Archibald’s Will

A look at how Mary Martha’s husband divided his estate

Sep 13, 2024

Release Date: September 13, 2024

A Good Man

On August 17, 1928, Archibald Henderson Taylor passed away at the age of 77.

I haven’t written much about him in Call Me a Bastard, choosing instead to focus on Aimee and Mary Martha and their relationship, but in researching this story, I have to say Archibald was one of my favorite people.

By all accounts, he was a good guy. Honest, compassionate, loyal. He spent his life in service to others, and championed a lot of worthy causes. He was also something a Renaissance man, deeply interested in history and literature, and an avid art collector.

Here’s what a friend had to say about him at his funeral:

“Throughout his life, the problems of good citizenship, good literature, good t ravel, good music, good art, good friendship and good religion rounded out his life. His literature readings in languages were wide and deep. His own productions, unfortunately, were few but exhibit both in prose and verse a happy command of thought and form. He had traveled extensively in Europe visiting its galleries of art, music and literature and strengthening his own fine artistic and literary interests, which he cultivated steadily throughout his life. His collection of paintings was notable and his library extensive.” ¹

Like I said, a good guy.

If you’re one of those folks who believe that a person’s will says a lot of about them, then Archibald’s definitely tells a story.

Here are a few things to consider:

Archibald’s will was dated June 10, 1927. This was well after John had obtained his Mexican divorce from Aimee and gotten remarried, and about a month before Aimee’s court case against him became public. And it was two weeks after Aimee had completed a sworn statement which detailed her life as Mary Martha’s illegitimate child, and which would become the centerpiece of her court case to force Mary Martha to acknowledge their relationship and provide Aimee with a birth certificate. Whether or not Mary Martha and Archibald were aware of these developments is unknown.

In reporting Archibald’s passing, several newspapers noted he died “after a lingering illness”. I have not obtained a copy of his official death certificate.

Archibald’s will included instructions on how to distribute his assets at the time of his death, upon the death of Mary Martha, one year after Mary Martha’s death and finally, after all the other distributions had been made.

And, although newspapers of the day suggested that the entire estate – often stated as $7M or more – was going to Mary Martha, and that Aimee had timed her lawsuit to ensure she got a piece of Archibald’s estate, neither of those things were true.

So, let’s see what Archibald’s will has to say about him.

The first distributions were to members of his extended family, as well as faithful members of his household staff.

Constance Cazenove Lee Carter – an annual annuity of $1,500 for life

Constance was the only surviving child of Archibald’s late sister, Anne, and Archibald had taken her under his wing since the death of her father, Rev. Francis Dupont Lee, in 1891.

In his will, Archibald makes it clear this money is for his niece, it is “to be paid to her for her sole and separate use, upon her own receipt, and free from interference or control of her said husband, or of any husband she may hereafter have, and also free from the claims or interference of any creditor, bargainee, or assignee of said Constance, claiming assignment of said income or life estate in whole or in part, whether such an assignment shall arise by virtue of her own act or by the terms of the act, judgment, or decree of any court or jurisdiction whatsoever…” ²

(By the way, this is the only item in his will in which Archibald included similar instructions.)

Constance’s life is a story of its own, and someday I might write it. A 1902 Bachelor’s Cotilion Club debutant, Constance married Don Luis Pastor y de Mora, charge d’affaires of the Spanish Legation at Washington during a ceremony conducted at Archibald’s home in 1906, and quickly became the belle of the diplomatic corps in America and around the world.

In 1910, Don Luis was posted to Peking, China, however, and soon after, Constance returned to the States alone, becoming a New York newspaper correspondent.

The following Christmas, Constance was the news and hiding out, having apparently stiffed a Fifth Avenue store of $700. Among her purchases were a Cleopatra gown, $335; blue velvet suit, $134; gold lace French hat, $85; pink kimono, $55; motor coat $57; and a shirtwaist, $35.” ³

Although Constance and Don Luis remained married but living apart, by January of 1913 divorce papers were submitted and later that fall the marriage was dissolved. Newspapers of the day noted that there was “’little surprise” among Washington society.

By the time of Archibald’s death, Constance had been married to her second husband, an English civil engineer named John Carter, for four years, and was living in San Diego, CA. She died there in 1946 and was buried in Virginia next to her mother.

