The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1875-11-03
The Grave of Benton's Mother
unireruitr nsOnth,v.


University Monthly.
During vacation one of the editors
of this Journal made a flying visit to
Williamson county, Middle Tennes-
see. The part of the county visited
was little village called Hillsbor-
ough, after the capital of Orange
county, N. c., where Thomas Hart
Benton, the great western frontier
statesman, was born.
Near this little village. in small
defile of the hills, overlooking the
beautiful little valley of Lefper's 5
Fork, is the grave of the mother of
"Old Bullion The spot is marked
by crumbling stonewall and two
large trees-a poplar and a cherry.
This small gorge between the yellow
rock hills of that region, looks to-
wards the South, and commands a
fine view of q section of country
three miles wide by six or seven
long here live a hard. working. in
dustrious people, who have never
known the prosperity and wild ex-
cess of some richer sections bat in
moderate plenty and sweet content
they have kept the noisless tenor
of their way The poplar and cher
ry stand, like giant sentineis. watch
ing too, over the old story and half
framed saddle-bags house Of the
Bentons, which is still standing in
good preservation. having received
no change since Mrs. Benton died,
save an extra covering of shingles
every few years. The house, when
built, stood upon what was known
in the early settling of the country
as The Natcbez Trace post road
leading from Nashville to New Or
leans. In Hi;lsboro', (as it is now
spelt). part of which is still called
BentonviIle, we found few old in
habitnnts who remembered the ''good
lady," as they were pleased to call
her. From them we gathered that
the mother of the mover of the
expunging resolutions" was char
acterized by the same sterling quail
tiles of honesty, sobriety, industry,
physical health and strength, and
native good sense, which were re
Inarkable in the parents Of Clay,
Webster. and many others of the
grand host who adorped our nation s
councils some thirty and forty years
ago. Would that we had many such
parents at the present day
But it is not our purpose to give a
lengthy and graphic description of
the last resting place of the "good
lady," nor to eulogize the character
of our ancestors. If this humble
sheet shall reach the hands of some
of Col. Benton's descendants and
call their attention to the neglected
condition Of his mothers grave, the
object of these remarks will be at
tanned.
We greatly admire his life. and
feel that St. Louis did well to erect a
statue to his memory; yes, America
can never tell how much she gained
by his noble services. and the pres
ent, as we'll as the future, will ever
admire and praise his name for his
Thirty Years View of the working
of the government but it is stain
upon the escutcheon of the Missouri
stateman's fair fame. that he left
nothing but tradition to point out
the spot where were laid the remains
Of his mother. His descendants. too,
are deepening the dye of this stain by
placing no memorial "even these
bones to protect" But Nature has
not been so ungratefnl she has nour
ished those two giant trees, that
they. acting as pointers and having
voice in the tradition of the neigh
borhood, might say to coming gener
ations. This is the grave of Ben
toms Mother.