Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1843-09-30
MRS. GENERAL PIKE.


If an interesting letter from Major Amos
Hoton, of this city, TO Col. Thomas II. 4
Benton, and permitted TO extract the fol-
owing passage having reference to the
widow of the late gallant and lamen,cd
Gen. Zcbulon Pike:-Ohio Intelligencer.. f.
81 had been misnformed, in regard 10
Mrs. Pike being deceased. i attended the
Oregon Convention, held in Cincinnati on
the Sd, 4h, and 9Th ut., and learned there
from Col. Taylor, Post Master, and son-in
law of the late President Harrison, that
Mrs. Pike was still alive, and resided about
eighteen miles below Cincinnati, on the
Kentucky side of the river. went down
to see her--and had a most interesting in
terview--not having seen each other since
1912, at Plattsburgh, N. Y, as alluded TO
in my article. She had had, by Gen. Pike,
three daughters and one son. One daugh-
ter only, the oldest, having grown to ma
turity, was married to Symmes Harrison,
son of Gen. Harrison, who died at Vim
cennes, la. twelve years ago. His wife,
daughter of Mrs. Pike, died six years since,
leaving half dozen children, burthen for
Mrs Pike to support, who is not in affiuent
circumstances. Mrs. p. informed me, thai
she had been allowed, by act of Congress,
half pay of her deceased husband, for four
or FIVE years; but il had been withheld,
after that time, and she did not know the
reasons why. How strange-that the
widow of such a high-minded and gallant
hero, who sacrificed his life in the service
of his country, should be doomed to pine
in poverty and want, under such Govern
ment as ours Mrs. P. is an intelligent and
accomplished lady--but lives in almost to-
tai secusion--not mingling in society in
any degree; and seeing company but sell
dom and casually. She has not visited her
friends, in Cincinnati, for the last eighteen
or twenty years; spends most of the time
aone--mourning, or brooding over the
memory--the fondly cherished idea-of
her dear departed husband. l obtained
some interesting facts from her, in relation
to him. went into Indiana, few miles
back of Lawrenceburg, to see the only sur
viving brother, and the only surviving SIS
ter Of the late Gen. Pike. They reside in
the same neighborhood. OF them OBJ
tanned some more facts. The brother lives
on the small farm, where Lieut.. COL Pike.
the father of Gen. Pike, died in 1882, and
lis in comfortable, but humble circumstan-
ces: So, also, the sister, s.. ...
"Is not the case of Mrs. Pike, sir, worthy
of the attentive and kind consideration of
Congress? Other nations erect cenotaphs,
monuments and mausoeums, in grateful
commemoration of the patriotic brave, who
fall in their service-generously bestow
fortunes upon their families, always; and,
J sometimes, confer titles of nobility upon
their descendants, with suitable estates to
support the dignity of the stations, to which
they have been elevated. The contrast:
Gen. Pike fell, in accomplishing one Of the
most glorious achievements of the last war:
His bones now slumber in obscurity, on
the shore of Lake Ontario, and no monu-
mental inscription indicates their final rest
ing place; no stone has risen, to mark the
sacred spot, or tell the passing traveller Of
Il the hallowed dust on which he treads; and
his forlorn widow, and orphan grand chill
, dren, are now neglected by that govern
: ment, for which he so nobly lost his life, and
are left in Strengthened and embarrassed
circumstances, to struggle with adverse
fate, as best they can Is not, this an in
, stance of national injustice and ingratitude,
which calls loudly for redress! And who
so suitable to bring forward the proper
measure of relief in Congress- as yourself?
$ You, sir, shared in the dangers of the hos
tile field, in the same glorious war; and
know, by experience, the ennobling--the
!, elevated--the dauntless feeling, which in
spires the brave man, on such occasions,
and nerves his arm for battle; which cleo
trifes the soul of the patriot, and lifts it
: above all selfish, or sordid views, or mo-
t tives-stifles all apprehensions of fear. and
steels him with determination, that i'm.
: pels to action, resolved TO conquer or die
for his country: And you cannot but
: know, and feel, too, the weighty obliga-
s tons, due from the government to the gal
liant spirit, who falls in so noble cause
and to his bereaved family and descendants.
If such circumstances are calculated 10
excite the warmest sympathy of every feel
ing and generous heart-what must be the
1 emotions that thrill the bosom of the mag
t unanimous brother soldier, at their contem-
plationl | indulge the sanguine hope, that
some just and adequate action, by the gov
eminent, may be had on the subject, at
the next session of Congress" "A.
A Coon MArcn-"How has your daugfl-
ter married, Mrs. Simpkins? pretty well
hope" '-H' " ..,t
"Very well, thank you, Mrs. Tompkins.
Her husband wears ruffle on his shirt, a
! long tailed coat, leads the singing at church.
and expects to be made a captain in the
militia" r'n' ~ gao
: Why is a cows tail like swans bosomg