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negotiations, the fortune was finally distributed to his descendants. The estate was estimated in total at $ 100 million to $ 110 million. It was split between twelve descendants, weighted based on age seniority. They included three great-grandchildren; seven great-great-grandchildren; and two great-great-great-grandchildren – the youngest beneficiary was 19 and the oldest 94. The biggest beneficiary received between $ 14.5 to $ 16 million, with the smallest beneficiary between $ 2.6 to $ 2.9 million. In the end, thirty of Burt's descendants, including children and grandchildren, missed out on the inheritance because they were ineligible or died before the will's conditions were met.
331:, "as bizarre but as finely-wrought as any in U.S. court annals". It contained a "spite clause" conceived by Burt to avenge a family feud. It specified to wait 21 years after his children and grandchildren were dead before the bulk of the fortune could go to any descendants, in effect alienating his children and grandchildren from the estate, beyond some small annuities. The conditions of the will were met in 2010 after the 1989 death of his last grandchild. In May 2011, twelve of Burt's descendants finally received the estate, worth about $ 100 million.
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312:. At the time of his death, his wealth was estimated to be between $ 40 and $ 90 million (equivalent to between $ 703 million and $ 1.58 billion in 2023). For a time in the early 1900s, Burt ranked as one of the eight wealthiest men in the United States. He was best known for his lumber mills and timber holdings, but was also involved in iron mining, railroads, salt mines, and finances. Burt was a politician, holding the offices of
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and
Minnesota had a law against trusts of such long standing. This portion of the estate, amounting to $ 5 million, was distributed to Burt's children and grandchildren (a son, three daughters and four granddaughters). In 1961, an additional $ 720,000 was taken from the trust in settlement of a suit filed by nine heirs and the estates of three other descendants.
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small annuities (when compared to the total size of his estate) of $ 1,000 to $ 5,000 each, except for one favorite son who received $ 30,000 annually, and one unfavored daughter who got nothing. His secretary received $ 4,000 annually, more than most of his children, while a cook, housekeeper, coachman and chauffeur each received $ 1,000 annually.
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how Burt ordered some horses at the lumber mill to be starved and worked to death, "Mr. Callam, the horses are too fat", Burt reportedly said. "Trim them down, sir, and when the logs are out, dispose of them." Mr. Callam refused to starve and kill the horses, so Burt fired him and found someone who would carry it out.
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346:, a small town in Western New York state, the ninth of thirteen siblings and the eldest son. His father was Luther Burt and his mother Florinda Horton Burt. The Burts were poor farmers who came from an old New England line, tracing back to Henry Burt, who had settled from Scotland in 1640. The Burt lineage included
405:, named after his favorite city in Australia. By 1870, Melbourne was among the largest and most complete mills in the world, but in 1876, it was destroyed by a fire of unknown origin. Many at the time thought this would be the end of Burt's fortunes, but he also owned timber land elsewhere, including in
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Burt's legacy is mixed. On the one hand he was once a famous and successful businessman who contributed to the community in many ways, and he was generally well regarded in his lifetime. On the other hand, he is best known today for his bizarre will, giving him the reputation of a vindictive old man.
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Burt was married twice and had seven children, three daughters from the first wife and one daughter and three younger sons from the second wife. His first wife was Sarah
Torrance (1833–1867), whom he married May 22, 1860; his second was Armine Mary Richardson (1839–1904), whom he married February 10,
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Later in his life, Burt lived alone in a three-story brick mansion at Cherry St. and E. Genesee Ave. It was demolished in 1959 and today is a parking lot. With failing eyesight and hearing he was taken care of by servants. Due to his isolation from his family and social circles in later years, he was
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Burt could be tough, and not just with his children. Burt had originally devised millions in his will to the city, but retracted it when
Saginaw officials increased his South Jefferson property assessment from $ 400,000 to $ 1 million four years before he died in 1919. One well-known story recounts
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It is not entirely clear why Burt made such an unusual will, but newspaper records suggest family feuds were likely at the core of his decision. The will was challenged by his children after he died. A legal hole was found in 1920 because part of the estate was composed of iron leases in
Minnesota,
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Burt's will stipulated the majority of the estate to be held in a trust until "21 years after my last surviving grandchild at the time of my death." This condition was met in 2010, 21 years after the
November 1989 death of Burt's last grandchild, Marion Lansill. In May 2011, after time for legal
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Burt had one of the more bizarre wills in
American legal history. It contained a "spite clause" which specified to wait until his children and grandchildren were dead before the estate could be dispersed to any descendants yet unborn in Burt's lifetime. However, his children did receive relatively
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was often identified with the growth and progress of the new state. In 1843, when
Wellington was 12, his father Luther died. Under the guidance of his mother, he became the farm's manager and "entered into the struggle incident to pioneer life". He attended two years of college one at
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account read, "Sen. Burt was more conspicuous for his political naiveté than for any distinguished act of statesmanship. They said he tried hard, but to him, politics were strange shenanigans. You smiled and joked when you meant to kick a man's shins."
378:(now Hillsdale College). At the age of 22, he decided to see the world and obtained work as a sailor abroad on freighters in Australia, Central and South America, and New Zealand. He would recall Australia as his favorite foreign country.
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Burt was generous in life and honored after death. His charitable giving to
Saginaw during his lifetime was extensive, including funding the City Auditorium, the Burt Manual Training School, a women's hospital, a
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Saginaw historian Thomas B. Mudd said "For a while, I took
Wellington R. Burt as a selfish rich guy, but the picture that emerges is of someone who also threw himself into the community".
