January 14, 2013
We’ve all heard that saying before. Conventional wisdom tells us: “you can’t take it with you when you go.”
But Nelson A. Brucker of Deadwood, South Dakota, did. He made arrangements before he died to have his money buried with him in an unmarked grave “in a secluded spot in the hills near his cabin.”
Brucker had no wife or children to leave his money to, and felt that his relatives were “so neglectful and unkind” that he didn’t want to leave his life’s savings to them. As for friends, the old miner once remarked: “I have no friends who have done anything for me to justify my giving them what little money I have.”
Hopefully he has a genealogist cousin today who isn’t neglecting him and has made sure to document Brucker’s life in their family history.
Hmm…I wonder if anyone ever found that unmarked grave and the money.
That is such a sad story. Even so many years ago, people were lonely and alone!
My question would be if the money was even buried with him. If so, then he would have had one person who deserved his friendship.