twentythree--, =, $3.50, e..
Those persons residing In Washington
who have heard from Mr.. ToIer are Ia
formed that he Is prepared to prove their
descent. He has asked them. in printed
circular, to sign an Authorization to call
a town meeting" and return the same
as soon as possible in order that the meet
ing may be held In the fall. when he will
present the whole matter In detail and Of
fer to conduct the proceedings.
. Mr.. Toler ia said to have proven the
descent of 5000 of the persons who. he
claims. are heirs, and that he is increasing
his list at the rate Of 2,O0O a month.
President Roosevelt, Governor OdelI. the
Vanderbilts and many other notable names
are among the descendants.
In the almost endless list there are said
to be many prominent residents of Wash