Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1908-02-22
liz INHERITS
BIG FORTUNE
MR.. HARRY ROWND, or SNOW
HILL, HEARS GOOD NEWS

HILL, HEARS GOOD NEWS
If Mr.. Harry Rownd, of Snow Hill.
has not been misinformed he will soon
come into fortune of considerable
magnitude.
Mr.. Rownd is brother of the late
William !. Rownd aJustlce Of the Peace.
who died at his home in this town about
two years ago. He and Harry were
the only sons of Thomas Rownd. who
has been dead for many years. The
life of Thomas Rownd was a romantic
one. He was the son Of wealthy
Englishman. When nothing but a lad
he ran away from home, slowed himself
on board of sailing vessel and came
to America. 1t is not known whether
it was a spirit Of adventure and long.
ing to see the new world. or whether
he had falling out with mis- parents
that caused Thomas Rownd to come to
America. At what port he landed we
are not informed. but the fact is well
established that Thomas Rownd the son
of Hampton Rownd, came to Worcester
County from the old country when a
youth and lived here the remainder Of
his life. He frequently rebuked his
two sons for changing the spelling Of
their name to Rownds. He told them
that the letter Isl did not belong to
their name and if they persisted in using
it they might some day have trouble in
establishing their identity as the heirs
of fortune.
Two strangers came TO Snow Hill on
the ID day of December last. They
drove over from Princess Anne and
registered at the hotel Purnell as j. S
Rownd, Of Summerfield, Ohio, and
Henry Miller, of GAINESVILLE, Ohio As
soon as the men arrived here they made
inquiry for Harry Rownd, and when
told that such person lived in Snow
Hill they sent messengers to find him.
In the meantime they went to the office
of the Register of Wills and examined
the records. When Mr.. Rownd arrived
at the Court House the men wanted to
know how he spelled his name. He told
them, and told also how his father was
wont to caution him not to spell il with
an (s). Mr. Rownd then took the men
to the Presbyterian Churchyard to look
at the tombstone bearing the name of
his father They made several copies
Of the inscription on the stone. and as
they were leaving the churchyard they
told Mr. Rownd that they had been
making systematic search all over the
United States for the home Of Thomas
Rownd, hoping there to find some of
his descendants. They had about given
up the search, when in Salisbury a
gentleman named Rownds had told them
that he had met a Mr. Harry ROwnd.
of Snow Hill. and who had talked with
him about his father HE told US.
said the men, that I'VE would undoubt-
eddy find what we sought in Snow Hill,
and so we have" They told Mr. Rownd
that they had found hundreds of Rownds
but none other than he who spelled
their name without the 81 and that the
records here were complete and es-
tablished his claim to the fortune of
Hampton Rownd without doubt They
represented the estate as comprising
two valuable farms and great sum of
money which has been awaiting the
rightful owners for over 40 years. 1t
was asserted that if the rightful heirs
had not been found in a short while the
fortune would revert to the Crown.
Rownd and Miller only remained in
Snow Hill long enough to search the
records and talk with Mr. Harry Rownd.
They did not ask him for fee or other
money, but on leaving. said to him that
he would soon be a rich man, as they
were going to England and report that
they had found in him the rightful heir
to the wealth of Hampton Rownd.
The people of Snow Hill sincerely
unite with us in wishing Mr.. Rownd
good fortune. He is a poor man now
and no doubt will willingly accept all
the good things that come his way.