The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1915-11-18
YEARS BRING NO INCREASE
Estate Of the Inventor Of the Type
writer and Former Kenosha Journal
list, Is Declared TO Be Valued at
But $4,000 at Time for Settlement.

After remaining in trust for many
years, the estate of G. Latham Sholes,
pioneer Of Kenosha, inventor of the
typewriter and one Of the pioneers Of
Wisconsin journalism, will reach
final settlement within a short time,
according to w. w. Wight Of Milwau.
kee, executor. This action comes as
the result Of the recent marriage of
Lillian Sholes, for whose maintenance
the estate provided "until marriage
or DEATH
Miss Sholes recently was married to
Charles A. Fortier, an inventor, who
has been connected with the Johnson
Service company in Milwaukee for
years. The couple are on wedding
trip and will return to Milwaukee soon.
The estate is said to be valued at
eight thousand dollars. The real
estate consists Of a tenement house in
the Merrill Park district, in Milwau-
kee, and some personal property in
vested. The estate was formerly worth
considerably more, but has deprecated
because Of realty conditions
Other benefciaries under the will
are Mrs. Elizabeth Gilmore, Chicago,
an older daughter, and zalmon Sholes,
son. Another son, George B. Sholes,
acted as executor of the estate until
his death a few years ago.
The will, which was made January
"a, 1887, leaves the entire estate in
trust to George B. Sholes, and pro-
vides that the income should be used
first, for the maintenance Of the wild
ow, Mary Jane Sholes; second, for the
maintenance of his daughters until
marriage or death; third, for the sup
port of minor son until he is twenty
one 5fourth, to afford temporary relief
to any Of the sons and daughters
should they need it.
In event of final distribution, the
will provides that ten per cent shall
be set aside to be given to the child
or children of such children Of c..
Latham Sholes as may have died previ-
GUS to the distribution, the remainder
to be divided equally among the
children.
Since the death Of the widow, and
during the years that Lillian Sholes
remained unmarried, practically all
the income Of the estate went to her.
This she loses by her marriage.
G. Latham Sholes landed at Green
Bay, an immigrant from Pennsylvania,
in 1887. After assisting his brother
In newspaper enterprises, he came to
Kenosha. In 1857 he went to Milwau-
kee, joining The Free Democrat, s. NJ.
Booth Is paper. Later he was collec-
tor of customs for this port for six
years. Subsequent to that he served
on the board of jublic works.
Mr.. Sholes early conceived the idea
of writing by means of machine and
worked on his models for many years,
interesting other friends in the inven-
tion. After a workable model had
been, produced, the invention was TAX
en- over by the Remington Arms com
pany, and became the forerunner Of
the present Remington typewriter.
This workable model was in the pos
session of the Sholes family and
friends of the family for years. A
few years ago Fred Heath, Milwau-
kee newspaper man, who as boy as
sisted Mr.. Sholes in obtaining parts
for his invention, obtained the model
and placed it at the public museum,
where it is now on exhibition. Only
the keyboard and the body of the
typewriter remain, the other parts
having been removed by Sholes to be
placed on other models This model
made use of a piano keyboard, which
Sholes later abandoned for the kind
of keyboard in use today.