St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1919-07-26


so will share in the estate, as vii
Pope Benedict, and about 120 othel
heirs, most of whom live in Louisiana
/ Included among these are many citi
zens Of Louisiana, relatives of Lieu
tenant Governor Mouton of that state
descendants of the Carriers, Graden
igo, Foutenot, Clermont, Lamauran
diere, Rousseau and Fuselier families
Joe Mcdonald of Lake Charles former
hod carrier, is to get $S,000.000. The
various descendants will share in the
distribution of the estate in varying
amounts, depending on the number OF
heirs In their particular branch OF
the family. There are seven branches
of the family. according to Mr.. Voor
hies, and he estimated that he and
his wife each will receive about $780,
900 if the estate is as large as it is
estimated to be.
Mr.. Voorhies has lived in Dallas for
number of years, and was, for ele-
ven years, travelling salesman and
head of the cotton oil machinery de-
partment of the Briggs Weaver Ma
chinery Company of this city.
Mr.. Voorhies has been appointed
administrator of the estate by the
heirs and has been for several months
at work on tracing lineal descendants,
constructing family trees, and other
wise preparing to establish the var
ious claims. This work is now about
completed, Mr. Voorhies says In
gathering information he has made
trips to Mobile, New Orleans, Lake
Charles, 0pelousas, Baton Rouge, and
other Louisiana towns, and has dug
into church archives, parish records,
and unearthed many old papers in
establishing proof of birth. marriage
or death of the various claimants.
In this research, Mr. Voorhies has
established his proof that he and his
wife are both descended from royal
blood and he had traced the family to
the days of the Doges of Venice,
when Pietro Gradenigo ruled the Vene-
tians from 1889 to 1910. He has CON
suited family trees showing the var
ious branches of the family to share
in this vast fortune and can trace
each lineal line as far back as the
thirteenth century,
There are seven branches of the
family to share in the estate, Mr..
Voorhies says, all descended from
Juan Gradenigo, who died in Louisi-
ana many years ago, leaving seven
children as follows:
Helaire Gradenigo, who married
AmeIie Fuselier; Lese Gradenigo, who
married Louis Carrie; Marguerite
Gradenigo, who married Etienne La
maurandiere; Augustin Gradenigo,
who married Elizabeth Cler4nont;
Brigite Gradenigo. who married Louis
Fontenot; Aimee Gradenigo, who mar
ried Cornelius voorhies, and Marie
Gradenigo, who married Nicholas Ros-
seau.
At the time Of the bequest in 1882.
the heirs designated Cornelius Voor-
hies, enc of the sons-in-law Of Juan
Gradenfgo, and an ancestor OF F. E.
Voorhies of Dallas, to go to Venice
and establish claim to the estate. One
condition was imposed that he go
alone, leaving his bride of a few
months in this country. Being wealthy
owning large sugar plantations and
hundreds of slaves, Cornelius Voor-
HES declined to accept the mission,
and no further action was taken to .
establish claim to secure the money
until recently.
Mr. Voorhies says the heirs all
along have known of the estate and
have discussed taking steps to estab-
Iish their claims. but that not until I
4 few months ago. when he was de-
signated as administrator to repres-
sent all .he heirs was any definite ac
ton taken. Since that time he has
completed hsi records by which he
,an trace the lineai descendants with
put missing link; has prepared
great mass Of documentary evidence
bearing on these relationships; has
the aid OF the United States
md Italian governments, as wen as
hat Of Pope Benedict, and feels sure
hat the matter will be untangled In
! very short time and the money re-
,tored to the rightfnl claimants.