, 1874-08-30
A SOCIAL REFORMER'S LEGACY.
The Romantic History OF Fanny
TvrsEht's Southern Estnte.

WrsEht's Southern Estntes
From. the .At,nphfs Ledger.
AWAY back ia tho year ITO, Fanny Wright
(d'Arusmont). social reformar, WAS born III
Dundee Scotland. She Was lott an orphan 1T
An carly age, and was indoctrlnated BY her
guardian with ideas founded OF the philosophy
sho travelled in the United States from 1918 70
1920. Soon afterward she published her :" Ele"s
On Society and Manners in America and - Few
Days in Athens" which latter work was de-
fense OF Epicuroanism. In 1924 she returned TO
America in company with her sister Camilla and
others, who accompanied the Marquis dc Lafay-
cite on his viait Of triumph. In 1925 she came
70 Memphis, and purchased or obtained
grans Of 8, 400 acres Of land, known as the
Nesboba tract, near Germantown, some Il Inliee
from this city. Upon this tract she establlahed i
COLONY Of emancpated slnvcs, and endeavored to
elevate their social condition and solve tbs groat
problem of tho equality OF races. Eeeom'nE
soon afterwa1d public lecturer. ahe established
destruction Of slavery and the reformation OF
society on free-lovo bosls. The heshota trsct
Miss Wright conveyed to Marquis do Lafayette
in trust for tho purpose OF erecting home Tor
free children Of color. This was impraetlcable
under the lnus ct Tennessee, and the Marquis
reconycyed the property to Njss Wright, who
se1t the negroes to Hayti. In 1929 she and her
sister Camilla went 10 Europe, and in 1881 were
the guests Of Lafayette At Paris, by whom they
we're regarded as almost members OF bis family.
d'Arusmont, whose ideas OF philosophy Eesen-
bled her own. Both came to America. and visit
ed tho Neshoba tract often. The moral phlloso-
pherB uua1Teled aud separated, aud she filed
bill for divorce at Raleigh, the old county seat
OF Sbe1br County. The divorce WAS Afterwards
transferred to the Cincinnati courts, and dl-
{orce was finally granted Fanny Wright at this
time was nearly feet in height, and robust
hair dark auburn, worn in Hnglcts generally
wore mans hat. and when talking With stran-
ger usually drew out notebook and ecrbbled
country. She resided in Cincinnati until the
time Of her death, in 1852
When she and dAruamont came to Memphis,
they had with them child ramed Francis Syive
PhycapeI d. 'Aruemont, OF whose parentage moth
inr Ia definitely known: ard to this girl Fanny
Wright willad the Eeshoba tract. In 1sCo Or.
Eugene tla LaqusEy came to Cov1ngton, n.y.,
from France. accompanied By his wife and three
children. Juliet. Closllde and Marguerite. and
bought the Neshobo tract for $50, QUO, taking m
absolute deed. He found on tho tract valuable
mineral springs, and proposed TO bnild hotel
and convert the place into . summer resort, and
cut ous the timber for branch track to the
Memphis l. Charleston Railroad. Charles
PATTON vas engaged as superintendent Of the
estate. At h1ed annual salary and some per
aujsites Soon after laying ont this plan, Ur.
de Laqutry sent his wife and two daughters back
to France, promising soon to rejoin them WITH
the Youngest child, Marguerite, who he retained
Cov1neton, whero he owned property to tho
anount Of s50oOo. Since then Mme- do Laqntsy
has neyer hoard Of her husband or child, Aar-
ouerit1 Although ahe has repeatedly writ
Fan to III pAxts pt the United esetss Ard
Emgp4 for tnfozmst$oa; and stranger
tiU ths Doctor ssa nss3 hskEd et