Gaines, Myra

CLARK, a celebrated heire and litigant, was born in New Orleans in 1805. She was the daughter of Daniel Clark, an Irish man who emigrated to New Orleans, about 1799, and inherited a vast estate from an uncle residing there. Clark died in 1813, leaving a will which gave all his property to his mother. He was known to be the father of two daughters, one of whom was Myra, but they were supposed to be of illegitimate birth. In 1830 letters were found giving the details of his marriage to Myra's mother, a handsome French woman, and in 1832 other letters were discovered that gave an account of a will which recognized Myra as his legitimate heir, and bequeathed her all the property, then valued at several millions. From that time to the day of her death Myra was continuously "in court." Her legitimacy and legal rights of heirship were established in the Supreme Court of Louisiana in 1856, which decision was subsequently approved by the U. S. Supreme Court, the fact of her father's secret marriage in Philadelphia having been substantiated. The struggle to secure po e ion of the estate was begun by filing bill in equity in the U. S. Supreme Court in 1856, a favorable decision being ren dered in 1867. Owing to the law's delays, the filing of cro -suits, etc., the claimant received up to the time of her death only about one sixth of the $35,000,000 to $40,000,000, which the estate was thought to be worth, and this was practically swallowed up by the costs of suit. She married W. W. Whitney, in 1832, and after his death married (1839) Gen. Edmund Pend let on G. (1777-1849), a hero of Fort Erie and the Seminole War. Mrs. G. died in January, 1885. Gaines, in Tezas, a N. W. co.; area, 1,500 sq. m. Unorganized. Pop. (1897) about 150.