Harrison Estate Law
August 11th, 2025
Ever wonder what someone does when they want to keep their estate in the family, but hate all their current relatives? Lumber baron Wellington Burt came up with a ‘spiteful’ solution…
When Burt died in 1919, his Will included a “spite clause” stipulating that his estate was not to be disbursed until 21 years after the death of his last grandchild living at the time of Burt’s death.
Wellington R. Burt was an American lumber baron from Saginaw, Michigan. At the time of his death, his wealth was estimated to be between $40 and $90 million (equivalent to between $743 million and $1.67 billion in 2025). For a time in the early 1900s, Burt ranked as one of the eight wealthiest men in the United States.
Wikipedia
Undoubtedly, his descendants weren’t happy. His kids were left a small yearly allowance, however; $1000, the same amount he left his cook, coachman, and housekeeper.
Why go to these lengths? No one really knows for sure, but it’s suspected that family feuds played a part in the decision. He was estranged from his family at the time of his death, which may have also contributed.
