Whilst perusing historic American newspapers, now online on the wonderful Library of Congress website, I came across this amusing yet thought-provoking tale of the search for the heirs of a Mr. John McCrary, “a native of Ireland”, who had died tragically by falling out a high-rise window in New York in 1908.
It seems McCrary left this world with a large sum of money in the bank ($7,000 – approx. $185,000 now !) which with the apparent promise of a large finder’s fee, prompted a couple of eager heir hunting solicitors to trace him, and any possible relatives. Through some eager detective work, outlined in full in the story (reproduced here), the man’s heirs were eventually traced to County Tyrone, Ireland and all was well.
We remember the McCrary’s with this post – if you are ever wandering Calvary Cemetery in Queen’s, New York, drop by their resting places (not far apart) and have a quiet word.