Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1856-09-12
Col. Fremont,s .Parentage.

Col. Eremont's Parentage.
About the FIRST ofthe present century
says the Richmond Dispatch of yester-
day, thereresided in this city Frevolu>
tionary veteran. who served faithfully in
the war ofthe 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 his house a garden,
where people were admitted for small
fee, and where refreshments could be
procured. This was called "Pryor's
garden" The old Colonel was victim OF
rheumatism, and locomotion to him was
difficult. He moved with shuff1ing step,
and took a long time to GO very little
way-indeed' he was a disabled. stiff
limbed old soldier, and his physical force
had frotn exposure snd hardship suffer-
edeno little>abatement.
The veteran Colonel Pryor took it into
bis head that he needed wife, and that
he would be much better off with one.
than to remain rheumatic old bachelor
with no one to love, or rather no one to
mend his linen and sew on his buttons.
So he sought the hand in marriage of a
young girl-who she was it is not mate
rial to know nor does our informant re-
member whether she was very beautiful
or not. Suffice it to say she yielded to
the suit of the veteran soldier, and became
Mrs. Pryor-mistress of the garden and
mistress of a long frame building, said to
have resembled very much that dwelling
so long occupied by the late James Gray,
and which was pulled down to make
room for the fine dwelling of Mr.. John
Mabin and that erected by Mr.. Gray.
Its main feature was a somewhat spa>
cious apartment in the centre. On either
hand were long wings of smaller dimen-
sions, except their length, than the CEN
tire. At the extremeties Of these two
wings stood two offices, apparently to
promote the harmony of the general de-
Isign. We are more particular in describ-
ing the building, because, as will be seen.
a Judgement was made in one OF these two
offices by an enemy Of the domestic hap
piness OF the Colonel.
At this time, there lived in Richmond
a French teacher, named Fremont. who
taught in the academy OF the celebrated
French scholar and gentleman, Girardin.
IL small, swarthy individual, with some
French peculiarities, strongly developed.
Some of the oldest inhabitants say that
Col. Pryor employed Monsieur Fremont
to teach his young wife French,
Certain it is that he rented of the Col.
one of the little Offices above described,
and took his meals, as boarder at the
Colonel's table. What progress the lady
made in studying French is not known ;
but during the interviews with her teach
err, there grew up within her breast senti-
ments and feelings, inconsistent with her
relations to Colonel Pryor.
How long this state of things existed,
we are not informed but the result is
that Mrs. Pryor and NJ. Fremont fed
from the city - Norfolk, and there for a
time. lived together-Ge, it is understood.
pursuing the vocation of uTholsterer,
which was supposed to have been his orr,
ginal trade. They did not, however, &c
side long in Norfolk, but went to the
South, whre the candidate for the Presi-
dency was born, possibly to Savannah
though some reports say Charleston.
We cannot say whether the parties
were ever married. Certain it is that
olu SoI' Ifyor was never divorced tlOm
his wife, who thus left him more forIorn
than he was when she married him. The
question arises, could there have been a
Legitimate marriage without divorce
1t is proper to add that Col. Pryor, af.
ter some time brooding over the bad treat
meut he suffered in the desertioo of his
wife. assuaged his grief by marrying au~
other young woman who remained with
him until his death-he dying, it is hard
ly necessary to add, without Issue. The
abduction Of his first wife by the
Frenchman, who showed not the slightest
regard for his prior claim, wasa sore subs
ject to the old Colonel. These incidents
in the life of the progenitor of the free
soil candidate for the Presidency, show
that he was at least disciple of Free
Love if not Free.Soil.