The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-04-26
BIG LAND CLAIMS
IN LITIGATION
Title to Old Virginia Land
Grants Unsettled
MRS. MAVERICKS CLAIM
Land Reads Like Romance and
the Cases Are Now Before
Highest Tribunal

There is now pending before the supreme
court of the United States a case that il
Of widespread interest all over this coun
Try. at least. because of the tremendou:
| interests involved. and because of the
great amount of litigation which has al
ready been entailed because of these in
terests. It involves claim by the Eastern
Kentucky Coal Lands corporation, owned
and controlled by New York capitalists
that they were the rightful owners, by
purchase of old Virginia land grants to
portions of four counties in eastern Ken
lucky, comprising 325oOO acres of the fin
est coal and timber land in the Ken
lucky mountains, valued at SIPS, 100000, and
which was finally decided, two years ago,
in favor of the "squatters," who We're in
possession of the land by two Kentucky
judges.
Mrs. Florence Maybrick, the American
woman who was confined in an English
prison for Is years for the alleged muir
der of her husband was one of the prin-
eipa claimants to the land several years
ago. before the murder of her husband.
The story O., the old Virginia land
grants reads like a romance. The grants
were originally given April H. 17s7, and
February 16. 1877. The tracts were given
to people who then resided upon them
and were % in number Each tract is
separately described as lying in the "then
county of Bourbon Qater state of Ken
tueky), now in the counties of Pike, Har-
lam Letcher and Martin, on the waters o,
the Big Sandy river"
Buying Up Claims
Four years ago the Eastern Kentucky
Coal Lands corporation was formed In
New York to buy up the claims of the
people who said that they owned the
lands under the old Virginia grants in
stead Of the people who lived on the
lands The company sent representatives
through every state in the union and TO
several foreign countries to discover the
holders of these land patents, with in
structions TO buy them all. Only few
deeds are on file in Pike county, the
most important county in the affected
district. This deed was from Jane I.
Kingsly and others, heirs-at-law of Will
liam Hllhouse, deceased, of the state
Of Connecticut, containing $4,000 acres,
excepting out 10000 acres granted to
James Swan of Massachus stts. This deed
was granted in 1905.
The most important deed of them all,
and one of which has international in
terest. is that filed on August Z, 1889 by
Caroline E. Van Roques and her hus-
band, Baron Adolph Van Roques, and
Mrs Florence Maybrick to Harrison E.
Groom of Lexington, KY. These lands
have been decided on July 16. 1885, by
Samuel Allison of Philadelphia to Darius
B. Holbrook, in 1899, by James Swan Of
Massachusetts. The deeds to Holbrook
embraced 2.552.O00 acres of land lying in
Virginia. Vest Virginia and Kentucky.
Darius Holbrook was at that time a resi-
tent of Illinois, but later removed to New
York city. where he died many years
ago His wife was Miss Elizabeth Thir
ston OF Alabama. They had one child
a daughter, Caroline, who married VIII
liam Chandler AS result of this union
daughter. Florence Mrs. Maybrick)
was born. Chandler died and the widow
when crossing the Atlantic ocean, some
time later, met Baron Adolph Won
Roaues, formerly an officer In the Ger
man imperial army. whom she married,
They resided in France, but when the
deed was executed to Harrison b. Groom
they were living apart, the baron being
in Vienna and the baroness in Liverpool
England with her daughter Florence.
who had in the meantime married the
wealthy Englishman, May 1t was
not long after this that Maybrick died
ana shortly afterWard ms WIDOW was
t,ieu peloie or IaiiiQs tez 9lep .pis y"
'iie cii@i &c VI poiSoiiins nei husDanN'
Mrs. Maybrick's Claims
After Mrs MAVERICKS release from the
English nrison she returned to America
and suits are now pending in the courts
of Virginia instituted bv her to set aside
the convevances of the land mentioned
IN Groom Mrs MAVERICK has visited
this citv more than once since her return
To America in search of material TO aid
ber Investigation. Groom being res
ident Of this citv at the time the deed
was conveyed.
Groom, however, In the meantime, has
conveyed part Oh the laha TO Dafld W.
Armstrong ana Lewis ROBERTS, poth OIL
New YORK city ana these are also ASKED
10 De set asiae by Mrs. Mayprlck IN hef
suits IN the virginia iederal courts.
conveyance 10 RoDert MOTIFS OF PM
adelphia OF 1ooVoo acres Is also recorded.
MOTIFS spent large sum OF money IN
aldlhg the colohists 10 hsht the BRUSH
IN the reVoiutlonary war ana virginia
granted MIN the nan mllnon acres In 100
10 parually recoflpehse MN iof the
money he had spent as patriot.
The Virginia patentees never settled
upon their lands. Many died, and their
claims were forgotten. When the East
ern Kentucky Coal Land corporation
brought suit for the possession or fhe
lands granted so many years ago by Viz
GINA they sent TO kentucky TWO FORMER
sons of Kentucky-John u. carlisle, Tor
mer Secretary or the treasury under
President Cleveland, and John G.. Hen