The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1861-01-11
CHARDON, GEAUGA COUNTY, OHIO FRIDAY JANUARY H. 1861


sphere Of his presence poisoned all who
came within its reach.
1t was in the spring Of 1905 that Aaron
Burr first saw and became acquainted
with Blennerhasset and his wife. They
met again in Philadelphia the next winter,
and in the succeeding August, Burr, with
his daughter, over whose fate yet hangs
a aveil of mystery, visited the Island where
they remained some days. Soon after
this, Burr and Blennerhasset entered into
a contract for the building OF fifteen boats
on the Muskingum, for The purpose, as
was given out, Of conveying provisions
and men to the new purchase which they
had made on the Washita river. Pro.
visions were brought, and all the neces.
sary preparations made for an expedition.
Blennerbasset furnished the means, and
Col. Burr directed and superinteded the
operations. Many young men were in
duced TO enlist under Burr for this expe.
dilion. They were told ;hat the object Of
The movement was to make setlemen nj
on the Baron Bastrop grant that the
President knew and approved of the un.
dertaking, and that in case Of war between
Spain and the United States, which was
then anticipated, they were to join the
American troops and march into Mexican
provinces, whose inhabitants were anxious
to unite with them against the Spanish
Government.
From this time forward Blennerhasset
appeared entirely devoted to the projects
Of Aaron Burr, and there is good reason
to believe that he has strengthened in his
course by the advice and appeals of his
wife, who, with all her virtues, was an as
piring and ambitious woman, and who
had been daszled and charmed with the
pictures drawn by Burr Of the fame and
glory which awaited her husband should
their schemes be crowned with success.
After the proposed expedition had been
broken up by the orders of the Federal
| Government aud, the house and grounds
of the Blennerhassets had been sacked
and destroyed by an infuriated aud
drunken soldiery, misfortune seemed to
have marked this unhappy family for its
own. After enduring great hardships
and privations during her escape from her
puisuers and her subsequent perlous
journey down the Ohio river, Madame
8lennerhasset joined her husband and
after his trial and acquittal in 1897, she
resided with him on a plantation in MIS-
sissippi, which he bought with the remains
Of his fortune. They finally removed TO
Montreal, and from thence TO England,
where Blennerhasset at length died upon
the island Of Guernsey, in the year 1881
aged sixty-three years. His widow, re-
duced to extreme want, returned to this
country in l842, and petiioned TO Con
gress for remunerations for The destruction
Of her property on the island by the
soldiers Of the Government but while
awaiting the action OF Congress on this
claim she expired, and the matter fell to
the ground. She ded in the most drs.
titute condition and for the last sad
offices 10 her remains she was indebted TO
charity.
More than fifty years have passed away
since those events were transacted, and
not vestige now remains of the splendid
and happy home Of Herman and Margaret
Blennerhasset. When l landed on the
Island, during one Of my voyages down
the Ohio, rank weeds had grown over
their hearth stone, and reptiles glided
amid the grass on which their children
had played. Nothing now remains of all
the beautiful grounds and buildings but a
few stunted fruit trees, part Of the hedge,
the ruins of cellar out Of which grows a
tall tree, and large well the mouth OIL
which is cut from a solid rock.
The spo. where the house Stood is a
6esolato wilderness OF woods and brush,
and the remainder OF the ground is COW
cred with orchards and fields of grain
From the Ohio shore it is beautiful. 1t
is covered along its edge with groves oI
willow and water maple, which droop
their long branches over the waves, while
far above, the tall sycamore lifts its white
arms aloit as if to grasp the quiyering
slnbeams of heaven.