First Bank & Trust Co. v. Attorney General

First Bank and Trust Company of Hampden County (First Bank) brought two petitions in equity as trustee under the wills of Sarah E. Spaulding and George M. Steams seeking instructions as to whether certain bequests under both wills to or for the benefit of *797the First Unitarian Society of Chicopee (Chicopee Society) have failed as a result of the merger of that church with the Third Congregational Society in Springfield (Springfield Society). The cases were consolidated for trial. A Probate Court judge found that all bequests had failed and ordered the trustee to distribute the funds in its…