This book is a collection of historical records, legal abstracts, and personal testimonies centered on the legendary Townley-Lawrence-Chase estates, a massive unclaimed fortune supposedly held in the Bank of England and the Court of Chancery. The text outlines the intricate genealogies of American claimants who believe they are the rightful heirs to hundreds of millions of dollars, tracing their roots back to English ancestors like Sir Robert Lawrence and Mary Townley. While some sections present personal narratives of elopement and name-changing as proof of these lineages, other parts of the source serve as a skeptical investigation into the validity of the claims. Professional researchers and solicitors provide evidence that the supposed “unclaimed millions” are largely a myth or a fraudulent scheme used to solicit funds from hopeful relatives.
Townley Family
The Townley family of Lancashire, England, traces its lineage to Sir Richard Townley, living around 1600 at Townley Hall. A prominent later figure was Richard Townley (born 1628), who married Margaret Paston and had thirteen children, including Charles, who succeeded him, and a daughter Mary (born 1668), whose alleged marriage to an American emigrant forms the basis of the vast “Townley Estate” claims. Although American claimants asserted that this Mary Townley married a Lawrence or a Chase and inherited a fortune, the family records indicate she died in 1680 at the age of twelve and was buried in the Catholic Cemetery at Forde. The Townley estate actually passed through the male line until the death of Colonel John Townley in 1879, after which it reverted to the daughters of Colonel Charles Townley (died 1876), remaining in the possession of the rightful English heirs rather than being unclaimed.
Chase Family
The American branch of this family descends from three brothers—William, Thomas, and Aquila Chase—who emigrated from England to America around 1630. William came with Governor Winthrop’s fleet and eventually settled in Yarmouth, Massachusetts, while Thomas and Aquila were among the first settlers of Hampton, New Hampshire, in 1639. A persistent tradition, often called the “Chase Inheritance,” claimed that these brothers were heirs to a vast English property, sometimes identified as the Townley estate, through a marriage between a William Chase and the heiress Mary Townley. However, investigations revealed that Aquila Chase’s unique name helped identify the family in the parish registers of Chesham, England, and no evidence supported the existence of the claimed unclaimed millions or the Townley connection.
Lawrence Family
The Lawrence family history is often traced by claimants back to Sir Robert Lawrence of Lancashire (born c. 1150), who was knighted by Richard Coeur de Lion, though the American line specifically focuses on three emigrants: John, William, and Thomas Lawrence, who arrived in 1635. American geneaologists often claimed these emigrants were cousins of Henry Lawrence, the President of Cromwell’s Council, and that John Lawrence married Mary Townley, thereby inheriting her fortune. The source disputes these claims, noting that while the Lawrences were a distinct and numerous family with branches in St. Albans and elsewhere, there is no proof of the Townley marriage or that the three emigrants were related to the prestigious Ashton Hall Lawrences.
History of the Lawrence-Townley and Chase-Townley estates in England
Contents
CHAPTER I
Brief History of the Estate — Genealogy of the Lawrences in England, 1150 — Coat of Arms — Townley of Townley — Dorothy the sole owner — Jewels, plate and money in the Bank of England — Property left to Mary in America — Administered upon by the Government — Drawing interest — Victoria, Chap. 66, Sec. 4 — By an earlier statute — By a failure of the male line — Mary T., the wife of John L. — Proof to one takes the several estates — Jonathan John succeeds Chas. Townley — Dies in possession of Townley Hall in 1816 — He left a will — The Townleys from 1566 down to 1813 — The estate reverts to Mary — Not a single link in the chain missing — Romantic incidents connected with the family’s efforts — Jonathan in 1814 writes to his oldest son to assist in the care of the estate — Lawrence and Townley Association — Decision in the Court of Chancery — Statements published in Wm. T. L.’s book — His ancestors Englishmen — Family advertised for in 1846 — Thomas was living in 1741 — Jasiel Lawrence’s statement — House of Commons order — Books marked ” Heirs gone to America ” — Rates of shares — Lawrence scrip — Heirs advertised for in 1875 — Norman J. Lawrence’s letter — Additional Documents concerning the estate — Mr. J. Richardson’s letters, 1856 — Lebbeus Lawrence’s Bible record — Letters of Francis Kniverton — Dr. Abraham’s statement — Boston, Lawrence’s efforts — Report of the Standing Committee — L. and T. connection — The result of Mr. Hunt’s efforts, pages 7 to 29
CHAPTER II
Chase Heirs — Decision in the Court of Chancery — No myth — The matter in Chancery in 1790 — Valued at the modest sum of $260,000,000 — Mary Townley marries William Chase — One-fourth gone to the English branch — Chase family — William came from England in 1630 — Geo. B. Chase denies all knowledge — What Baring Bros. say — Mr. Comley goes away poor and returns heavy laden — Under £9,000 to disclose nothing — A Claim Agent dies, leaving millions — Funds placed in the Bank of England at 3 per cent. — Little danger from bogus Chases — A copy of the letter of the Chase delegate wishing $2,500 deposit — He is able to name the different estates that are included, etc., etc., Pages 32 to 37
CHAPTER III
Unclaimed Millions — Mary Townley’s confession — How her runaway marriage brought the heirs to America — An interesting story — Your father’s name was Williams — The promised marriage — She runs away, taking the family bible, also the famous gold locket — Facility for changing names — Married a short time after landing — Known by the name of Robert and Mary Stevens — The locket to be the proof of heirship — Joseph marries Experience Lawrence — Missing locket — Story told in 1803 — John Hathaway Stevens born Sept. 20, 1766 — Description of lost locket — Advertisement for John Lawrence of Virginia — Joining the broken links — Letter from the Treasury — Prospective profitable search, pages 39 to 46
CHAPTER IV
Extracts from the official records at London — T. and L. Association — Chase Association — Fund in the Bank of England or Court of Chancery — Official regulations — Origin of the Accountant General’s office, and the funds under his control — Bursting of the South Sea Bubble — A remarkable trial, in which the Lord Chancellor was fined £30,000 — The amount in the Paymaster General’s hands, and how invested — Annuity fallacies — Advertisements for the Townley family — Lawrence heirs called for — Unclaimed annuities — Act of Parliament — First list published 1823 — Unclaimed dividends — Inquisitionem Post Mortem sive Escheatorum — Sir Chas. T.’s will, 1774 — Chancery Office record — Report Office record — Accountant General’s office — Suitors’ unclaimed dividend account — List of the titles of causes, etc. — Messrs. Bompas, Bischoff and Dodgson’s account — What Mr. Partington says — Messrs. Baring Bros.’ statement — The American Consulate — Chief Accountant of the Bank of England — Mr. George Story’s letter — Reviewing the evidence, pages 49 to 71
CHAPTER V
Townley Genealogy — Family Pedigree, pages 76 to 80
CHAPTER VI
Chase family genealogy — Thomas, Aquila and William Chase, pages 82 to 93
CHAPTER VII
Lawrence genealogy, including other genealogical information appertaining to the family, pages 97 to 110
Source
Usher, James, History of the Lawrence-Townley and Chase-Townley estates in England : with copious historical and genealogical notes of the Lawrence-Chase, and Townely families and much other valuable information, New York City : James Usher, 1883.