This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/SFk.2ACIB/1300.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.2.1 Message Board Post: Lester A Granger, my grandfather, son of Olive Marsh, grandson of Hannah House volunteers to finance a lawyer to continue the House Heirs Association lawsuit to correct an injustice that the House heirs feel happened when the government failed to pay on a 99 year lease or return the property in Maryland. The following is a handwritten letter, from Mrs A E House. Mr L A Granger Sunday Evening May 16, 1926 Nashua, Iowa Dear Sir: Yours of April 25th received. Was glad that you received papers O.K., for I was a little uneasy about them. I do not doubt your Atty's ability at all but this affair is a great undertaking and many able Atty's have tried it and so far as we know none of them have succeeded, not for lack of ability but because they could not get the most essential part of it-- A COPY OF THE LAND GRANT, or whether it was in this country or England. If I get you right ADOLPHUS HOUSE was a son of ANDREW HOUSE, who was a son (3rd son) of the original ANDREW HOUSE. No I could not begin to give you the names of those entitled to this estate as I have over 450 correspondents on my list and in most cases they represent several heirs. We have our branch of the family back into the 14th century brought down to the American Immigration of ANDREW HOUSE, then down to our own family. We came from JOHN VALENTINE HOUSE AND WILLIAM HOUSE BRANCHES and their children intermarried. You come from the ANDREW HOUSE -son of the original ANDREW HOUSE. There is a branch of the ANDREW HOUSE family at Oakland, ILL. There was 4 or 5 brothers of them. I had the pleasure of meeting three of them, Adolphus, William J. and Charles. They had their House record made a little after we had ours. CHARLES HOUSE, attended one our meetings at Kokomo, Ind, and it was at that time I think he had their family record made. It was a wonderful piece of work to have it traced back to the 14th century. One has to go back to their grandfather, great grandfather, great great grandfather, and back. If you can trace your own relationship then it will show up the land grant. ANDREW HOUSE (orginal) did not lease the land at all. The U S Government did the leasing. In the early Colonial Days there was a law that large land owners having land, should build mills for the advancement of civilization along streams of water. Failing to do this the land was seized by the government and leased for 99 years, after which time it was to be returned to the owners or his heirs. Oh, say why can't you and your attorney drive down as soon as the roads and weather gets settled and I can tell you a lot more and etc. Will give you the information as to the land was leased to, amount per acre it was leased for, and who collected the rent for some 40 years. I do not know of anyone that could give you any more information, as I have talked or communicated with the heirs since the House Heirs Association gave up. So many have died or moved away that like myself it's hard to tell where we all are. Has your Atty ever looked anything up at Washington D. C.? Will be glad to hear of your success. Signed, Sincerely, Mrs A E House