upon his father's death in 1870, his estate was worth over $4,000,000, with personal property totaling $1,230,767.96, and around $1,300,000 in bonds for wabash railroad, and was the owner of the indianapolis, peru and chicago railroad. according to his father's will, the estate was split up between william, his brother hayward and his late brother francis' widow, marion ramsay cutting. after allegations of misdeeds by marion, the estate was finally settled, and william was excused as executor in 1888.