Webtrees unlink from family
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Her attempted conspiracy to establish a false will and a false marriage did nothing to endear her to the court. She had also managed to acquire the sum of $12,000 which belonged to him. Mercer badly during his latter years, as was reported in his diaries. It was judged that Bridget O’Reilly had no moral claim to any part of the estate. Presumably he did not want to perjure himself by participating further in the attempted fraud.) (To his credit, young Andrew failed to appear when he was called to testify. Mercer had bought for him a few months before his death at a cost of $2,780. Mercer received a farm of 50 acres in Etobicoke which Mr. The plaintiff was entitled to $1,000 under an order in council, less certain costs. The court therefore decreed that Andrew Mercer died intestate.
WEBTREES UNLINK FROM FAMILY TRIAL
Suspicion that the will was a forgery led to the case being moved from the Surrogate Court to the Court of Chancery on 1st September 1875.Īfter an exhaustive trial the court decided on 21st January 1876 that Andrew was not the legitimate son of the deceased and that the will was not the will of the deceased. Mercer” in the presence of Mr Mercer senior, who, they said, made no objection. They even got a few of young Andrew’s chums to testify that they addressed Bridget O’Reilly as “Mrs. They also went to considerable pains to make a false entry in a Parish Register in order to give the impression that the marriage had actually taken place. They then pretended that an unwitnessed will had been discovered, which stated that the estate was to be left to his wife and son.
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However, when it seemed that his illegitimacy would adversely affect his claim, he and his mother, in August 1875, set up the pretence that she had become married to the deceased a month before young Andrew was born.
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Desperate MeasuresĪt first young Andrew Mercer made no claim to being the legitimate son of the deceased. A number of claimants came forward but their claims were all ultimately dismissed for lack of proof. The lawyers for the Province also took steps to try to find any heirs or next of kin by advertising in newspapers in England, Scotland and Canada. When Andrew senior died, both mother and son laid claim to the estate and a hearing was held in the Surrogate Court. Young Andrew’s mother, Bridgit O’Reilly, was Andrew Mercer senior’s housekeeper and she and her son lived with Andrew senior at his house on the corner of Bay and Wellington Streets in Toronto.Īndrew Mercers Grave, Toronto, Canada (Picture: JM) Claimants According to court papers, he left an estate worth $140,000 but died intestate and without heirs, although he was the father of an illegitimate son named Andrew F. Over the course of his life, Andrew Mercer amassed a small fortune, becoming one of the wealthiest men in Toronto. This however, was never admitted to by either man. Andrew worked for a time as Scott’s clerk and, because they had almost a father and son relationship, rumour had it that Andrew was Scott’s illegitimate son. Andrew would have been a young man of about 16 when he came to Canada whereas Scott was apparently 54. During the voyage he was accompanied by a Scottish born lawyer named Thomas Scott who became Attorney General for Upper Canada (Now Ontario). It is said that he travelled to Canada in the year 1800 aboard a ship named the Brickwood. The 1871 Census of Ontario, County of York, Toronto-St. Andrew Mercer died in Toronto on 13th June 1871, aged about 87. Who was Andrew Mercer? Andrew Mercer’s Cottage c.1880
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This has led me to do a little research in order to try to separate fact from fiction. The story seems to have become embroidered over the years and so different families seem to have somewhat different versions of it. However, like a few other people I know who have the Mercer name, the story of the “Mercer millions” is certainly familiar to me.Īs a child, whenever I asked my parents for an expensive toy I would be told that I would get it when they got the Mercer millions. At the outset, I would like to make it clear, that I have found no evidence of any kind that would lead me to believe that I am related to the Andrew Mercer who is the primary subject of this article.