Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-02-18
JERSEY WOMAN
CLAIMS NELSON
ESTATE AS WIDOW
Says She Is Niece of Joe Jeffer=
son and Deserted Wife of
Millionaire.

WASHINGTON, N. j.. Feb. 1S.-An-
other claimant to the 81, 900. 5000 estate
of George d. Nelson, who died recently
In Springfield. Mass, without issue, has
arisen in Mrs. George d. Nelson. who
claims to be the deserted wife of the
millionaire. She says he abandoned her
In. the West within a year after their
marriage.
Mrs. Nelson lives on the farm of
George D.. Bean, two miles west of this
town, where she is employed as a do
nestle. She is about As years old. She
read of the search for Nelson's heirs
in the newspapers and came to Wash,
ington and engaged Attorney David Bar
tron to look after her legal interests.
The following is her story. as told to
the lawyer.
Her maiden name, she said, was La
vinia jefferson, and declared her father
was a brother of joseph jefferson, the
actor. She was born in Greenfield,
Mass. In childhood her parents moved
to Newark. n. j.. and then to Great
Notch. AT the age of II years Mrs.
Nelson ran away from home and sought
shelter with her grandmother. Mrs.
Julia jefferson, near Greenfield, Mass.
Nelson. known later in Springfield as
the Man of Mystery" Mrs. Nelson
seys, was at the time employed on the
farm of her grandmother as a laborer.
He finally proposed that they run away
and get married. Mrs. Nelson said she
stole the wedding ring of her grand
mother and other jewelry and when she
ard Nelson left they had between them
o and jewelry to the value of. $500,
Mrs. Nelson remembered riding a long
distance West. Somewhere between
Omaha and Denver she and Nelson.
stopped off and were married.
Mrs. Nelson oes not remember the
name of the town, nor has she a mar
riage certificate. Nelson having taken
that when he deserted her, but h dis
tinctly remembered the date of the eere-
mony. 1t was on November q, 1879. .
The couple located near Denver n
there a daughter was born to them,
| while Nelson was employed on the
Union Pacific railroad.
Mrs. Nelson showed the attorney a
Lletter she had received from her hus-
| band that began with terms of endear-
| tnent and ended by asking her to send
him $45, either at Agate. Colo. or Hugo,
Colo.
Mrs. Nelson showed the attorney a
| picture of a woman she said was the
mother of her husband and also a group
picture of herself, her husband and her
young daughter Layinia. After the re-
ceipt OF the letter Mrs. Nelson had no
further news from her husband n was
forced to the conclusion that he had
deserted her.
Soon after the desertion. Nelson, il ii
was the same man who recently died,
appeared in Springfield, Mass, with a
team OF blooded horses, which he sold
to Bliss Vinton, a wealthy man. Vim
ton liked the young fellow and Nelson
entered his employment. When Ninton
died, his widow. Emma Goodrich Vim
ton, continued Nelson in her employ.
II was reported they were to be mar
ried. When the widow died she left
Nelson her entire fortune.
Mrs. Nelson is the fourth claimant to
appear since Nelson died. Harold Nell
son, of 40 Wayne street, Jersey City,
Is the most persistent. lie claims that
the dead man was, his uncle and that
he and George Dunn, his cousin, are
the only heirsyaf