Wilbur also used the name William Richard Bryce. He married Katie Purcell in 1892 in Philadelphia, and they moved to Camden, NJ, where they ran restaurants and dining halls near the ferry. In 1909, under the name William Richard Bryce, he entered into a bigamous marriage with Martha Basye in Washington, DC. The story according to Basye relatives is that they met at a convention for hoteliers in DC and quickly married. They moved to the mountains above the Shenandoah Valley, near Orkney Springs and at the site of the present Basye, VA, where they ran a resort after 1916. Martha died in 1938 and willed her land and most of her estate to Wilbur. Shortly before his death he entered into a second bigamous marriage to his nurse Nellie Virginia Harper. After his death Katie came to Virginia and filed suit in 1941 to gain the Basye lands for their three sons, Wilbur Leo, Bryan Francis, and Paul Benedict. Paul ran the resort, which was passed to his son, Paul Jr, also known as Pete Bryce. Wilbur Leo changed his name to Leo Aloysius. Paul Sr's name on the 1910 Census appears as Nicholas, that of Katie's father. Nellie married in 1947 Murray Corder, using her maiden name.
Wilbur also used the name William Richard Bryce. He married Katie Purcell in 1892 in Philadelphia, and they moved to Camden, NJ, where they ran restaurants and dining halls near the ferry. In 1909, under the name William Richard Bryce, he entered into a bigamous marriage with Martha Basye in Washington, DC. The story according to Basye relatives is that they met at a convention for hoteliers in DC and quickly married. They moved to the mountains above the Shenandoah Valley, near Orkney Springs and at the site of the present Basye, VA, where they ran a resort after 1916. Martha died in 1938 and willed her land and most of her estate to Wilbur. Shortly before his death he entered into a second bigamous marriage to his nurse Nellie Virginia Harper. After his death Katie came to Virginia and filed suit in 1941 to gain the Basye lands for their three sons, Wilbur Leo, Bryan Francis, and Paul Benedict. Paul ran the resort, which was passed to his son, Paul Jr, also known as Pete Bryce. Wilbur Leo changed his name to Leo Aloysius. Paul Sr's name on the 1910 Census appears as Nicholas, that of Katie's father. Nellie married in 1947 Murray Corder, using her maiden name.
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