Everyone loves an old castle, and when we think of castles, we think of medieval Europe. But guess what? There are castles right here in New England, some of them built by the famous – or is that infamous? – Edward Francis Searles. Yes, Mr. Searles – who actually preferred “Your Lordship” to Mister – was famous for his castles and mansion and vast wealth.
But how did this man who was born poor become so wealthy, and how did he come to be known as “His Lordship”? In fact, he started his working life by working in a cotton mill at age twelve. His simple life changed when he started his career as a home decorator and designer. Through his work, he met a lady named Mary Kellogg Hopkins – also known as “America’s Richest Widow.” She was very much older than he was, but they were wed in 1887. They then went on a tour of Europe, where he enjoyed spending her money. When he returned to the United States with his much more mature bride, he was now to be known as “Lord Methuen.” For while travelling, he found a souvenir with the family crest of the real Lord Methuen, and Methuen, Massachusetts was his hometown. So he decided he was now a “Lord.” Yeah, right.
Now back home in the U.S., and with his wife’s vast amounts of money, he was tended to by an army of servants who had to address him as “My Lord” and treat him with great reverence, as if he really was a member of the aristocracy instead of some guy who got lucky enough to find himself a lonely heiress.
Mrs. Searles had many friends and family who were at this point in time getting concerned, but Lord Methuen kept them away from her. He alienated all those who cared for her. Communication with her friends and relatives was stopped also.
Maybe her friends and relatives were right to be worried. She passed away – some say mysteriously – only a few years after they were married. It didn’t help that no one was really sure how or why she died. Two weeks before her passing, His Lordship took her away to one of their mansions and kept other people away, and had little to no contact with anyone. They had only a few servants with them at the time. He also hired private detectives to keep people away from the property. People who knew Mary were even kept away from paying their respects. The funeral was private as well.
Mary’s relatives were to get nothing. His Lordship was to get everything – all her palaces and mansions and castles – and all her money.
Well, just like today, back then people would hire lawyers and sue when things like this happened. And this court case got interesting – even a little spooky. Those contesting the will – and there were twenty-two people contesting - came forward and claimed that Edward Francis Searles used “the occult!” to control Mary and weasel her out of all her money.
A little background: in the late 1800’s, spiritualism was popular, and wealthy people hiring mediums to contact their departed loved ones was not uncommon. Mary was interested in such things even before she met this “Lord Methuen” character. In fact, she kept a medium on her staff at one of her mansions.
After becoming acquainted, Edward Searles attended séances with Mary and her group. He even encouraged her interest in spiritualism. Soon, Edward became a “spiritual advisor,” and he began to advise her on financial matters. While acting as a medium for Mary, supposedly a “spirit” made contact and sent a message that the two should marry.
A witness in the court case claimed that Searles had “mental ascendancy” over Mary. Searles used spiritualism and the occult to pretend he was “in contact” with spirits in order to defraud Mary. He used this mental ascendancy to isolate her away from people who truly cared about her. And after gaining mental ascendancy, a new will was written up, cutting out everyone but “Lord Methuen.”
This sad history is like a gothic novel featuring an innocent women trapped in a dark mansion with a cunning villain, but it is also a good lesson on why no one should take financial advice from the spirit world…!
Whatever happened to “His Lordship”?
Most of his vast wealth went to his “personal secretary,” one Arthur Walker. Searles was 79 when he passed away, and he had become a mysterious recluse, and quite eccentric. It was also suspected that Walker was also just another gold digger, who got the bulk of the money for himself out of Searle’s estate. But the amazing historic castles and mansions can still to be seen today.
If you happen to see one of his mansions while travelling, you will now know the sad and downright creepy story of how Lord Methuen gained the wealth to build his castles.
If you want to know why you should avoid taking financial advice from the spirit world, check out these sources:
1. Davenport, Melissa, Edward Searles, From Modest Roots to a ‘Lord,’ and a Scandal, Sunday Eagle Tribune, August 28, 2022
2. Davenport, Melissa, Part 2: Scandals Surround Searles in Wake of Wife’s Death, Sunday Eagle Tribune, September 4, 2022
3. Online Source, New England Historical Society, The Many Mansions of Edward Searles, author unknown.
4. Berry, Melissa, More Hopkins Saga: Minister’s Wife Battles Edward Searles, online source, Genealogy Bank, March 26, 2020.
