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More Hopkins Saga: Minister’s Wife Battles Edward Searles

Melissa Berry
Photo: Phineas and Maria Bresee

Introduction: In this article, Melissa Davenport Berry continues the story of the people affected by the huge fortune left by railroad magnate Mark Hopkins, focusing on Maria Bresee joining Timothy Hopkins’ lawsuit contesting Mark’s widow Mary’s will, which left the estate to her second husband Edward Francis Searles. Melissa is a genealogist who has a blog, AnceStory Archives, and a Facebook group, New England Family Genealogy and History.

Note: Melissa is writing a series of articles about the people affected by – and the mad scramble for – the huge fortune left behind by Mark Hopkins when he died without a will or heir in 1878. This is the eleventh article in that series; links to the first ten installments can be found at the end of this article.

As detailed in my last few articles, when Mary Frances Sherwood (Hopkins) Searles, aka “America’s richest widow” (widow of railroad magnate Mark Hopkins), died on 25 July 1891, her will named her second husband Edward Francis Searles as sole heir.

Photo: Mary Frances Sherwood, later Hopkins, later Searles. Credit: Bancroft Library, U.C. Berkeley.

Timothy Nolan Hopkins, the son Mary adopted before she married Edward Searles, was cut out of her will and he was bent on getting a share of her estate. He, along with many relatives of Mary, sued to break her will and deny Searles the entirety of her huge fortune, claiming Searles confused and defrauded her by pretending he was in contact with “spirits” that instructed her to marry him and give him all her money.

Many of Mary’s relatives had received a yearly allowance from the wealthy widow while she was alive, and others were promised a slice of the pie after she was gone.

When Timothy Hopkins filed to contest the will in Salem, Massachusetts, many of the widow’s first and second cousins hopped on board. One of the contestants, Maria Elma Hebbard Bresee, filed in October 1891, represented by Brander W. Lee of the firm Wells, Monroe, and Lee of Los Angeles, California.

Boston Journal (Boston, Massachusetts), 2 October 1891, page 1

As this article reported:

“This lady [Maria Bresee] comes right out boldly and declares that the will now offered for probate is not the last will of Mrs. Searles. In this respect a greater interest attaches to this appearance than to any of the others, for it is the first document approaching a formal declaration – impeaching the will offered by Mr. Searles, and averring fraud, duress and undue influence.”

Lee joined forces with Hopkins’ legal team; however, it was made clear to the Los Angeles Herald that the cooperation was only to strengthen the defense and break the will: “All he [Timothy Hopkins] brings forth will be to our benefit,” Lee said, “until the will is broken, then we shall enter a fight with him.”

Los Angeles Herald (Los Angeles, California), 3 October 1891. Credit: California Digital Newspaper Collection, UCR Center for Bibliographic Studies and Research, University of California, Riverside, http://cdnc.ucr.edu.

Maria’s brother, Rodney Lewis Hebbard, a farmer living in Davenport, New York, had filed with 21 other first and second cousins to the widow. Maria told reporters another sister had filed along with Rodney, but her name is not listed in the newspaper coverage. (The only sister still alive in 1891 was Deborah Jane Hebbard, married to Chester Crawford and living in Davenport.)

Photo: Hebbard family farm and upper pasture in Davenport, New York, became Route 9 in the 1920s. Credit: Claude Taylor; Davenport Historic Commission.

Maria married Phineas Franklin Bresee, who was deeply committed to the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Photo: Phineas and Maria Bresee. Credit: Paul Bresee.

Newspaper headlines read “Minister’s Wife after Millions,” and noted that Maria’s claim was the first document of formal declaration to add much clout to Timothy’s claim. It also provided intrigue for the public who could not get enough of the controversial case.

Maria’s complaint stated that the decedent [Mary Hopkins Searles] was not competent, and not free from duress, fraud, or undue influence. Therefore, the will was not valid and Searles, with the aid of others unknown to her, attempted to gain all rights to the estate. The “others” were noted by Lee to be spiritualists, mesmerists, and the like. Maria’s complaint said that she “prays” that contestants be allowed to join with others and impeach the suspect will and Searles himself.

According to the press, Maria’s bold assertions caused a sensation from coast to coast. It was a new dish of scandal for Salem, Massachusetts, especially for those who had a seat in the courtroom.

Maria had her shocking accusations, but Searles held a celestial diversion to sweeten the bitter battle. He entertained the Boston Fusiliers at his castle in Methuen. Searles was delighted as the visitors marveled at the beauties of his estate. They banqueted and gave “Lord Searles” (an undeserved title he richly enjoyed) three cheers, elected him as an honorary member, and presented a framed photo of them all. I am quite sure that whatever hell Maria had crusaded for Searles in that courtroom was vanquished that night as the “Lord” found a heaven.

Stay tuned for more on this drama and more Hebbard contestants, and I will describe the outcome of the legal battle.

Further Reading:

Genealogy of the claimants in the case:

Children of Elisha and Olive:

Photo: Horace & Samantha Hebbard. Credit: Melvin Bresee.

Horace’s children with Samantha:

Lyman’s children with Betsey:

Other Articles in This Series:

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