Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1868-02-19
a}li5fellang.
HE, SHE, OR IT!
A Correct Account Of the Mysterious
Female Man.
8}lisfellang.
TRUTH STRANGER THAN Fiction

From the Broadhead CTis) Independent, Feb1.I
ABOUT the year 1856 there moved to
this village a family by the name Of
Burnham, consisting of DR.. NJ. L. Burn
ham, his wife, and two children, daUgh-
ter aged Is, and a son three or four years
Younger. DR.. Burnkam was a man Of
some property, and of the highest re-
spectability. The familp soon became
active members of our village society,
the doctor being an active member and
one Of the deacons Of the Congregation
al church. Dr. Burnham was a well-read
physician, and did some practice in ad-
dition to keeping a drug store, IN which
his daughter, Ellen, assisted him as a
clerk for the first two years Of the doc
tors residence here. Miss Ellen Burn
ham was by no means a beautiful girl
Her hair and eyes were dark features
regular, but rather coarse and masculine;
form tall, square shouldered, and want
ing in that grace Of outline that inspires
admiration. If a straBger were tempted
to look at her the second time, it would
be from surprise at the strong, masculine
appearance unnatural to a woman, especi-
ally one so young. Miss Burnham was
not a faTorite with our young men, nor
did she seem anxious to be. Her time,
outside of her domestic duties, was de-
voted to instrumental music and to horse
back-riding, in both Ct which she was
decidedly accomplished. Her life for
the four years subsequent to 1856 was
not unlike that Of other young ladies Of
the place. She had large class, most
ly Of young girls, whom she instructed
In instrumental music In the fall Of
1858, young man by the name of Pow
ell came here and was employed as prin-
cipal of our village school. Powell re-
signed the leadership of the school in
the spring of 1859, and started the Re
porter, the first paper published in our
village. During that summerhe became
intimate with the family Of DR.. Burn
ham, and became engaged to Miss Burn
ham in the fall Of 1855. The engage
ment soon became known outside of the
family. The only surprise excited on
account Of it was surprise at the taste of
Mr.. Powell in selecting girl of such
masculine appearance. Miss Burnham's
parents seemed particularly pleased at
the prospective marriage of their daugh
ter, whom they believed we'll qualified
to make a good wife for an editor. In
February, 1860, L. W. Powell and Miss
Ellen Burnham were married by Rev.
Mr.. Cochran, the Congregational minis
ter.
The happy couple took a short bridal
ur,preParatory to settling down for life.
After an absence Of week, they return
ed to the residence of the brides parents
who, in honor of their daughters mar
riage, sent cut invitations to large num-
bers of our citizens to welcome the bride
and groom. We we're present at this
wedding party, and could not but think
that both the bride and groom appeared
remarkably solemn. We did not kiss
the bride, although that was the fashion.
Our objection to the kissing part Of the
programme was a dislike to come in con-
tact with an unusually heavy and black
moustache which marred the upper lip
of the bride.
Mrs Powell became more and more
masculine in her appearance as she grew
older. She took a case in the Reporter
Office, and learned the printers trade
rapidly. And in a short time she prov
ed to be the best jour in the Office. She
also took to smoking, in the cultivation
of which she proved herself printer.
In the spring of 1861, when Powell
had been rmarried about year and
half, the 7th Wisconsin regiment was
organized. PoWel's wife not having
presented him with an heir to make
home doubly pleasant, he resolved to go
to the wars. He sought, and, through
the influence of friends, obtained, the
position of State agent or "wet nurse"
tor the gallant 9Th, then ordered to
Washington. Mrs Powell being of a
tough and hardy make, resolved to ac-
company her husband to the front. No
objection being raised, she fitted herself
out and went to Washington. The regi-
ment was for a time detained at Wash
ington, aud Mrs. Powell made herself
happy by working up that moral town.
A few weeks after her arrival there,
while she was riding on horseback one
day, her masculine appearance attracte l
the attention of a government detective,
who made up his mind that Mrs. Powell
was man, a rebel spy. The detective
followed her about the city and to her
quarters. lie logged her steps for sew
eral days, until, Just before the regiment
was ordered off, Mrs. Powell took itinto
her head to return to Broadhead She
packed up her rig, took leave of her hus-
band and the regiment, aud started for
home. The detective accompanied her
to Chicago on the same train, and at the
Briggs house, where the lady booked
her name, he placed her under arrest as
a rebel in disguise In vain she claimed
to be a woman and the wife of member
of the 9TH regiment. She called in the
landlady. who asserted that she had seen
Mrs. Powell at the house before. Mrs.
Powell finally induced the detective to
telegraph to Gov Randall, of this State,
and to her husband at Washington
Gov. Randall telegraphed back that there
was such lady. A iimilar telegram
arrived from Washington. In few
DAYS, Mr.. Powell reached Chicago, and
the unhappy couple mado their way