Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-02-25
The Parton Marriage.

James Parton's second marriage with the
circumstances attending it. is at last. to q
great extent, made public. A month ago.
1t seems, be espoused the second daughter of
his late wife, so widely known as Fanny
Fern" The intention was to make the mat
ter as little public as possible. The union
grew out of the peculiar relations of the
family that the first Mrs. Parton left. Her
Oldest daughter was married to Mortimer
Thompson (Doestlcks) and died early. leav-
ing an infant to Mrs. Parton's care. This
in. 1T was the subject of kind of idoiatry
fro Mr.. and Mrs. Parton, and also from
Mrs. Parton's daughter, who has now
become her mothers successor as a
wife After Mrs. Parton died. the
aunt, with the child. moved to Newbury-
port but Mr.. Parton's affection for the
latter was such that he was miserable when
separated from it. 1t brought the parties
together and their marriage has been the
result. Publicity might have been escaped
had it not unfortunately happened that un-
DER the laws of Massachusetts, the wedding
was illegal The disparity between the
age OF Mr.. Parton's present wife and that
OF his own is not much greater than was
that of his first marriage, and 1t is in
more fortunate direction. Fanny Fern was
daughter is about twenty years Younger.
Mr.. Parton was Fanny Ferns third hus-
band She was married in early life to a
Mr.. Eldridge, cashier of one of the Bos
ton banks. After leading life of gayety
and luxury with him for Few years, he
died suddenly, and lett her destitute of
property and with two children to sup
port. She had for some years bitter
struggle with poverty. During this time
she made marriage with Mr.. Earring
ton, which proved to be an unhappy one.
She was divorced from him. She began
writing Us a resource TO earn her bread.
Her first articles were poorly paid, appear
ing in one Of the fash story papers Of
Boston She went to New YORK Tor wild
er field and was soon on the road to
success. There she married Mr.. Parton and.
notwithstanding her advance of him in
age. the wedding proved happy cne.
There were no children as the fruit OF their
union This second stepdaughter has al
ways lived with him, and to MS care the
mother consigned the tayorite grandchildat
her decease. The love of Mr.. Parton for it
undoubtedly did much to draw them to-
gether. The Willis family, from which
Fanny Fern, n. p. Willis. and Richard
Storrs Willis sprang, was Puritan stock ;
bat the children appear to have had the re-
verse of Puritan tendencies. The father
was an Orthodox deacon, and the publisher
of the first Orthodox newspaper we had
here n p. Willis at one time belonged to
Park Street Church. but New York drew
him away. as it did his sister later. and he
became one Of the most thol ough of the men
Of the world of that city. Fanny Fern who
quarrelled with her brother before she be-
gan her literary career draws very unfiat
tering portrait of him In her story, Ruth
Hall, " but the brother and sister were at-
terwards rec0nciled. n. p. Willis left lit
tie If any property, believe, at his death.
Richard 5 Willis Is now living, wealthy
man. in Germany. The family is well en-
titled To rank with those remarkable for
talent that have originated in Boston
Boston Cor Hartford Cowaai