Morrison's will left the estate to Horton Hospital (also named after the house's first resident) in Middletown, with his wife Christine granted life tenancy. When the founders of Orange County Community College approached her in the late 1940s, she was willing to sell, but did not have the legal right since her husband's will had already disposed of the property. The hospital was not willing to sell at that time since it had planned to do so upon Mrs. Morrison's death in the hope of getting the best possible price to pay down its debt. The community raised $480,000 ($ in contemporary dollars) to that end, and the hospital released its claim.