Rebecca Snowden Marshall – an annual annuity of $500 for life

Rebecca was the widow of Archibald’s cousin, Charles Marshall, who had passed away in 1902. Charles’s mother, Maria Rose Taylor, and Archibald’s father, Henry Allen Taylor, were siblings.

Charles had been aide de camp, assistant adjutant general and military secretary to General Robert E. Lee during the Civil War. He and Archibald were both Baltimore attorneys and also graduates of the University of Virginia.

Rebecca and Charles were married December 22, 1866. She was Charles’ second wife. His first wife, Emily Andrews, died in 1858, and was Rebecca’s cousin.

Fanny Ansley Minor Plummer – an annual annuity of $200 for life

Fanny is listed as a cousin in Archibald’s will, however, their relationship was that of second cousins since they shared great grandparents, Anthoine Cazenove and Anne Hogan. Archibald’s grandmother, Ann Marie Cazenove, and Fanny’s grandfather, Louis Cazenove, were siblings. As with Constance Lee, Fanny was the only remaining member of her family living at the time of Archibald’s death.

Archibald had another connection with Fanny, as well – her father, Rev. Charles Landon Carter Minor, was a cousin of Archibald’s good friend and mentor, John Barbee Minor. John’s daughter, Mary Lancelot Minor, had taken Aimee in as a child.

Fanny married Rev. James Plummer on October 18, 1895, and they went on to parent five children. James passed away in 1940 and Fanny died in 1948.

Charlotte Owen-Jones – an annual annuity of $200 for life

Born Charlotte Cazenove Massie in 1864, Charlotte was also Archibald’s second cousin, as her mother and Fanny’s mother were sisters.

In 1908, 44-year-old Charlotte had married Rev. Percy Owen-Jones, a widowed Episcopal minister and father of two grown daughters. Percy had previously lived and served an Episcopalian congregation in Saint John, New Brunswick. Both of his daughters were born there, one in 1891 and the other in 1895. (As a reminder, Aimee was born in nearby Rothesay in 1891, and baptized at an Episcopal Church there.)

Percy passed away in Norfolk, VA in 1922. Charlotte died in 1951. She had two siblings, Fanny Ansley Massie, who passed away in 1920, and William Puryear Massie who died in 1933, however, he was not mentioned in Archibald’s will.

William J. Simmons – an annual annuity of $100 for life

William had been working as a butler for Mary Martha since at least 1900 and appears in the Federal census for that year as one of four servants living at her Hyde Park, NY home.

When Mary Martha and Archibald were married in 1907, William moved with them to Baltimore, and later Port Chester, NY. I haven’t been able to locate the household in the 1910 census, however William is listed as a servant in the 1920 census. In both the 1900 and 1920 records, he is listed as married, however his wife doesn’t appear in either record and is not referenced. William was born in South Carolina in 1859, however, I’ve not been able to locate any records for him prior to the 1900 census, and don’t know if he was born into slavery or freedom. I have not located any records for William after 1920.

In his will. Archibald notes the annuity is “as a remembrance from me for his faithful service and devoted friendship to me and my wife.”

In this part of Archibald’s will, he took care of Mary Martha.

Mary Martha Parker Taylor -- $5,000 annual annuity and whole balance of net income

Once these obligations were met, Mary Martha would get the “whole balance of the net income” of his estate for and during her life, distributed quarterly. In addition to these payments, Mary Martha would be paid an annual annuity of $5,000 on whatever schedule she requested, but only if she made the request in writing.

Archibald’s will made it clear that his estate was independent from Mary Martha’s estate, and his money would not become hers forever. When she died, Archibald had other plans for his money.

The next section of the will related to what Archibald wanted to happen to his estate upon Mary Martha’s death.

Anne Seymour Hopkins – an annual annuity of $500

Anne was the only daughter of William Atkinson Jones, a noted Virginia Democrat and member of the US House of Representatives for 27 years. I’m not sure what the connection between William and Archibald was, but it was apparently quite strong – in his will, Archibald refers to William as his “friend”, and when William died in 1918, Archibald was one of the members of the contingent which traveled with his friend’s remains from Washington, DC to William’s home in Warsaw, VA.⁴

On June 15, 1915, Anne married Samuel Roland Hopkins, then a Lieutenant in the US Army.

Archibald Taylor Hopkins – a onetime payment of $6,000

In 1922, Anne and Samuel welcomed a son, and named him Archibald Taylor Hopkins, after Archibald.

