The Mystery Solved: Facts Relating to the "Lawrence-Townely," "Chase-Townely," Marriage and Estate Question, with Genealogical Information Concerning the Families of Townley, Chase, Lawrence, Stephens, Stevens, and Other Families of America

Published in 1888, this volume emerged during a period of intense fascination with genealogical research and inheritance litigation in the United States. Frank Alden Hill authored the work to untangle the complex and often disputed claims surrounding the Townley estate, a long-running legal saga involving various branches of the Lawrence, Chase, and Stevens families. The book served as a compendium of records intended to clarify the legitimacy of genealogical lines that many families believed were tied to significant wealth held in England.

The text was compiled for practical use by descendants and legal researchers attempting to verify their ancestry in an era before digital record-keeping. Hill’s approach was grounded in the meticulous documentation of family trees and historical affidavits, reflecting the Victorian-era obsession with lineage and social standing. While the claims regarding the Townley estate were often based on complex legal misconceptions, the volume remains a valuable primary source for the genealogical research methods and the cultural preoccupations of late 19th-century American families.