Newberry, Walter Loomis, 1804-1868

Estate distribution schedules were produced to make an assessment of the worth of the Newberry estate and to divide the estate evenly between Walter Newberry's heirs and the new "free public library" (Newberry Library).

A Cook County court decision determined that the estate would be assessed as of the death date (Dec. 9, 1885) of Newberry's widow, Julia Butler Newberry.

From 1868 through the 1880's, the Walter L. Newberry estate was subject to considerable legal action in addition to routine probate filings.

There was litigation by estate trustees (Skinner, Blatchford, and Bradley) and others regarding the setting off of a dower estate for Mrs. Julia Butler Newberry, the responsibility for improvement assessments on dower lands, the distribution of properties to collateral heirs, and the charitable gift provision of Julia Rosa Newberry's will.

Walter Loomis Newberry, Chicago real estate investor, banker, and commission merchant, died at sea in 1868, leaving a wife, two daughters, and a large estate (valued in 1885 at 4.3 million dollars).

Newberry's personal attorney, Mark Skinner, and E.W. Blatchford were appointed estate administrators. In July 1871, William Bradley replaced Skinner. At Skinner's urging, Newberry's will contained a contingent clause, providing for the creation of a "free public library" with half the estate in the event the two daughters died childless. When both died, Mary Louisa in 1874 and Julia Rosa in 1876, and when Mrs. Julia Butler Newberry died Dec. 9, 1885, the estate was officially divided; one-half to the yet-to-be-founded library and one-half to Walter Newberry's collateral descendants. By 1887, Blatchford and Bradley had started the Newberry Library, which was incorporated April 13, 1892. On April 25, 1892, the surviving estate administrator, Blatchford, formally deeded the Library's share of the estate to the corporation.

The Walter L. Newberry estate consisted of personal property and real estate in Chicago and Cook County, Illinois, and in Wisconsin (Appleton - Outagamie County, Green Bay - Brown County, Milwaukee - Milwaukee County),

From 1868 to the final distribution of the properties to the Newberry Library (1892) and Newberry's heirs, the estate trustees, Blatchford and Bradley, were responsible for the daily administration of the property, including the leasing, subdivision, improvement, and sale of the Newberry lands.

Estate financial records were maintained by the Trustees of the estate from Walter L. Newberry's death in 1868 until the Newberry Library was incorporated on April 25, 1892.

After this date, when the Library's share of the estate was formally transferred, financial matters were handled by the Library's Business Office.

Following the death of Mrs. Walter L. Newberry on Dec. 9, 1885, the Walter L. Newberry Estate was valued at about $4,300,000.

Half of the estate was divided among Walter L. Newberry's collateral descendents or heirs and the other half was designated for the creation of a "Free Public Library" in Chicago.