page_title: Wellington R. Burt
section_title: Will
hierarchical_section_title: Wellington R. Burt / Will
caption_attribution_description: English: Saginaw, MI dignitaries attend the construction site of Saginaw's auditorium on South Washington and Janes in 1908. From left to right: Driver (unknown), Edward Hartwick (editor of the Labor Exponent), William S. Linton (congressman), Mayor William B. Baum, William R. Burt (businessman)
context_page_description: Wellington R. Burt was a lumber baron from Saginaw, Michigan. At the time of his death, his wealth was estimated to be between $40 and $90 million. For a time in the early 1900s, Burt ranked as one of the eight wealthiest men in the United States. He was best known for his lumber mills and timber holdings, but was also involved in iron mining, railroads, salt mines and finances. Burt was a politician, holding the offices of Mayor of East Saginaw and member of the Michigan Senate. In his final years, he lived alone in a mansion with his servants. Estranged from friends and family and nicknamed "The Lone Pine of Michigan", he officially died of "senility" at age 87.
  Burt had an unusual will, "as bizarre but as finely-wrought as any in U.S. court annals". It contained a "spite clause" conceived by Burt to avenge a family feud. It specified to wait 21 years after his children and grandchildren were dead before the bulk of the fortune could go to any descendants, in effect alienating his children and grandchildren from the estate, beyond some small annuities. The conditions of the will were met in 2010 after the 1989 death of his last grandchild.
context_section_description: Burt had one of the more bizarre wills in American legal history. It contained a "spite clause" which specified to wait until his children and grandchildren were dead before the estate could be dispersed to any descendants yet unborn in Burt's lifetime. However, his children did receive relatively small annuities of $1,000 to $5,000 each, except for one favorite son who received $30,000 annually, and one unfavored daughter who got nothing. His secretary received $4,000 annually, more than most of his children, while a cook, housekeeper, coachman and chauffeur each received $1,000 annually.
  Burt's will stipulated the majority of the estate to be held in a trust until "21 years after [the death of] my last surviving grandchild [who was alive] at the time of my death." This condition was met in 2010, 21 years after the November 1989 death of Burt's last grandchild, Marion Lansill. In May 2011, after time for legal negotiations, the fortune was finally distributed to his descendants. The estate was estimated in total at $100 million to $110 million. It was split between twelve descendants, weighted based on age seniority. They included three great-grandchildren; seven great-great grandchildren; and two great-great-great grandchildren – the youngest beneficiary was 19 and the oldest 94. The biggest beneficiary received between $14.5 to $16 million, with the smallest beneficiary between $2.6 to $2.9 million. In the end thirty of Burt's descendants, including children and grandchildren, missed out on the inheritance because they were ineligible or died before the will's conditions were met.
  It is not entirely clear why Burt made such an unusual will, but newspaper records suggest family feuds were likely at the core of his decision. The will was challenged by his children after he died. A legal hole was found in 1920 because part of the estate was composed of iron leases in Minnesota, and Minnesota had a law against trusts of such long standing. This portion of the estate, amounting to $5 million, was distributed to Burt's children and grandchildren (a son, three daughters and four granddaughters). In 1961, an additional $720,000 was taken from the trust in settlement of a suit filed by nine heirs and the estates of three other descendants.
caption: Wellington R. Burt (far right) with dignitaries attend the construction site of Saginaw's City Auditorium on South Washington and Janes in 1908. From left to right: Unknown (driver), Edward Hartwick (editor of the Labor Exponent), William S. Linton (congressman), Mayor William B. Baum, Wellington R. Burt.
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