New York Times Saturday May 7 1870

EIGTHY LUCKY PEOPLE

  A family of American Grand Children Heirs to Large Scottish the Old

(Family Bible land Its Record- Twenty to Thirty Millions to be distributed.)

 

    Some time ago an article was published in the TIMES, stating that a number

Of persons living in Bandystone, N.J. and Port Jervis, N.Y. had "fallen heirs"

To an estate in Scotland variously estimated at from twenty to thirty million

Dollars, left to Wm. INNIS. The person who gave the information to

The "heirs” was a man named SMITH, who makes it his business to look after and

Collect claims of this kind. The parties who were reputed to have fallen upon

This streak of luck, are mostly farmers, living in Sandyston, N.J.; Bradford

County, Pennsylvania, and two or three merchants and railroad men in Port

Jervis New York some of the heirs are in good circumstances, but most of them are

Poor, and when the news of their vast inheritance in the Old Country reached

Their ears they could not believe it was true, and for a time nothing was done

Moreover the matter was dropped One of the party, however, wrote a letter to a

Prominent member of the House of Lords, England, making inquiries as to whether

Any such estate had been left In the course of two or three months he

Received an answer, stating that such an estate had been left to Wm. INNIS, and

That if the heirs could prove their claims, there would be but little

Difficulty in getting their money

    Since then Mr. Mm. KEYTE, one of the heirs, went to England, and found that

The statements of SMITH, and that contained in the letter, were true. He

Consulted while there with able counsel, who stated that "if the claimants

Could produce the old family Bible, with the records, it would be the best

Evidence as to their title." At this time, however, Mr. KEYTE did not know that

Any such Bible was in existence, and returned home to consult with other

Members of the family

    The facts in regard to the claim are as follows: It appears that George

INNIS of Edinburgh, Scotland, died interstate, without children, and his estate

Fell to his only brother, William, and his maiden sister, Jane. William,

However, had previously sailed for America in 1732, settling in Sandston,

New Jersey As he failed to acquaint his friends of his whereabouts, Jane, his

Sister, entered into peaceable possession of the entire estate. Afterwards she

Died, and willed it to her brother William, who she supposed had gone to

America The estates are now in the hands of trustees, and have swelled to the

Enormous sum stated above.

    Wm. INNIS was one of the founders of the Reformed Church in Port Jervis,

In addition, was forty years and member there for He was a school teacher and widely

Known, but for some reason or other he never wrote to his brother, neither did

He know of his death. He had eight children, all of whom are dead; and it is

Their grandchildren, eighty in number, to whom the vast Scottish inheritance

Rightfully belongs. A few days ago the missing link, the old family Bible, was

Found in the hands of an INNIS, living in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, with

The family record complete He came to Port Jervis with it on Tuesday, and now

The heirs intend to take the proper measures to secure the property, and a

Committee will shortly sail for England for this purpose. The Bible was

Printed in Edinburgh in 1722, and is in good preservation. A numbers of

Persons named INNIS, at Newburg and elsewhere in this country, have until now

Laid claim to the estates, but their claims are now set aside by the discovery

Of this old relic

 

 

 

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