Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1853-06-09

A correspondent Of the State Journal give.
an interesting sketch Of a recent visit 10 North
Bend in company with Col. TAYLOR, son.in.law
Of the lamented HARRIsoN, and Of the old
Homestead and its past and present inhabi-
tants We equote:-
The family mansion Of Gen. Harrison stand.
upon a gentle slope Of land some fifty rods
from the Ohio river near the extreme angle OF
North Bend. The house is plain but respec.a
ble in its appearance, and comfortable in It's
appointments The east wing is the original
dwelling, and is constructed OF logs: the other
portions of the establishment had been added
as the necessities of a rising family demanded,
and finally the whole so finished as TO have an
uniform appearance. The whole front faces
the river to the south, and is well shaded by a
row Of majestic old trees. Back Of the house
short distance is a magnificent green slope,
surmounted by a fine plat of table land, which
was the favorite place Of the illustrous Harri-
son, and was called by him Congress Green.
Upon the top of this plateau, he had designed
to erect his dwelling, until his many additions
to the original log cabin led him to abandon
the idea ofconstructng an entire new mansion.
From the side of this hill gushes pure foun.
tain which is conveyed in pipes for the use of
the family. To the right Of the dwelling
should Judge over one hundred rods, rises a
series of oval hills. Upon the top the nearest
and most beautiful of those, is the tomb Of
Harrison, standing alone in the solemn shade
of the old forest trees which look down upon
the first landing the white man, as he sought
here home in the wilderness. The tomb is
of plain brick masonry, covered with turf, with
a few roses and evergreens planted upon and
around it, At this point the eye commands
the rlver for long way as it approaches this
spot, and then, sweeping around an angle rolls
off far to the south. On the next ascent, few
rods further to the south west, is the family
cementey, surrounded by great number of
forgotten graves, Of which COL Taylor sadly
remarked "No one will know more until the
last great day."
Here is the grave of John Cleves Symmes,
the father-in-laW Of Gen. Harrison, who at the
foot of those hills made the first settlement in
the Spring of 1889 His death occurred in
1914 OF the deceased children of Gen. II.
read upon the stones in this cementery the
names Of Betsy Bassett, late wife Of Judge
Short, VIM. Henry, Benjamin Jas. Finley, and
Garter Bassett, as well as many other mem
bers of these several families. The remains of
Mrs. Thornton, another daughter, and late wife
of Dr. j. H, +. Thornton are deposited in the
vault with her father Jane Harrison, who was
present at the death of the Ex-President, has
also deceased, and is reposing in the beautiful
Spring Grove Cemetery.
As before intimated. the homestead is now
in possession of Col. VIM. H. Taylor, who is
rearing around the paternal hearth n group of
lovely children now numbering eight or nine
-(some have joined the sleepers in the quiet
cemetery His accomplised wife-lhe young
est daughter of Gen, Harrison-seems to pos
sess very much of her fathers strength Of
character the contour Of her face is strikingly
his, as shown by the earlier portraits in posses
sion of the family; her full, pleasant black eyes
give her countenance an expression Of intel
Iigence and sprightliness which, joined to her
native elegance and dignity, mark her as the
of a noble patronage.
Hon. j, Scott Harrison, the only surviving
son of the President, resides few miles furth
er down the Ohio, at the big Miami. His two
wives sleep with the lost Of the household, in
the cemetery at North Bend. Tie was last fall
elected as representative in Congress, from
the Hamilton district.
The estmable widow of Gen. Harrison still
occupies portion of the old mansion, where
she is watched over by the flial care OF the
family of Col. Taylor. She is in the serene
evening of a long and eventful life, and though
bearing the weight of many years, is still able
TO move about her room. This excellent wo
man became the wife of Gen. (then Captain)
IL, e tI,o |,
while he was in command of Fort Washington
now Cincinnati Her father, Judge Symmes,
was principal of the original proprietors of the
Miami purchase, a tract of 248, 600 acres, which
was first purchased at a price of sixLy-six cents
per acre. The present Harrison estate consists
of 800 acres at North Bend and 420 at the
mouth of the Miami, The property is as yet
though it is the intention of the
heirs to effect division the coming season.
This step is rendered necessary by the fact that
from the almost constant absence Of the proprl-
etor in former years, the produotiveness of the
land has so far deterorated, that strong per-
sonal interest in the soil is indispensable to its
The estate formerly embraced
large tract of intervae land to the northward,
but is now mostly composed of high rolling
lands near the Ohio.
The writer states that the beautiful retreat
of North Bend has become a lavorite resort for
pic MICS and pleasure parties from the city, and
that the shrubbery around the tomb of General
Harrison has been broken mutiIated, and the
tomb itself injured by Vandal hands. The
bricks have been scattered and the door wrench
ca from the hinges. Mrs. Harrison has ap-
pealed to the public, through the press of Gin
cinnati, to respect the rights of the dead, as
well as the feelings of the living.
BUsHIxG ToMAroEs.-Those who love good
tomatoes will take pains to cultivate them so as
A.. :oc,,,o H., =. E,u Thara 10 No