Edwards - Robert 1892
Source: Crawfordsville Daily Journal Friday 27 May 1892
Last March there was a meeting at Crawfordsville of persons claiming to be the heirs of Robert Edwards, a man who came from England to this country before the Revolution, and secured a tract of land which is now a valuable part of New York City. One of the heirs gives the following history of Robert Edwards:
“Robert Edwards was a bachelor. He obtained land from the government, and a part of this land he leased for a number of years. He sent his government deed and a copy of the lease to his relatives in England and soon after died. His relatives in England took little interest in his property here, supposing it to be almost valueless at that time. Some years after this the parties who had obtained the lease from Robert Edwards, knowing that he was dead, with no heirs in this country, and that, in all probability, the heirs on the other side would not be likely to make any trouble, concluded to dispose of the property.
Years after the death of Robert Edwards many of his relatives left England and came to America. There are now over three hundred of his descendants scattered all over this country. Forty or fifty of them live in this state. The heirs knew that Robert Edwards had property somewhere in New York, but it was not until about one year ago that his papers were found. One of his relatives accidentally found them in Virginia while looking at some papers that were in an old leather trunk, which the relatives of Robert Edwards had brought from England years ago. The property which the Edwards heir claim total to is forty acres of land in the heart of the city of New York. Since the original deed has been found, the present holders of the property have agreed to compromise with the heirs and pay them about $2,000,000. the heirs, who have signed the agreement to compromise, will receive their portion of the money within a few weeks. Each will receive something over $500,000.”—Indianapolis News.