320:(1893–94). In his final years, he lived alone in a mansion with his servants. Estranged from friends and family and nicknamed "The Lone Pine of Michigan", he officially died of "
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When he returned home in 1857 at age 26, he found a burgeoning timber industry in
Michigan, the "Green Gold Rush". He took a job earning $ 13 a month at the Pine River
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Genealogical records of Henry and Ulalia Burt, the emigrants who early settled at Springfield, Mass., and their descendants through nine generations, from 1640 to 1891
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Burt's legacy today is mixed, seen as a vindictive old man, a generous benefactor of the city of Saginaw and a famously wealthy American entrepreneur.
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with double wages. He was "tall, strong and knew how to give orders". Using savings, he started his own lumber company in 1858, buying 300 acres in
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were once a popular day excursion along the Saginaw River (1876–1891). Burt was inducted into the Saginaw Hall of Fame in 1967.
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Dignitaries at the construction site of Saginaw's City Auditorium in 1908. From left to right: Unknown driver,
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733:"Wellington's millions: 92 years after his death, Saginaw lumber baron's vindictive testament nears endgame"
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887:"Wellington's millions: History kinder to Saginaw lumber baron than family's legacy, preservationist says"
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Early days in New England: Life and times of Henry Burt of Springfield and some of his descendants
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1077:"Wellington's millions: Saginaw judge carries out century-old wishes of unusual lumber tycoon"
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known as "The Lone Pine of Michigan". He had radical stomach surgery at the age of 80. His
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carries his name and is still in use today as a community center. Trips on the
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system. He also bought railways in Russia and China. He had plans to build a
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for 1893–94 again under the Fusion ticket, and as Democratic candidate for
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308:(August 26, 1831 – March 2, 1919) was an American lumber baron from
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from Michigan 8th District in 1900. "In the capitol at Lansing", one
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611:"Pleasure Steamer Wellington R. Burt" from Picturesque Maumee, 1892
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Hattie May, Jennie, Emma, Gertrude, Charles, George, Marvin
837:. Saginaw Hall of Fame and Castle Museum of Saginaw County
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street view. Cherry St. and E. Genesee Ave., Saginaw, MI
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342:Burt was born on August 26, 1831, in the town of
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996:"History of Michigan's Beet Sugar Industry"
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1193:. Seemann & Peters. pp. 716–17.
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949:Index to Politicians: Burrum to Burtnett
927:, a Michigan historical records archive.
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242: 1869; died 1904)
221: 1860; died 1867)
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1363:Philanthropists from New York (state)
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429:) and for a time, owned most of the
1323:American people of Scottish descent
1239:History of Saginaw County, Michigan
1229:History of Saginaw County, Michigan
1190:History of Saginaw County, Michigan
983:. C. W. Bryan Company. p. 295.
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1019:Maday, Anna Mae (September 2000).
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945:"Burt, Wellington R. (1831–1919)"
885:Engel, Justin L. (May 10, 2011).
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295:timber, iron, rail, finance, salt
1134:Engel, Justin L. (May 9, 2011).
1075:Engel, Justin L. (May 9, 2011).
1023:. Saginaw Images. Archived from
994:Mahar, Thomas (April 17, 2010).
731:Engel, Justin L. (May 8, 2011).
668:. Miss Elizabeth Burt. pp.
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354:described as "the father of the
1235:The Burt Manual Training School
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1101:Pilkington, Ed (May 14, 2011).
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777:. Delta College. Archived from
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459:candidate for the position of
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1021:"Burt Manual Training School"
702:Kim, Susanna (May 10, 2011).
662:Burnham, Roderick H. (1892).
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487:lists his cause of death as "
1047:Swaine, Jon (May 13, 2011).
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316:(1867–68) and member of the
264:Luther Burt, Florinda Horton
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1343:Mayors of Saginaw, Michigan
1187:Mills, James Cooke (1918).
1166:Michigan Historical Markers
977:Burt, Henry Martyn (1893).
829:Miller, Ed; Beach, Jean R.
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951:. politicalgraveyard.com
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1208:The Burt house location
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781:on September 22, 2006.
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1353:Albion College alumni
835:Biographical Sketches
523:, Wellington R. Burt.
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465:Michigan State Senate
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314:Mayor of East Saginaw
229:Mary Amina Richardson
45:Mayor of East Saginaw
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831:"Wellington R. Burt"
628:Thellusson Will Case
623:Charles Lathrop Pack
493:Forest Lawn Cemetery
461:Governor of Michigan
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169:Forest Lawn Cemetery
1054:The Daily Telegraph
925:SeekingMichigan.org
741:. Saginaw, Michigan
491:". He is buried in
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348:William Austin Burt
16:American politician
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1162:"Burt Opera House"
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120:Succeeded by
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1308:1831 births
1303:1919 deaths
1212:Google Maps
437:factory in
383:lumber camp
374:and one at
367:Michigander
110:Preceded by
63:Preceded by
1297:Categories
1269:Democratic
634:References
563:Jacobson's
435:sugar beet
356:typewriter
292:Profession
182:Democratic
1114:April 20,
338:Biography
269:Education
261:Parent(s)
104:1893–1894
100:In office
89:from the
57:1867–1868
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1172:June 15,
1146:June 15,
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708:ABC News
617:See also
519:, Mayor
489:senility
427:Bay City
352:surveyor
322:senility
253:Children
93:district
1241:, 1918.
1237:, from
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