Edward Riegle was born in Specktown, Lykens Township, 4 April 1874, the son of Harrison Riegle (1840-1899) and Hannah [Rickert] Riegle (1847-1919). For fifteen years, Edward Riegle was a teacher in the schools of Lykens Township and Gratz, as well as schools in Lancaster County. After his teaching career, he was employed as a railway mail clerk based out of Harrisburg. He died on 1 March 1960 at Columbia, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
When Edward Riegle died in 1960, his only survivors were his sister Mable [Riegle] Evitts and nieces and nephews. When his will was probated, Harold Dietrich (1919-1988), great nephew, provided his mother Helen [Hoffman] Dietrich (1895-1977), niece, with a typed copy of the distribution, entitled “Portion of Edward A. Riegle Will.” That type-scrip is pictured above.
The distribution of shares was as follows:
- Mabel E. Evitts, sister, 25%.
- Elizabeth C. Riegle, sister, deceased. To her daughter, Helen M. [Hoffman] Dietrich, (his niece), 12%.
- Norman Riegle, brother, deceased. To his children: Louise [Riegle] Labe, 12%; Daniel H. Riegle, 10%; Delos N. Riegle, 10%. Total to the children of Norman Riegle, 32%.
- Bertha [Riegle] Sitlinger, deceased. To her children: Melva N. Sitlinger, 7%; Albert Sitlinger, 6%; Florence [Umholtz] Sitlinger, widow of Harrison Sitlinger, 6%. Total to the children of Bertha [Riegle] Sitlinger, 19%
- Charles Riegle, deceased. To his children: Evelyn [Riegle] Lenhart, 6%; Lucy [Riegle] Lenhart, 6%. Total to the children of Charles Riegle, 12%.
Those not mentioned in the will:
- Chauncey Riegle, died in 1936, without issue.
- Hannah L. [Riegle] McMillan (1904-1977), daughter of Charles Riegle, deceased.
- Warren Riegle (1903-1982), son of Charles Riegle, deceased.
The distribution was to be made from cash obtained from the sale of all assets. The executor was named as the First National Bank and Trust Company of Elizabethtown, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
The unevenness of the distribution is puzzling. An equal distribution among his surviving sister and the children of his deceased brothers and sisters, would have made each share at 20%. That was not the case. Nor was there an explanation as to why some nephews and nieces received different amounts – or why two of the children of his deceased brother Charles were left out of the will completely. Also, why was Florence [Umholtz] Sitlinger (an in-law) given a share, when she and her husband (Edward’s nephew) had no issue.
Family legend states that Hannah [Riegle] McMillan was left out of the will intentionally, because she was a chain smoker, something Edward Riegle strongly objected to. But then why was her brother Warren Riegle left out of the will? Was he also a smoker? Or was there some other issue that Edward Riegle objected to?
These questions may never be answered.
__________________________________
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.