Burt had one of the more bizarre wills in American legal history.
It contained a "spite clause" which specified to wait until his children and grandchildren were dead before the estate could be dispersed to any descendants yet unborn in Burt's lifetime.
However, his children did receive relatively small annuities of $1,000 to $5,000 each, except for one favorite son who received $30,000 annually, and one unfavored daughter who got nothing.
His secretary received $4,000 annually, more than most of his children, while a cook, housekeeper, coachman and chauffeur each received $1,000 annually.

Burt's will stipulated the majority of the estate to be held in a trust until "21 years after [the death of] my last surviving grandchild [who was alive] at the time of my death."
This condition was met in 2010, 21 years after the November 1989 death of Burt's last grandchild, Marion Lansill.
In May 2011, after time for legal negotiations, the fortune was finally distributed to his descendants.
The estate was estimated in total at $100 million to $110 million.
It was split between twelve descendants, weighted based on age seniority.
They included three great-grandchildren; seven great-great grandchildren; and two great-great-great grandchildren – the youngest beneficiary was 19 and the oldest 94.
The biggest beneficiary received between $14.5 to $16 million, with the smallest beneficiary between $2.6 to $2.9 million.
In the end thirty of Burt's descendants, including children and grandchildren, missed out on the inheritance because they were ineligible or died before the will's conditions were met.

It is not entirely clear why Burt made such an unusual will, but newspaper records suggest family feuds were likely at the core of his decision.
The will was challenged by his children after he died.
A legal hole was found in 1920 because part of the estate was composed of iron leases in Minnesota, and Minnesota had a law against trusts of such long standing.
This portion of the estate, amounting to $5 million, was distributed to Burt's children and grandchildren (a son, three daughters and four granddaughters).
In 1961, an additional $720,000 was taken from the trust in settlement of a suit filed by nine heirs and the estates of three other descendants.
Burt had one of the more bizarre wills in American legal history. It contained a "spite clause" which specified to wait until his children and grandchildren were dead before the estate could be dispersed to any descendants yet unborn in Burt's lifetime. However, his children did receive relatively small annuities of $1,000 to $5,000 each, except for one favorite son who received $30,000 annually, and one unfavored daughter who got nothing. His secretary received $4,000 annually, more than most of his children, while a cook, housekeeper, coachman and chauffeur each received $1,000 annually.
Burt's will stipulated the majority of the estate to be held in a trust until "21 years after [the death of] my last surviving grandchild [who was alive] at the time of my death." This condition was met in 2010, 21 years after the November 1989 death of Burt's last grandchild, Marion Lansill. In May 2011, after time for legal negotiations, the fortune was finally distributed to his descendants. The estate was estimated in total at $100 million to $110 million. It was split between twelve descendants, weighted based on age seniority. They included three great-grandchildren; seven great-great grandchildren; and two great-great-great grandchildren – the youngest beneficiary was 19 and the oldest 94. The biggest beneficiary received between $14.5 to $16 million, with the smallest beneficiary between $2.6 to $2.9 million. In the end thirty of Burt's descendants, including children and grandchildren, missed out on the inheritance because they were ineligible or died before the will's conditions were met.
It is not entirely clear why Burt made such an unusual will, but newspaper records suggest family feuds were likely at the core of his decision. The will was challenged by his children after he died. A legal hole was found in 1920 because part of the estate was composed of iron leases in Minnesota, and Minnesota had a law against trusts of such long standing. This portion of the estate, amounting to $5 million, was distributed to Burt's children and grandchildren (a son, three daughters and four granddaughters). In 1961, an additional $720,000 was taken from the trust in settlement of a suit filed by nine heirs and the estates of three other descendants.
Wellington R. Burt