[NEW] The Great Stork Derby
The Great Stork Derby
Submitted by Liz Dommasch
Toronto Lawyer, Charles Vance Millar (1853-1926) loved a good joke. In fact, this practical joker loved jokes so much that he continued to prank people even after his death with the variety of odd bequests laid out in his will.
Along with giving a vacation home in Jamaica to a group of three men who detested each other under the condition that they live in the estate together indefinitely, and giving brewery stocks to a group of prominent teetotal Protestant ministers, it was his desire to bequeath the residue of his significant estate to the woman in Toronto who could produce the most children in the decade, which cause the most controversy.
Yes, you read that right. He willed the bulk of his fortune to the woman who had the most babies over a ten-year period:
This will is necessarily uncommon and capricious because I have no dependents
or near relations and no duty rests upon me to leave any property at my death
and what I do leave is proof of my folly in gathering and retaining more than I
required in my lifetime," – Charles Vance Millar.
Known as the Great Stork Derby, at first the media called Millar’s will a “freak” document that nobody believed. However, soon newspapers around the country, and beyond, began to follow the story, and soon countless mothers with growing families began to claim their place as contenders. At the same time, distant relatives of Millar’s suddenly materialized and tried to get their hands on his vast fortune.
Image source: Woodstock Sentinel-Review – 12 April 1937
In April 1937, both the Woodstock Sentinel-Review and the Toronto Star shared the story of one so-called relative, F.C. Taplay (misspelled Toplay by the press), of Woodstock, Ontario, who claimed his wife Ethel (nee Miller) was a second cousin of the lawyer. Although he was unable to explain the fact that his wife’s maiden name was “Miller” and not “Millar”, Taplay claimed that his wife had made inquires while she was in England and she was “sure she [was] the second cousin of Charles Vance Millar”. Although they intended to engage a lawyer to press her claims, hers as well as numerous others were not successful, as the case made its way to the Supreme Court of Canada, and his will was ultimately declared valid.
Interestingly, doing some genealogical research after reading this story, it was quickly discovered that Ethel’s maiden name was in fact, Wakefield and not Miller, and that no obvious connection could be found between the two. Ultimately, we don’t know the reasons behind their claim, though sadly her husband, Frederick, passed away two years later. She would eventually remarry, Edward Goodhand, and passed away in 1955.
Returning to the story of the Great Stork Derby, the contest was held from 1926 to 1936 with eleven families in Toronto competing in the “baby race”. Seven of them were disqualified but eventually Judge William Edward Middleton ruled in favour of four mothers: Annie Katherine Smith, Kathleen Ellen Nagle, Lucy Alice Timleck, and Isbabel Mary Maclean, who each received $110,00 for their nine children.
Returning to the story of the Great Stork Derby, the contest was held from 1926 to 1936 with eleven families in Toronto competing in the “baby race”. Seven of them were disqualified but eventually Judge William Edward Middleton ruled in favour of four mothers: Annie Katherine Smith, Kathleen Ellen Nagle, Lucy Alice Timleck, and Isbabel Mary Maclean, who each received $110,00 for their nine children.
Funnily enough, when Millar died, he had no idea that his investments would pay off so well, including land adjacent to the Detroit-Windsor tunnel that turned a $2 investment into over $100,000. In fact, his estate increased drastically during the ten years and was worth well over $500,000 when it was finally liquidated. At the same time, he had no idea that the Great Depression would hit in the thirties, making his estate a shining beacon of hope for families struggling to get by, though some accused the scheme of encouraging the birth of children with no regard to their life or welfare during the severe worldwide economic downturn.
Finally, it was believed Millar announced the contest in a somewhat perverse way of promoting birth control, as at the time of his death, it was illegal in Canada. Reportedly, Millar believed that such a bizarre contest would provoke outrage in the community, leading to the legalisation of contraception. However, ultimately, he did not have the last laugh, as birth control was not legalized in Canada until 1969, decades after the commotion caused by his famous will.