Norwich bulletin., 1915-08-18
COILS p. HUNTINeToN's
WILL RAISES PROBLEM
Famous Railroad Man and Finaneier
Was Related to Norwich Families.


Because of the death of two life
benefciaries of the estate left by Col
lis Potter Huntingdon descendant
Of Samuel Huntington, a governor of
the state of Connecticut, jurist, one
of the signers OF the Declaration of
Independence and the president of the
Continental congress-who was con-
nected with the Norwich Huntingtons
and member of the Huntington Fam
lily association, and who died on April
10, 1900, leaving a net estate appraised
at SOS, 301, 765.23. Surrogate John P.
be called upon by the executors of
the estate for a construction of the
will
What the executors wish the court
to pass upon is this:
Under the testator's will a $50, 900
trust fund was ordered to be set aside
as life estate for Coils H. Sammis,
a nephew, the income on this trust
fund at the nephew's death to pass
over to Clara Samnis, the nephewss
widow. during her life and, at her
death, the principal of the trust fund
was to pass over to the issue of the
two deceased life benefciarfes.
lnasmuch as both are now dead
and have left no issue, who is to
receive the principal of the trust fund
with accumulated income of S67S.342
Does it go to the residuary legatee of
Mr.. Huntington's estate or to his next
of kin as though he had died intes-
tate?
Mr.. Huntington, who was born in
poverty in Litchfield county, Oct. %.
1921, the son of William Huntington,
a tinker, died at his camp at Pine
Knot in the Adirondacks from heart
trouble. At his death he was one of
the six men who was at the head of
the American railroad system, an art
connoisseur and patron, humanitar-
ium and financier.
His first employment was on a farm
at salary of $S4 a year and board.
After he had saved up $175 he start
ed in the clock business and managed
to get $1,000 credit on the recommen-
dalton of a neighbor. In 1912 he en-
tered in partnership with his brother,
Scion. in the general merchandise bus
mess at Oneonta, n. Y. Six years
later he went to California as a mer-
chant and at Sacramento began bus
mess under tent, selling implements
and necessaries to miners. A store
next followed
Mr.. Huntington then opened partner
ship in the hardware business with
Mark Hopkins, the firm being Hum
tington 81 Hopkins. Later on Leland
Stanford and Croker brothers became
his business partners and Stanford
gave him his first incentive to become
a railroad builder.
Mr.. Huntington then, with Hopkins,
the Crockers, T. T. Judah and Stan
ford, went to work on scheme and
the survey of the Sierra Nevada noun,
tains for a trans-continental railroad
was made on money advanced by
them The result was the organization
of the Central Pacific Railroad COM
pany with Stanford president, Hun
tngton vice president, and Hopkins
treasurer. with a capital of 81, 500, 900.
Subsequent undertakings more vastly
followed, which included the first rail-
road feat of planning and perfecting
the whole California railroad system
of $500 miles of track. Then followed
the formation Of trans continental
line from Portland, Ore, to New Or
leans
Next followed the construction Of
San Francisco through Los Angeles,
the Southern Pacific railroad from
Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, a
track from ocean to ocean, and the
merging of twenty-six corporations
with 5000 miles of track into the
organization known as the Southern
Pacific company.
The Chesapeake e. Ohio railroad
was next completed. after the state
of Virginia had failed TO complete
it, and in which endeayor many
contractors were ruined
Mr.. Huntington then pushed his
connections westward through West
Virginia, Kentucky. Tennessee and
Mississippi, until he was able to ride
his own private car over his own
tracks from the gateway Of the Old
Domihion' on the Atlantic to the
Golden Gate on the Pacific coast a
feat accomplished by no other man
in America
Other enterprises which he was
identified or associated with was