The daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1904-1905, 1904-12-23
WILL CLAIM
WHOLE TOWN
1 SUIT TO BE BROUGHT TO DE-
TERMINE OLD LAND CASE
q
RICHMOND PEOPLE INVOLV WE'D
A Dispatch From Columbus, Ohio,
Tells a Strange Story Millions
at Stake.

sInvolving more than a million and
a,half dollars and the title of nearly
Es-ssll of the town Of Williamsburg, Pa,
if expectations are realized by the
! heirs of Samuel Robb and Carrie
Metcalf, of Richmond, and five Co
lumbus, Ohio, people, says a dis
!, patch sent out yesterday from Co.
lumbus. The names of Metcalf and
Robb do not appear in the city di-
rectory nor in the list of land hold
ers. A search of the records in the
county clerks office also failed to
divulge any information as to whom
the heirs Of the par.ics mentioned
in the dispatch could be.
The following is the Columbus dis
patch:
: Suit may soon be brought in Blair
county, Pennsylvania, because Of the
assertions of Columbus parties that
: through their ancestors they are the
direct owners of the heart of Will
!. iamsburg. Thes uit will also in
volve the heirs of Samuel Robb and
Carrie Metcalf, of Richmond, Ind.
. 1t appears that back in the latter
part of the eighteenth century
man by the name of William Ack
? founded the town of Williamsburg
stalking out more than 100 acres as
ashis own property. He later, in 1905
leased this property to various per-
sons in consideration of one Mexi-
San dollar and the promise that the
future town should be named for
him. The town after that time took
sthe name of Acktown, Pa, though
L in after years the name was again
changed to the first name of the phil
santhropist, Williams, derived from
y William, the surname of the town s
benefactor.
il From year to year an agent by
the name of C. A. Patterson has col
lected the equivalent of one Mexican
dollar as the consideration of the
lease originally filed in that county,
I and claimed now to be On record.
This lease, which was for 80 years,
according to the Columbus parties,
would expire some time during 1905.
Arrattorney, R. J. Beatty, of Colum-
Dbus, has been retained by the claim
!. ants to push their claim of 100
acres, being the principal part Of
he town of Williamsburg.
\ Richmond Claimants.
1t has lately came to the attention
1 of five Columbus heirs of William
d Ack, founder of the village of Will
'liamsburg, Margaret Monroe, Carrie
Patterson, John Robb and the heirs
of Samuel Robb and Carrie Metcalf
of Richmond, Ind, that the lease is
about to expire and that the prop
4 erty, unless claimed, will probably
& fall into the hands Of the present oc-
1. cupants.
The land, since the time the orig
i inal contract was made, has gradu-
= ally increased in value as the town
has grown larger and it is estimated
at the present time that the plot un-
Ter lease of the founder isworth from
a million and half to two millions
OF dollars. AS the bare facts are
7known to the Columbus parties, and
. IasS they retained Attorney Beatty to
represent them in Williamsburg, and
trip will be made to that place,
/, Tuesday, by the attorney. to exam
inc the records of that county. He
will be followed on the latter part of
the week by Ray Patterson. also a
claimant for the property.
The town of williamsburg. which.
if the statements by the claimants
are proven true, will be involved in
endless litigation, is located about
II miles from Altoona. Pa. and is
, considered rich village Of from
5000 to 5000 inhabitants. The prop
erty in claim is the business section
OF the town. An attorney has al
ready been secured in that place to
e s9qk after the affairs of the clients
at that end.