( Alonzo, his mother Annie and his father Alonzo Sr were involved in a multi-faceted wild family dispute that caught national attention and could fill a book. In very brief, Annie was Alonzo Sr's third wife. He was a very wealthy man and a dedicated Spiritualist who said he made his millions on the advice of his own father Amos's ghost who had died in 1901. Alonzo Sr. had a special room in his mansion for seances and claimed he spent his evenings with the spirits of famous women of the past. These were " Sunday Cleopatra, Monday Diane de Poiters, Tuesday Mary Queen of Scots, Wednesday Dido of Carthage, Thursday Marie Antoinette, Friday, Madame Pompadour and Saturday Madame Recamier." Senior said the only evil spirits he ever followed were those that had advised him to marry Annie.
These beautiful women of the past were channeled by a beautiful lady Medium. Alonzo Sr said his Dad Amos was telling him the beautiful Medium should become his 4th wife.
In 1912 when he was about 80 years old, Alonzo Sr threatened to disinherit Alonzo Jr unless he "manned up." Senior wrote 2 Wills, one leaving Jr everything , one leaving him only $5 if he didn't . The story of these 2 Wills was in the newspapers across the country from California to Vermont.
Sr died just a few months later, before he decided which Will to tear up.
There was even a lurid fight over Alonzo Sr's body, with a sheriff trying to stop a train taking the body to Illinois to have his Will executed there. Son Jr. had a restraining order to stop the train, and the Sheriff took it to the Train Station. arriving 15 minutes before the train departed. .He served the citation up to the attorney, Harris, who promptly tore it up and threw it away saying the county court had no jurisdiction in such matters . Alonzo's body had already been placed in the baggage car. The sheriff said he felt sure he did not have the authority to compel the baggage men to remove the body to the platform, so he had to stand aside and see Attorney Harris take the body and the will away
The Denver authorities asked the assistance of sheriffs in 3 counties between Denver and the state line in apprehending Harris. The sheriffs boarded the train and searched it from end to end without finding Harris.
So Alonza Sr made his postmortem escape to Illinois.
May 6th, 1913 The estate was finally divided up equally between Alonzo Jr and his half-sister Mrs E. P. Lindley of Nevada, Missouri ( a confusing town name! ) In part this was to avoid the cost of litigation.
Alonzo Jr and his mom moved to Lily Dale where they had a much quieter life . Alonzo never married, but he was a good and kind friend to Grace Akin who is also buried in this cemetery. They took regular road trips to Florida.
Alonzo died in Florida. He was cremated and his ashes returned here
(Detailed info re death and cremation i research by FamilyFinder is much appreciated. Mr. Thompson was a resident of DeLeon Springs, FL when he died at DeLeon Memorial hospital of a cerebral hemorrhage. Allen-Summerhill Funeral Home in DeLand, FL handled local arrangements and Carey Hand Funeral Home, Orlando, FL handled cremation.
SOURCE: Carey Hand Funeral Home Records, Orlando, FL. Funeral Register Vol. 30, April 24, 1945 - March 10, 1946, p. 523)
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--------St Louis Post Dispatch July 28th 1912 Page 22 illustrated. a very long article with great summary of all the oddities of this story. .
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------------------------
In the many contemporary newspaper articles about the case father and son's name are variably spelled as "Alonza" and "Alonzo". On his father's tombstone the name is spelled "Alonzo"
Contributor: E. (46782320)
These beautiful women of the past were channeled by a beautiful lady Medium. Alonzo Sr said his Dad Amos was telling him the beautiful Medium should become his 4th wife.
In 1912 when he was about 80 years old, Alonzo Sr threatened to disinherit Alonzo Jr unless he "manned up." Senior wrote 2 Wills, one leaving Jr everything , one leaving him only $5 if he didn't . The story of these 2 Wills was in the newspapers across the country from California to Vermont.
Sr died just a few months later, before he decided which Will to tear up.
