Sunday, March 25, 2012

Amanuensis Monday - One Letter, So Many Questions


This letter was one that was passed on to me by my uncle.  It helped me narrow down the time when my great grandmother, Jadwiga, died.  She isn't mentioned by name in the letter (which I did find odd) but it is obviously who the attorney was talking about since that is Clarence's mother.

I found it a bit odd that my great grandmother was the sole owner of the property in question.  Any ideas there?  Also the property isn't elaborated on because obviously Clarence would have known what the attorney was talking about, but I'm curious about that property and certainly want to find out more.  Maybe it was left to her by a family member?  Would she really have purchased it on her own?  I'm also very curious because this property wasn't mentioned in the will/correspondence after Jadwiga's husband died.  As I blogged about previously, the property in dispute then was their home.  Could it possibly be the same property?  So many questions.  Lots still to look up and learn!

"Law Offices
Walter W Kaczmarek
426-27 Connell Building
2 Scranton, Pennsylvania
Telephone 2-8241

July 13, 1945

Mr Clarence P. Tabor
670 Garfield St.
Hazleton, PA

Dear Mr. Tabor;

Due to the fact that your mother, who died only recently, was the sole owner of the property that was leased to the Socony Vacuum Oil Company, payment of rentals by the company will not be made to your father unless sole ownership in the property is vested in him or authority given to collect the same.  At present he has an undivided one-third interest in it, and each of the four children own an undivided one-sixth interest.

I talked this matter over with your father, and he thinks it could all be simplified if the children and their husbands or wives, as the case may be, would convey their respective interests in the property to him and he in turn would execute a Will leaving the property to the children in equal shares.  To me this sounds like a very practical solution because someone will have to look after the payment of taxes and the upkeep and maintenance of the property.  I think you will all agree that your father is the proper person to do this.

Will you talk this over with your wife and if such an arrangement is agreeable, let me know at once, and I will prepare the required papers for your signatures?

Very truly yours,
Walter W Kaczmarek

WWK: eml"