The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1852-01-03
A Scholars Reverses.
4 SKETCH OF BLENNERHASSET.

The strange eventful history here Suhioined is
full Of instruction, and. We believe, almost un-
known. Moreover, it derives fresh interest from
that other outbreak of the same spirit, which
has recently arrested pubic attention, the Cuban
expedition. For the digest of the story which
is presented to our rcader>,we are indebtedto the
North .4mericon Rsrier,' in All article upon 'The
Life Of Herman Blcnnerhas>et comprising an Au-
thentic Narrative of the Burr Expedition, and
containing many Additional Facts not heretofore
published. BY William Sallord.I
Along the whole length of the Ohio river,
in its endless succession of beautiful land
scapcs and its many points of historical inter-
est, Blennerhassets Island is perhaps the on
lv spot which is sure to arrest the attention
of the voyager on the stream. In the long,
narrow, fiat island, covered with few Ill
kept farms, with one or two mean houses and
struggling trees, there certainv is nothing to
attract notice; vet not a steamer passes but d
group collects on the hurricane-deck, to ask
for the Shrubbcrv which Shenstonc might
have envicd,' the music that might have
charmed Calypso and her nymphs, and the
wife who was said to be lovely even beyond
her SEX and graced with every accomplish
mcnt that can render it irres,stiblc'
The name OF Rlcnn"rha,>rt ha, invested it
with charm Yet BlcnnerhaSset was re-
markable neither for anything he did. nor for
his ability to do anything; nor were his mis-
fortunes greater than what often happens to
men as worthy as he, in every mercantile
community. The elegant mansion. however,
which he erected. and the scholastic life
which he led, in a remote wilderness, throws
an air of romance over him. while his connec-
ton with the schemes of Aaron Burr gives
noterctv to his name. to which his mi>for-
tunes lend melancholy interest
Herman Benncrhasset belonged to a fam
lily Of some note among the gentry of Ireland
who traced their lineage back to the reign of
King John The residence of his parent.
was Castle Conway, in the county of Kerry
but he was born in Hampshire, England, ir
the year 1867, while they were making Wis
it to some relative He was educated a
Westminster School, and afterwards at Trim
itv College, Dublin. where he graduated viii
credit. Soon after graduating he began It
read law at the Kings Inns, in company will
his relation and collegiate friend, Thoma
Adds Emmett, with whom he graduated il
the year 1890.
Before attempting the practice of law h
spent some time in travelling over Franc
and the Netherlands. He saw France suffer
ing with the throes of the revolution, and re
turning to Ireland, he found it rent with fac
tons. His means were too ample to rcquir
him to submit to the druid gerry of practisin
law. He was avcrse to taking part in the pc
litical warfare of the country. All his taste
inclined to life of retirement and repos,
which was impossible at that time. The deaf
of his father in 1896, leaving him in posses
ion of large fortune he resolved to emigrat
to the United States, where he could pursu
, his favorite studies in quiet, and at the sam
time that he could CRAFTY his wish to live
a republic.
Selling his estate to his relative, Baro
' Ventry, he went to England to prepare ft
the voyage. He met there Miss Margar
Agnew, daughter of the Liutenant- Govern'
S of the Isle of Man, and granddaughter of Ge
: Agncw, who fell at the battle of Germantow
2 This lady is said to have been remarkab
< beautiful. She was tall and graceful; she hs
e very clear complexion, regular feature
deep blue eyes, and dark brown hair 81
0 was an accomplishedFrench and Italian scho
e ar, and thoroughly acquainted with Eng
,, literature. Her manners fascinated all wi
1 conversed with her. She was, withal, an a
y complished housewife, instructed by tv
0 maiden aunts in all the mysteries of past
G and needlework. Blenncrhasset met, sa,
a and conquered. They were married, a lar!
: lbray, together with an excellent set of pt
losophical apparatus, was bought, ,and,in l19
: they arrived in New York.
r After spending some months in New Yo1
l they crossed the Allegheny Mountains, al
, reached Marietta in theFall of the same yea
1 Before the winter was over, Blennerhass
selected for his home an island in the Oh
\ River, fourteen miles below Marietta. TT
/ Mississippi Valley was then almost an unbr
, ken wilderness. The forty thousand settle
, in what is now the State Of Ohio, only dott'
the shors, Of scmc river. With scattered gerr