Hi all, I thought I would add to the Renshaw fun with a Renshaw family legend and mystery. I posted a message to this list earlier with details about some of the characters in this drama, so I won't repeat myself. In reading through some of my grandfather's papers, I found the following story, as told by my grandfather, James Edgar McDonald, Sr. (1907-1979): [I have added some details in brackets] 'My maternal grandfather, Joseph Spriggs Renshaw, was born on November 28, 1841, and passed away May 5, 1905. His mother [Lavina/Lavinia/Levina Spriggs] died in March of 1886. His mother was first married to Isaac Renshaw. To this marriage was born Joseph Spriggs Renshaw and at least one other child - Robert or Charles Renshaw. Quite a family legend revolves around this second son. It seems that he had left home when a youngster, and the family lost all contact with him. In the 1890s, there appeared at the home of Joseph Spriggs Renshaw [presumably near the "S" Bridge on the Ohio River, Triadelphia, Ohio County, West Virginia] a man who claimed he was the brother of my grandfather. There seemed to be facial resemblances, and the family was inclined to accept the story as truth. The man said there was a considerable Renshaw estate in Chicago which was to become their inheritance. It waited only for the signature of Joseph Spriggs Renshaw on the paper which he carried. As soon as this little matter was taken care of, then the estate could be admitted to probate and quickly the division of the estate could be made with a considerable amount of property and money coming to my grandfather. Usually when matters of importance came up, my grandfather sought the counseling of one of the Thornburg brothers, nearby residents and friends. He did not consult them at this time. After signing the paper, this was the last time my grandfather ever saw or heard of this supposed brother and the estate, too. Evidently, no inquiry was ever made concerning the "brother's" identity or the estate's authenticity. It is conjectured that by the signing of the paper, my grandfather forfeited or "signed over" whatever claim he might have had to the estate. It might also have been just a "hoax." Some years later [presumably before 9/27/1905], when my mother [Anna Laura Renshaw McDonald] was working for the Paull Mattress Company in Wheeling [West Virginia], a salesman who sold pillows for a Chicago firm asked my mother her name, and when she told him it was "Renshaw," he then asked if she was related to the Renshaw family in Chicago. He remarked that they were quite wealthy and prominent in Chicago.' I have only just read this story, and I have not yet tried to research it, but I thought I would offer it up to this list for a little fun/comment/research assistance. Does anybody have any ideas as to what the truth is about this story? Swindle? Hoax? Other? Any ideas on what Renshaw estate this may have been? Any record of the second son, Robert/Charles Renshaw? Enjoy! Brian ==*==*==*==*==*==*==*==*==*==*==*==*==*==*==*==*==*==*==*==* Brian and Ellen McDonald casamcd@airmail.net http://www.cyberramp.net/~mcdon/