Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-20
HEIR TO THE MORGANS
Capt. Lewis Death Does Not
End Proud Line.
KEPT MARRIAGE SECRET
Widow, Son and Daughter to In
herit Big Estates.
PROTHERO IS DISAPPOINTED
Expected the Property of Famous
Welsh Family to Descend
to Him.
PROTHERO IS DISAPPOINTED
Special Cablegram to The Star.

Special Cablegram to The Star.
LONDON. January 2O-The death of
Capt. Freke Lewis of Moynes Court near
Chepstow, and the owner of the Abbey
dore estate in the Golden Valley Here
fordshire, has revealed that there is an
heir to the property whose existence
hitherto was practically unknown, and
that Capt. Lewis was not. as was gener-
ally supposed, 1.-The last of the Morgans.
The late Capt. Lewis was the only sur
viving brother of Charles Edward Lewis
of st. Pierre Chepstow, who died last
year. He was born in 1881, and served as
an officer in the> 23d Royal Welsh Fusil-
iers Retiring with the rank of captain.
he devoted himself to agriculture on the
Dore Court estate. in the Golden Valley,
and Dore Court had been his home until
the time of his death three weeks ago.
He was of a quiet and reserved dispo-
sition. but keen sportsman. He married
in 1888 lady of the same name, but
there were no children She died in 1899.
Since that time Capt. Lewis had been
regarded by relatives and friends as q
widower. Capt. Prothero, son of Mrs.
Prothero of Malpas Court, near Newport
was considered to be the heir to the es-
tates. valued at about $500, 900. Mrs.
Prothero was sister of Capt. Lewis. and
member of the Lewis family.
Will Reveals Secret.
After the funeral of Capt. Lewis, which
took place at st. Pierre churchyard Thurs
day. December Il. the will was read. 1t
was then found he had left his estates to
his son, whom he named. This is said to
have been the first that had been heard
of any second marriage.
The will, however, has not yet been
proved Efforts to obtain further de-
tails as to its provisions have SO far been
unsuccessful.
Inquiries at Abbeydore have revealed
that Capt. Lewis some years ago married.
at a registry office, Miss Morgan. the
daughter of local farmer. and that, al
though in order to maintain the secrecy
of the marriage they did not live oSten-
sibly as man and wife, two children have
been born, boy and a girl.
In the course of an interview Mrs.
Lewis said:
supposed to be a widower. But he was
not. for | was his wife,
In subsequent conversation the lady
admitted she was married to Capt. Lewis
some years ago. and had two children,
a boy and a girl. She declined to give
hands of her solicitor. who is in practice
in London and is conducting the pro-
ceedings on her behalf
She understood. she said that the late
Capt. Lewis had left the Abbeydore prop
erty to herself. and the ST. Pierre prop
erty to her son.
The marriage was kept a secret for
some time. Lately Capt. Lewis had often
spoken of 1t. and had told person near
there some two years ago that he was
married. AS matter of fact Mrs. Lewis
added. he used to say that people must
be blind if they did not see they were
married
Not Last Of Morgans.
AS before stated. Capt. Lewis was sup
posed to have been The last of the old
family of Lewis of ST. Pierre, and also
the last male descendant of Llewelyn an
Ivor lord of Tredegar, and though not
a Morgan by name. the last of the Nor
gans in the direct line.
Llewelyn had three sons The eldess
Morgan. received the paternal estate at
Tredegap: the second was Ivor Hazel the
lord Gwern Cleppa, the patron of the
great Welsh poet Dafydd ap GwiIyn: and
for his third son. Philip. 4.leweIyn pur-
chased the estate at st. Pierre. near
Chepstow.
That about the year 1850, and from
that day to the present time there has
always been . Lewis Of 81: Pierre in the