, 1856-12-26
MIR. FremOnt's Parentage.

NlAs EAOuOut oAOutoSD.
The Richmond (Va.) Dispatch noticing
some of the current histories Of Mr.. Fre-
monrs early life, appends the following:--
1--WE have no disposition, in the general,
to meddle with the private history Of peo-
pie; but when that private history relates
to men presented for the highest cf6ce in
the gift of the nation, and is brought to-
light by the press, it is nothing more than
proper that it should be in the main cor
rect. 1t is due to truth and history. It.
would be indeed strange if so young man
as Col. Fremont were elected President
that the simple record Of his parentage and
birth had either been lost entirely to histo.
ry, or so inaccurately recorded as TO pre-
sent hardly a single fact correctly.
To the good or bad fortune, as It may
be Of this city, it is connected with the his
tory of Col Fremonrs parentage About
the first of the present century, there resi-
ded in this city revolutionary veteran,
who had served faithfully in the war Of the
revolution. This veteran was Col John
Pryor. He lived on the ground which lies
between the canal and the river, west Of
the Petersburg railroad depot, and east Of
the armory. He had there surrounding bis
house a garden, where people were admit
ted for small fee, and where refreshments
could be procured This was called "Pry-
or's garden" The old Colonel was vic
tim to rheumatism, and lccomotion to him
was difficult. He moved with shutting
step, and took long time to 60 very
little 'way-indeed he was disabled, still
limbed old soldier, and his physical forces
had from exposure and hardship suffered no
little abatement. aisYli laI ts't.l tnA
The veteran Col. Pryor took it into his
head that he needed wife, and that be
would be much better off with one than to
remain a rheumatic old bachelor, with no
one 10 mend his linen and sew on bis but
tons. So he sought the hand in marriage
of young girl-who she was ID is not ma.
terial to know, nor does our informant re-
member whether she was beautiful or not,
Suffice it to say, she yielded to the suit Of
the veteran soldier, and became Mrs. Pry-
or-mistress Of the garden, and mistress Of
a long framed building, said to have resem-
bled very much that dwelling so long occn-
pied by the late james Gray, and which
was pulled down to make room for the fno
dwellings Of Mr.. John Mabin, and that
erected by Mr.. Gray. Its main feature
was somewhat spacious apartment in the
centre. On either hand were long wings,
of smaller dimensions, except the length,
than the centre. At the extremities Of
these two wings stood two Offices, apparent
ly to promote the harmony Of the general
design. "'l
We are the more particular in describing
the building because, as will be seen, q lodg-
ment was made in one Of these Offices By
an enemy Of the Coloneps domestic happi-
ness.
At this time there lived Id Richmond
French teacher named Fremont, who taught
in the academy Of the celebrated French
scholar and gentleman, Gifardin, Mons.
Fremont is described as having been .
small, swarthy individual, with some French
peculiarities, strongly deVelOped.a Some Of
the oldest inhabitants say that Col Pryor
employed Monsieur Fremont 10 teach bis
young wife French. Certain it is, that he
rented Of the Colonel one Of the little OIL
ces above described, and took his meals, as
a boardcr, at the Colo1eps table. What
progress the lady made in studying French
is not known but, during the interviews
with her teacher, there grew up in her
breast sentiments and feelings inconsistent
with her relations to Col. Pryor. How
long this state Of things existed, we are not
informed but The result was, that Mrs.
Pryor and Monsieur Fremont fed frcm the
city to Norfolk, and there, for time, lived
together-he, it is understood, pursuing the
vocation Of upholsterer, which was supposed
to have been his original trade. They did
not, however, reside long in Norfolk, but
went To the South-where the candidate
for the Presidency was born-possibly to
Savannah, though some reports say Charles
ton.
We cannot say whether the parties were
ever married. Certain II Is that old Col.
Pryor was never divorced from bis wife,
who thus left him more forloFn than he was
when she married him. The question
arises, could there have been q legitimate
marriage without q divorce
1t b proper to add that Col Pryor, after
some time brooding over tue bad treatment
be suffered in the desertion Of mis- wife,
assuaged his grief by. marrying another
young woman, who remained with, him
until bis death--he dying, it is hardly nee-
essary to add, without issue. The abduc-
ton of his first wife by the FrenehmdA,
who showed not the slightest regard for bis
prior claims, was sore snbject to tho, old
Colonel. These incidents ip the life Of the
progentor Of the Free Soil candidate for
the Presidency, show that he was at least
a disciple Of Free Love, If not Of Free Soil.
1t seems, that from the report Of q lse-