I’m collecting data on my Dad’s Aunt Alice, who moved to Manchester NH in the late 1800’s at the age of 16. She spent decades working as a domestic servant for the Rowell family. When Charles Rowell, the last of the family died without Children, they left her their $200,000 fortune. Google tells me that’s $2.7 million in today’s dollars.
I found this article from the Ogdensburg Republican-Journal 01-06-1927 that includes some details, and even a brief interview with Alice.
The article starts in the third column, below the opening panel of the Mutt and Jeff comic strip (what is it with these old comic strips and heavy objects being thrown at someone’s noggin?).
I found it on the New York Historic Newspapers Website. The search is kind of clunky and random, but you can really go down the rabbit hole with it. You’ve been warned.
Anyway – I hope to do a more thorough biographical sketch, but this article was too good not to share.