The Davis City Advance, Davis City, Iowa
Thursday, March 12, l896

O.B. HALSTEAD of this city, has in his possession affidavits of the genealogy of his ancestors, showing him to be one of the legal heirs to that vast estate composing that vast tract of land situated in New York City and valued at $300,000,000. this tract of land belonged to Auneka Jans, the daughter of King William of Holland; during the seventeenth century she came to America, bringing with her ample supplies of money and a grant from the King for a tract of land on the Island of Manhattan, now in the thickest portion of New York City. After coming to America she married Evaradus Bogardus, a Dutch Reform Clergyman -- after the English captured New York from the Dutch, Auneka's grants were confirmed by the authorities of that government, so that her title to the property is clear beyond a doubt. There are no records which can be discovered, of her disposing of her land in New York City -- they stand in her name to this day. One of Auneka Jans daughters, Phoebe Bogardus married THOMAS HALSTEAD, the great grandfather of our townsman, O.B. HALSTEAD and with numerous other heirs, he is now prosecuting the case and the attorneys engaged have the case in such shape, (The property being entailed property) that the government must recognize their rights or break their treaty between England and America and if successful, the heirs will receive untold wealth.

Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert
September 14, 2003