In his will, Archibald noted that if Anne died before her son, then her annuity would transfer to him, and that, when Archie, as he was called, turned 30, the “the full sum of six thousand dollasrs shall be paid to him from the accumulated income and principal in the hands of said trustees, in commutation of said annuity of five hundred dollars.”

Sadly, that never happened. On June 26, 1940, Archie and his mother were involved in a tragic car accident. Anne was killed instantly, and Archie passed away three days later. He was just 18.

Genevieve Willing Taylor – Archibald’s furniture, silver and all family pictures and portraits

In another sign that the estates of Archibald and Mary Martha were to remain separate, Archibald included specific directions on what he wanted done with his personal effects.

Although his will gave Mary Martha “possession and use” of his “furniture, books and pictures, silver and all like personal articles and chattels” upon her death, the furniture, silver and all family pictures and portraits were to go to his niece, Genevieve Willing Taylor.

Genevieve was the daughter of Archibald’s brother, Julian, who had passed away in 1925. Genevieve’s brother, Julian JR, was an inmate at Western State Hospital for the Insane in Staunton, VA as early as 1920. He passed away there in 1978.

In the 1950 Federal census, Genevieve is listed as a religious social worker in a New York convent led by Sister Alice L. Brady. I have not been able to find a death record for Genevieve.

William Henry DeCourcy Wright Thom – Archibald’s books, pictures and paintings

Archibald left all his non-family pictures as well as books and paintings to William Henry DeCourcy Wright Thom to “dispose of by him freely as his own; but I will mention that it would be most agreeable to my wish that he should retain any part of them for which he may have a liking or use, and then should distribute the remained to help ornament hospitals or schools or libraries, or such other institutions as he may choose to receive the same.”

DeCourcy and Archibald were lifelong friends. Both passionate about art, literature, history and philanthropy, the two men worked together on various political and social issues, and were members of many of the same church and social organizations. By all accounts, they were best friend, and spent time a lot of time together in their shared passions.

DeCourcy and his second wife, Mary Washington Stewart, were frequent visitors to Archibald’s home, as were his two daughters with his first wife, Mary Pleasants Gordon, Anne Gordon and Mary Gordon Thom. In fact, Mary Martha hosted various parties for them when they were debutants.

DeCourcy, who attended both Archibald’s 1907 wedding and 1928 funeral, passed away in 1932.

Archibald laid out what was to happen to his estate one year after Mary Martha’s passing in the next section of his will.

Union Memorial Hospital – $10,000

Founded in 1854 as Union Protestant Infirmary, Union Memorial Hospital opened one of the first nursing schools in America. Archibald was a member of the Board of Trustees of the hospital for many years, and was also an active donor and fundraiser.

Provident Hospital and Free Dispensary in Baltimore – $5,000

Established in 1894 by a group of Black physicians in Baltimore, Provident Hospital and Free Dispensary in Baltimore was founded with a clear mandate:

The hospital is intended to fulfil three purposes: to be an institution where people of color may be attended by physicians of their own race; secondly-the colored physicians may have an opportunity to develop them- selves along the lines of specialty, thereby become proficient in them, and thirdly-that there may be a well-organized training school for nurses where young ladies may obtain instruction pertaining to their calling. ⁵

Black empowerment and opportunity were a mandate near and dear to Archibald’s heart, and one he championed throughout his career, both politically and socially.

University of Virginia – $5,000

Archibald was a graduate from the University of Virginia and had held various positions of leadership with the alumni organization for years.

Alexandria Hospital, of Alexandria, VA.— $5,000

Located in Archibald’s hometown, the Alexandria Hospital was established in 1872, and likely held a lot of family history for Archibald.

In all four of the cases above, Archibald requested that the legacies be invested and the income from those investments go toward the purchase of equipment or facility maintenance.

Berdetha L. Lammiman – $5,000

Born in Woodstock, Ontario in 1879, Berdetha immigrated to America in 1906, and graduated from the New York Training School for Nurses in 1909. In 1916, she was living and working as a private nurse in New York City, however, by the time of the 1920 federal census, Berdetha had joined the Taylor household as a private nurse and companion.

When Mary Martha died in 1943, Berdetha was still in her employ,

Edward Leslie Bach – $5,000

Edward was co-executor and co-trustee of Archibald’s estate, and also a friend. They were both patrons of various social and political causes and campaigns. Edward was also the executor of Basil Gordon’s will. It’s possible Edward worked for Archibald in some capacity at his law firm, but I’ve not been able to confirm that.

