The Wealthy Gardener of Bolton Priory

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 Bolton Priory is a lovely residence on the National Register of Historic Places located in Pelham Manor.  There are many wonderful stories and unusual facts regarding the structure.  One of the most unusual involves one of its gardeners who died in 1900.  The man was believed to be poor and to have no living relatives.  On his deathbed, however, he revealed that he had a fortune invested in securities.  A very brief article about the matter appeared in the October 6, 1900 issue of The New York Times.  Its text appears below.


"Supposed to be Poor; Died Rich.


NEW ROCHELLE, N. Y., Oct. 5.-John Hovey, an old man, who for many years had been gardner [sic] on the Pelham Priory estate, died to-night in the New Rochelle Hospital.  Just before he died he revealed the fact that he had savings to the amount of $100,000 invested in securities.  No one suspected that the old man was wealthy.  He was unmarried, and so far as anyone knows here, has no relatives anywhere."


Supposed to be Poor; Died Rich, N.Y. Times, Oct. 6, 1900, p. 5.

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