Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 242, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 October 1910 — IS RICHEST WOMAN [ARTICLE]

IS RICHEST WOMAN

Mrs. Taylor, Daughter of Former Governor, Inherits Millions. Oeath of Mrs. Sarah M. Flower, Widow of Roswell F. Flower, Makes Daughter Wealthiest Woman In Northern N. Y. Watertown, N. Y.—With the death in this city of Sarah M. Flower, widow of the late Governor Roswell P. Flower, the only living daughter, Mrs. Emma Flower Taylor, becomes one of tne richest, if not the richest, woman In northern New York. While as yet Mrs. Flower’s will has not been filed for probate, estimates of the value of the estate place the sum at a figure far exceeding $5,000,000 and possibly close to double this sum. That her daughter Emma will inherit the greater part of this amount is deemed likely. Mrs. Taylor, who was the wife of John Byron Taylor, of this city, whom she divorced but a few months ago, is already the richest woman in this section and her liberal expenditures of her riches for benevolent purposes have made her, as well, the most popular. Since the death of her father. Governor Flower, in 1899, at which time she inherited a considerable sum, she has devoted her time to philanthropical acts and her charitable deeds, both public and private, have been numberless. The estate of Governor Flower at the time of his death was valued at $6,575,000. In his will be made bequests amounting to $305,000 and left the residue to be equally divide* between his widow and his daughter. Uy the terms of this will Mrs. Taylor received over $3,500,000, while Mrs. Flower received an equal sum in addition to the fortune which she then possessed. Mrs. Flower was a daughter of Morris M. and Roxana Woodruff. Mr. Woodruff was one of the pioneer settlers of this section, where he invested a large amount during the early days of the settlement o£ the country. He also went into land deals elsewherb with John Jqcob Astor. Mrs. Flower

upon the death of her father inherited no small sum. Governor and Mrs. Flower had three children, Helen Flower and Henry Keep Flower, both of whom are dead, and Emma Gertrude Flower Taylor, who now becomes heiress to the coim bined fortunes of her father and mother. What the entire sum will amount to is problematical, Mrs. Taylor was born in this city March 23, 1870, and the greater part of her girlhood was spent here, although she lived at various times in Albany, New York and Washington with her parents.