There was even a lurid fight over Alonzo Sr's body, with a sheriff trying to stop a train taking the body to Illinois to have his Will executed there. Son Jr. had a restraining order to stop the train, and the Sheriff took it to the Train Station. arriving 15 minutes before the train departed. .He served the citation up to the attorney, Harris, who promptly tore it up and threw it away saying the county court had no jurisdiction in such matters . Alonzo's body had already been placed in the baggage car. The sheriff said he felt sure he did not have the authority to compel the baggage men to remove the body to the platform, so he had to stand aside and see Attorney Harris take the body and the will away
The Denver authorities asked the assistance of sheriffs in 3 counties between Denver and the state line in apprehending Harris. The sheriffs boarded the train and searched it from end to end without finding Harris.
So Alonza Sr made his postmortem escape to Illinois.
May 6th, 1913 The estate was finally divided up equally between Alonzo Jr and his half-sister Mrs E. P. Lindley of Nevada, Missouri ( a confusing town name! ) In part this was to avoid the cost of litigation.
Alonzo Jr and his mom moved to Lily Dale where they had a much quieter life . Alonzo never married, but he was a good and kind friend to Grace Akin who is also buried in this cemetery. They took regular road trips to Florida.
Alonzo died in Florida. He was cremated and his ashes returned here
(Detailed info re death and cremation i research by FamilyFinder is much appreciated. Mr. Thompson was a resident of DeLeon Springs, FL when he died at DeLeon Memorial hospital of a cerebral hemorrhage. Allen-Summerhill Funeral Home in DeLand, FL handled local arrangements and Carey Hand Funeral Home, Orlando, FL handled cremation.
SOURCE: Carey Hand Funeral Home Records, Orlando, FL. Funeral Register Vol. 30, April 24, 1945 - March 10, 1946, p. 523)
-----------------
--------St Louis Post Dispatch July 28th 1912 Page 22 illustrated. a very long article with great summary of all the oddities of this story. .
---
------------------------
In the many contemporary newspaper articles about the case father and son's name are variably spelled as "Alonza" and "Alonzo". On his father's tombstone the name is spelled "Alonzo"
Contributor: E. (46782320)
( Alonzo, his mother Annie and his father Alonzo Sr were involved in a multi-faceted wild family dispute that caught national attention and could fill a book. In very brief, Annie was Alonzo Sr's third wife. He was a very wealthy man and a dedicated Spiritualist who said he made his millions on the advice of his own father Amos's ghost who had died in 1901. Alonzo Sr. had a special room in his mansion for seances and claimed he spent his evenings with the spirits of famous women of the past. These were " Sunday Cleopatra, Monday Diane de Poiters, Tuesday Mary Queen of Scots, Wednesday Dido of Carthage, Thursday Marie Antoinette, Friday, Madame Pompadour and Saturday Madame Recamier." Senior said the only evil spirits he ever followed were those that had advised him to marry Annie.
These beautiful women of the past were channeled by a beautiful lady Medium. Alonzo Sr said his Dad Amos was telling him the beautiful Medium should become his 4th wife.
In 1912 when he was about 80 years old, Alonzo Sr threatened to disinherit Alonzo Jr unless he "manned up." Senior wrote 2 Wills, one leaving Jr everything , one leaving him only $5 if he didn't . The story of these 2 Wills was in the newspapers across the country from California to Vermont.
Sr died just a few months later, before he decided which Will to tear up.
There was even a lurid fight over Alonzo Sr's body, with a sheriff trying to stop a train taking the body to Illinois to have his Will executed there. Son Jr. had a restraining order to stop the train, and the Sheriff took it to the Train Station. arriving 15 minutes before the train departed. .He served the citation up to the attorney, Harris, who promptly tore it up and threw it away saying the county court had no jurisdiction in such matters . Alonzo's body had already been placed in the baggage car. The sheriff said he felt sure he did not have the authority to compel the baggage men to remove the body to the platform, so he had to stand aside and see Attorney Harris take the body and the will away
The Denver authorities asked the assistance of sheriffs in 3 counties between Denver and the state line in apprehending Harris. The sheriffs boarded the train and searched it from end to end without finding Harris.