In the case of both Berdetha and Emma, Archibald made a point to say that these were outright gifts, and in no way should be considered payment for services rendered during his lifetime.

Leila Sinclair Gordon Dickey and Anne Hamilton Gordon Snyder – $5,000 to split

Basil Gordon was an attorney, Virginia Senator and active in state and national politics. Although Archibald and Basil were good friends, they were also related through both the Pleasants and Massie families.

In 1895, Basil married Leila Sinclair Montague, and the two had four children, Basil Jr, Leila and twins, Anne and Katherine, who were born just four months before Basil passed away in October 1901. Sadly, Katherine died shortly after her first birthday.

Both Leila and Anne were married by the time they inherited their money from Archibald.

Elizabeth Keyser Thom and William Henry DeCourcy Wright Thom, Jr. – $2,500 each

As he’d done with the children of his friend, Basil Gordon, Archibald also set aside legacies for the children of DeCourcy Wright Thom and his second wife, Mary Washington Keyser, Elizabeth Keyser Thom and William Henry DeCourcy Wright Thom, Jr.

Elizabeth was born in 1912, and William in 1915, and although both were minors, Archibald chose to gift each of them $2,500 with no stipulations.

After the payment of these bequests, the rest of Archibald’s estate was to be divided into twelve equal parts, four of which were left equally to Genevieve Willing Taylor, Constance Cazenove Lee Carter and Harry Taylor Marshall.

Although both Genevieve and Constance had been previously mentioned in the will, in this final bequest, Archibald included another relative, Harry Taylor Marshall.

Harry was the son of Archibald’s cousin, Charles Marshall and his widow, Rebecca Snowden, to whom Archibald had bequeathed an annual annuity of $500 in the first distribution of his estate.

Born in Baltimore in 1875, Harry was the fourth of six children born to Charles and Rebecca, and the only child mentioned by name in Archibald’s will.

After graduating from Johns Hopkins Medical School, Harry married, built a family and became a professor of pathology and bacteriology at The University of Virginia Medical School.

On November 8, 1929, Harry passed away in Paris following an operation. He was 54 years old. Upon his death, the funds given to Harry the previous year in Archibald’s will went to his four children, Hudson Snowden, Nancy Lea, Katherine Lea and Harry Taylor Marshall Jr.

Because Genevieve died without children, her legacy went to Alexandria Hospital upon her death. The legacy was to be known as The Henry Allen Taylor and Anne Elbertina Van Ness Taylor Endowment Fund.

Likewise, upon her death, the legacy Archibald gave to Constance was also to go into the Taylor Endowment Fund.

In closing his will, Archibald noted that if anyone contested the will, their portion of any gift or legacy would be added to the Taylor Endowment Fund.

So, there you have it.

In researching Call Me a Bastard I have reviewed more than a dozen wills entailing several thousand pages – yes thousands! That’s what happens when generational wealth is involved, I guess. I’m no legal expert, but the will of Archibald Taylor is among the most generous and insightful wills I’ve come across. What are your thoughts?

Endnotes

¹ Prominent Jurist Passes Away at 77: Burial Monday, was Descendant of Old Colonial Family,” Daily Item, Port Chester, NY, August 17, 1928, P 1.

² Baltimore woman Besieged: Three Process Servers After Mrs. Luis Pastor y De Mora’, Baltimore Sun, Baltimore, md, December 25, 1911, P. 2.

³ “Taken to Warsaw: Body of Virginia Congressman Escorted to His Home”, The News and Advance, Lynchburg, VA, April 19, 1918. P. 3.

⁴ Robert L. Jackson, MD, FACS and Emerson C. Walden, MD, FACS, “A History of Provident Hospital, Baltimore, MD”, Journal of the National Medical Association, Vol. 59, No. 3, May 1967, P.157-165.

Jill Swenson

Sep 15

Fascinatin peek into the transmission of intergenerational wealth. I'm struck by how much he set aside for women.

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1 reply by Lori Olson White

Celia Lewis

Oct 11

A quite wealthy man here, Archibald! And yes, I agree this is a will with much support for his causes and for the women in the family, plus his particular personal values. Wills are wonderful treasure in family history, when we can find them for our ancestors!

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