Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-02-04
Everything Save Absolute Proof
Points to Freeport Man as
William Rockefeller
agent SAYS SONS VISITED HIM
Widow Refuses to Discuss Identity of
Man Known as William Livingston
Pictures of Livingston Are Those
Of William Rockefeller - Widow is
in Poor Circumstances.

Chicago. Feb. 4-"Dr. LevingSton is
dead. There is no need for resurrect-
ing his memory. Let his sleep be
peaceful. If any information regard
ing Mr., Rockefeller, ST., is to be given
out let 1t come from the Rockefellers.
i will remain true woman the few
remaining; years Of my life, / refuse
to either confirm or deny"
With these words Mrs Margaret Al
len Levingston, widow of William Az
cry Rockefeller, father Of John ID.
Rockefeller, the worlds richest man,
answered inquiries regarding her late
husband. That DIR. William Leving-
ston. who died in Freeport, in 1906,
was in reality William A Rockefeller,
has been indicated by many facts
small in themselves, but assuming i'm
portance when massed together. The
greatest Of these is his Widows one
refusal to deny that her husband was
William Rockefeller.
Since investigation was first directed
this way by an article in McClure's
Magazine, containing photograph OF
William A. Rockefeller. link after link
has been dug up, the last in the chain
the discovery that ranch at Park
River, N. D., which Livingston farm
ed for twenty years, was held by nm
dn the name of William Avery Rookie
Teller, ard that under this name ho
decided the land to Plerson w. Briggs,
who is known to have married a
daughter of William Avery Rookie
Teller, of Cleveland. These facts are
shown by the official records of Walsh
county, at Grafton, the county seat.
In the parlor Of the Levingston home
in Freepcrt, which Is a modest two
story structure. handsomely and COM
fortably proportioned, hangs an en-
larged picture of William Rockefeller,
or DIR. I.evingston, as he calls him
self, which is made from identically the
same photograph which Miss Tarbell
secured from Rockefeller's sons. When
the two pictures are held side by side
dt can be readily Seen that they are
from the. same negative, altho Mrs.
Levigstorl processes to see no similar
ity. For years all photographs Of the
old man have been studiously sup
pressed.
That John D. Rockefeller spent a
night in Freeport and out of his pri-
vate car is vouched for by Agent j. B.
Sweat, Of the Chicago, Milwaukee &
st. Paul railroad. A night visitor.
styling himself the keeper of DR.. Lev
ingston's ranch, is given description
by . nurse that exactly fits Frank
Rockefeller.
Visits from the sons of Rockefeller
are understood to have been made to
DR.. I.evingston, but regarding all these
Mrs. Levingston AYERS that 'if any
member of the Rockefeller family ever
came into this house I don't know it,"
William Livingston sold his quarter
section of land near Park River, n. D..
to Briggs director of the Standard Oil
Company, number of years ago, and
it was subsequently transferred to
William Rockefeller. When Leving-
ston was on his death bed his family,
which included his wife, his wife's
niece, Miss Margaret Losing, and a
maid, hardly knew where the next
meal was coming from.
Too proud to ask aid of John D.
Rockefeller or any other member Of the
family, Mrs Levingston is living with
the strictest economy, according to
some Of her intimate friends, while 9TH
ers state she has plenty. She owns
the HON estead, which was purchased in
1872 by william Levingston, and trans
ferred to her number Of years later
and pays taxes on $4,000 worth Of
mortgages.
When old Rockefeller transferred his
quarter section in North Dakota to
his on-in-law he did SO without his
wife's name being signed to the deed,
and described himself in the document
as a widower. That was after the
death of Mrs. Dawson Rockefeller
mother of John D. Rockefeller, and
while he, was still living with Mrs. AL
len Levingston Rockefeller. 1t Is pos
sible that Mrs. Levingston, whose at
tention has recently been drawn to
that fact, will endeavor to have the
transfer declared illegal, as it is as
serted that she was lawful wife at
the time. She expressed herself, how
ever, as very much against such a line
Of action.