So Alonza Sr made his postmortem escape to Illinois.
May 6th, 1913 The estate was finally divided up equally between Alonzo Jr and his half-sister Mrs E. P. Lindley of Nevada, Missouri ( a confusing town name! ) In part this was to avoid the cost of litigation.
Alonzo Jr and his mom moved to Lily Dale where they had a much quieter life . Alonzo never married, but he was a good and kind friend to Grace Akin who is also buried in this cemetery. They took regular road trips to Florida.
Alonzo died in Florida. He was cremated and his ashes returned here
(Detailed info re death and cremation i research by FamilyFinder is much appreciated. Mr. Thompson was a resident of DeLeon Springs, FL when he died at DeLeon Memorial hospital of a cerebral hemorrhage. Allen-Summerhill Funeral Home in DeLand, FL handled local arrangements and Carey Hand Funeral Home, Orlando, FL handled cremation.
SOURCE: Carey Hand Funeral Home Records, Orlando, FL. Funeral Register Vol. 30, April 24, 1945 - March 10, 1946, p. 523)
-----------------
--------St Louis Post Dispatch July 28th 1912 Page 22 illustrated. a very long article with great summary of all the oddities of this story. .
---
------------------------
In the many contemporary newspaper articles about the case father and son's name are variably spelled as "Alonza" and "Alonzo". On his father's tombstone the name is spelled "Alonzo"
Contributor: E. (46782320)
These beautiful women of the past were channeled by a beautiful lady Medium. Alonzo Sr said his Dad Amos was telling him the beautiful Medium should become his 4th wife.
In 1912 when he was about 80 years old, Alonzo Sr threatened to disinherit Alonzo Jr unless he "manned up." Senior wrote 2 Wills, one leaving Jr everything , one leaving him only $5 if he didn't . The story of these 2 Wills was in the newspapers across the country from California to Vermont.
Sr died just a few months later, before he decided which Will to tear up.
There was even a lurid fight over Alonzo Sr's body, with a sheriff trying to stop a train taking the body to Illinois to have his Will executed there. Son Jr. had a restraining order to stop the train, and the Sheriff took it to the Train Station. arriving 15 minutes before the train departed. .He served the citation up to the attorney, Harris, who promptly tore it up and threw it away saying the county court had no jurisdiction in such matters . Alonzo's body had already been placed in the baggage car. The sheriff said he felt sure he did not have the authority to compel the baggage men to remove the body to the platform, so he had to stand aside and see Attorney Harris take the body and the will away
The Denver authorities asked the assistance of sheriffs in 3 counties between Denver and the state line in apprehending Harris. The sheriffs boarded the train and searched it from end to end without finding Harris.
So Alonza Sr made his postmortem escape to Illinois.
May 6th, 1913 The estate was finally divided up equally between Alonzo Jr and his half-sister Mrs E. P. Lindley of Nevada, Missouri ( a confusing town name! ) In part this was to avoid the cost of litigation.
Alonzo Jr and his mom moved to Lily Dale where they had a much quieter life . Alonzo never married, but he was a good and kind friend to Grace Akin who is also buried in this cemetery. They took regular road trips to Florida.
Alonzo died in Florida. He was cremated and his ashes returned here
(Detailed info re death and cremation i research by FamilyFinder is much appreciated. Mr. Thompson was a resident of DeLeon Springs, FL when he died at DeLeon Memorial hospital of a cerebral hemorrhage. Allen-Summerhill Funeral Home in DeLand, FL handled local arrangements and Carey Hand Funeral Home, Orlando, FL handled cremation.
SOURCE: Carey Hand Funeral Home Records, Orlando, FL. Funeral Register Vol. 30, April 24, 1945 - March 10, 1946, p. 523)
-----------------
--------St Louis Post Dispatch July 28th 1912 Page 22 illustrated. a very long article with great summary of all the oddities of this story. .
---
------------------------
In the many contemporary newspaper articles about the case father and son's name are variably spelled as "Alonza" and "Alonzo". On his father's tombstone the name is spelled "Alonzo"
Contributor: E. (46782320)
