The Thomas A. Edison Papers Digital Edition

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These documents relate primarily to the disposition of Edison's estate and to the trust funds established for Madeleine Edison Sloane by her father. Included are photostats of an indenture of June 26, 1907, between Edison and the Union Trust Co. of New York establishing the first trust; a supplementary agreement of August 26, 1920; and an indenture of February 14, 1927 establishing the second trust. Also included are typescripts of Edison 's last will and testament of February 1, 1926, and the codicil of July 30, 1931; and two account sheets from 1925 indicating securities bought and sold for Madeleine by Edward B. Smith & Co., an investment company in which her husband John Eyre Sloane worked.

The remaining documents, which cover the period 1932-1939, consist of letters exchanged between Madeleine and Charles Edison, co-executor of Edison's estate; a letter by Theodore Edison regarding his request to be discharged from the duties of co-executor; and correspondence by attorney Julian A. Gregory and by various officials of the Central Hanover Bank and Trust Co. A memorandum by Madeleine, written on the back of an envelope postmarked January 18, 1932, indicates displeasure over the terms of her father's will and asks, "why did Aunt Mary tell Marion [Edison Oeser] 2 years ago that no one would get anything but Chas & Theo." A draft letter to Charles, probably written in November 1934, expresses Madeleine's frustration that the heirs were not being consulted about the disposition of the estate and that decisions were being made by "people who know nothing & care less about our individual problems." The word "people" is written above the canceled phrase, "Mr. Lanahan et al," indicating that Madeleine's criticism was directed at Henry Lanahan, general counsel of the Legal Dept. of Thomas A. Edison, Inc.

Other topics mentioned in the correspondence include the disposition of the notes, held by the estate, of the financially troubled Edison Cement Corp.; the purchase by the estate of the Bronx motion picture studio that Edison had sold to Robert L. Giffen in 1919; Madeleine's share in the estate of Thomas A. Edison, Jr., who died in August 1935; and her unhappiness at the estate attorney's treatment of Blanche Edison, the widow of her half-brother William who had died in August 1937.

All of the documents have been selected except (1) last will and testament and codicil, both of which can be found in Swann Galleries, Inc., Collection; (2) photocopies of the indentures of 1907 and 1927; (3) typewritten extracts from the indentures.