“Having a baby is a life-changer. It gives you a whole other perspective on why you wake up every day.”~ Taylor Hanson
Throughout history there have been many fascinating and wild stories about the strange details of their Last Will and Testaments. Many rich people who give their fortunes to their pets instead of their progeny make them seem all that more eccentric.
Enter in Charles Vance Millar. Who died in the early part of the 20th Century in 1926. As a matter of fact, on Halloween did he pass away.
Millar, who was a lawyer and financier in Toronto, also was known to be a prankster and known for his penchant for practical jokes.
His will was no different from much of the stories that we have heard that had a bizarre terms to how his wealth was to be distributed.
He did not give his money to any beloved animal or pet. He did not give his money to some thing that was inanimate. Instead he held his very own contest. A derby for the citizens of Canada.
His will stated that his money would go towards the household who had the most children born in a span of one full decade following his death. 
After the Canadian Supreme Court found this to be a valid will and testament, the game and race was on. Finally in 1936 the Stork Derby came to an end during The Roarin’ 30’s.
The results came up with Annie Katherine Smith, Kathleen Ellen Nagle, Lucy Alice Timleck and Isabel Mary Maclean as the winners of the Stork Derby. These women all gave birth to nine children in the ten year period. Each of the mothers received $125,000 for the nine children.
In 2014 money, adding inflation and everything… that would be about $2.1 million Canadian dollars awarded to each winner!! ($1.8 million in USD in 2014)
There were two other unnamed mothers who received $12,500 each out of court.
Lillian Kenny gave birth to TEN children but two were stillborn.
Pauline Mae Clark also gave birth to ten children (five sets of twins) but they were fathered by men who were not her husband. Illegitimate children did not count.
It is also reported that the remaining part of the estate was giving to the Toronto Welfare Department.
I cannot imagine how Toronto went on during those years. Its hard to fathom just how many couples actually attempted to participate in this contest with dedication and purpose. How many of us would go through so much just to earn someone’s riches if that was to happen today?
Dambreaker 