The report that George H. Brown, wealthy New York uncle of Mrs. Ella Coker of Seven Springs, who died about two weeks ago, leaving a fortune estimated to exceed $800,000, had married out in Indiana in his youth, could not be confirmed here yesterday. Mrs. Coker and several other nieces and nephews of the deceased living in Wayne and Lenoir counties are claiming the estate, as nearest of kin.
Hugh Dorich, Goldsboro attorney who has been retained by several of the claimants, stated yesterday that Mrs. Jessie Heath of Kinston, also a niece of the deceased, stated she received a letter from an Indiana woman about 25 years ago, claiming to be the wife of her uncle, but that she paid no attention to the communication.
Information first received from New York, however, was to the effect that Mr. Brown died intestate without leaving a will, and that his attorney was holding the estate pending its disposition.
Divided Five Ways
If the fortune is collected for the Wayne and Lenoir heirs, attorneys stated yesterday, it will be divided five ways, since it has developed that the four brothers and one sister of the deceased have living children. Among them are Charles A. and George Brown, owners and publishers of the Goldsboro Weekly Record, who are the sons of Richard Brown. William Brown, a brother who was killed at the battle of Wise Forks near Kinston, has three children living in Kinston, and the other two brothers have several children. Mrs. Ella Coker, the original claimant, is the daughter of Sallie Brown, the only sister of the deceased.
Charles A. Brown could not be seen yesterday, but it is reported that he fears some development will arise that will forestall the Wayne and Lenoir heirs from obtaining possession of the estate. So little is know of the aged uncle, who went west in his youth, and amassed such a large fortune that it is considered likely he married without the knowledge of his kin-folks down in eastern Carolina.
Made Fortune in West
Mr. Dortch said his investigation of old family records and questioning of old people in the vicinity of the Parrott place, in Lenoir county, where the Brown brothers were born and reared, bore out the contention of relationship advanced by Mrs. Coker. He ?? it was recalled by old people living in that section that the father of the Brown brothers died? Before the Civil War, leaving the widow in indigent circumstances. Unable to properly provide for her family, Mrs. Brown is said to have followed the custom of that period and bound out her children to friends and neighbors who were able to bear the expense of rearing the youths. George Brown, tradition says, ran away from home at the tender age of 12 or 13 years, to escape being bound out.
From North Carolina Mr. Brown is said to have gone to California where he laid the foundation of his fortune through mining. Going to Indiana, he is said to have remained in that state for some hears, going to New York, where he died, to spend his declining years.
From the front page of the Goldsboro News, Wednesday morning, March 11, 1925
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn93064755/1925-03-11/ed-1/seq-1/#words=MARCH+11%2C+1925
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