The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-05
Mrs. Macdonald. Who Knew Generals
Washington and Mohand.
Her ReeOllcctiOns Of the Continental Soldiers
Hanging Pirates In Philadelphia.
JUDGE BIB. OF ALABAMA
A History OF General Lafayette's
Visit to the South.


Mrs. Mary Reynolds Macdonald, for the last thirty
four years resident OF Cnarlcstown. but native and
all her life previously an inhabitant OF Philadelphia
another OF the few brilliant surviving inellects Of the
country whose recollecions are OF national interest
Although she has scarcely yet attained the rank Of
centeasran she certainly possesses the physical and
mental constitution calculated to carry her through to
her hundredh birthday On the 10th Of last July she
ninety onc years old. and there few patriotic or
sentimental condolences in the circumstance that her
birthday the same az that Of Christopher Columbus,
that she born and reared where American 1nde.
pendcncc was first proclaimed and that she IS now
spending her declining days within easy stones
throw OF Bunker Hill monument and upon the very
Tround where, the nth OF June, 1775, the Ameri
cfectualIy vanquished tho Britons. In these
days Of centennial and revolutionary "reminiscences
Ihere Ia certainly something very suggestive in such
chain OF ilustrfous circumstances
HERALD CORRESPONDENT.
heard in an incidental manner Of the existence Of
this remarkable and venerable lady. She lives In
neat little cottage, just outside OF Monument square,
and her household consists of herself about nfty
PEARS old and grandson ten dozen years OF age
Her son Is hor only support Tho youth, who Is the
son Of MIS- MacDonald's son. left without mother
whom an infant and he has been tenderly reared and
literally educated through the and efforts Of his
most estimable grandmother. She Is woman whose
physical proportions in keeping with her bril-
liant intellect and sparkling conversational powers.
Considerably below the average height, and with
physique which corresponds admirably her gen.
eral appearance indicates that seventy odd
ago she might have peen of tho bellies OF Philadel
phin Her tone of voice and her graceful movements
around the house moro becoming young boarding
school miss than who lived in the days Of
Washington. 1t evident At the moment of intro
ducon that your correspondent had encountered
lady whose cultivation and education denoted that she
not stranger in the best OF society OF the old days
Of tho Revolutionary period When mentioned incl
dentally my connection with the HERALD she prccip
lated an interview upon mo herself referring
particularly to matters in Philadelphia. explained
rs well could, the changes which had taken place
:here during the last few years. and aferward sho
tertained me with her own
"REMINISCENCES THE QUAKER CITY,
She was born she said on the corner Of Fourth and
Walnut streetsthe very heart OF the city on OF
the opposite lived General Morland, who was
in the with General Washington, and when the
over he ommissioncd by Washington TO
pay the pensions to the soldiers, and she herself
witness OF hundreds Of payments TO the iustrious
army comrades Of ''good old General Washington"
she afectionatcly termed him. General Morland, she
said, q trusted friend OF Washington and she had
often thought that the attachment between them was
sonal resemblance to each other. He tall, noble
hooking man. with bushy white hair, fair complexion,
and always wore white silk stockings and bvckled
Shoes tho General Washington. On the second
and directly opposite her house lived Dr. Rush.
who in his day OF the most celebrated
physicians in Philadelphia, and when he died his pro-
fessiona mantle fell upon worthy son, who contin-
ucd his practice In the place almost up to the
time she moved to Charestown. On the third corner
lived Conrad Hanz, German, and one OF the most
tcnsive coach builders in the city, and the other
corner lived distinguished citizen named Thomas
Reynolds All Of these sho remembered well rs If
she had only them week ago. and nothing, she
said, would give her delight than TO meet with
some old acquaintance OF her youth and talk over
the incidents of her grlhood days "vcry ofen when
am alone" she remarked sadly, Il pray that may
some day meet some of my old Philadelphia friends
Il seems as u u would give mo new lease OF life.
now a single person living who remembers me or my
good ncghbors who lived on the Fourth and
Walnut streets seventy or eighty years ago.
rHE YELLOW YEvxR EPIDEMIC
She remembered well and sadly the great yellow fever
epidemic, Tor swept away many OF her nearest and
those long rows OF tents that wore pitched Bush
Hill, where the prison now stands and some nights
fancy that the milk and market wagons are those
dreadful carts filled with corpscs." She told how
when they were digging for the FOUNDATION or the
Washington monument, they came across the bones Of
many Of tho victims OF The terrible epidemic and when
looked upon them she felt sure that they tho
mortal rcmnsnts OF some whom she had known and
loved In lie She escaped the scourge herself by
taking refuge tho suburb Of Germantown and all OF
her neghbors in the vicinity Of the corner OF Fourth
and Walnut streets fed the city at the same time.
STEPHEN EDWIN FORREST.
Referring some OF tho earlier and more recent
asa sdrn n 81 h
poor old Stephen Girard. he everyday sight to
me. and was quite well cquantcd with some Of the
am glad that college and other public buildings
commemorate his good name" Edwin Forrest she
knew as an infant, and present shortly after
his birth, but her last recollection Of him was as
. bright little fellow whom she used
was sorry, she said, that no did not adopt some
other than that OF actor, for she always
had an aversion 10 theatres. l explained to her that
be was the most eminent actor OF his day and that no
died mourncd and respected by all classes OF the COM
munity. also informed her oil his liberal endowment
OF home the INDECENT members Of his profession,
and presented her Nth copy OF tho HERALD contain
ing the Philadelphia letter which such an interest
pleased 10 know that his had been useful ono
and one that his friends had reason 10 feel proud o.
rcmarking triumphantly that shc always thought he
was an unusually bright boy
Among the many Of her youthful lie IN fnia-
helphia-onc which she said time would never enacc-
tho hanging Of pirates on what ~ now known
Smiths Island There three OF them executed.
and the horrible sight one which was fresh and
Vivid before her whenever Il to mind. The leader
named Pierce and then there was one other, whose
name she could not remember and handsome young
fellow named Baker. The latter mere boy, and
when he carried through the streets In irons nearly
every one in the largo crowds shed tears OF pity
Great efforts made 10 secure pardon,
but the administrators Of the law were nnmerciiu.
and he was hanged with the others The excitement
OF the occasion she described simply terrible, and
the feeling against Pierce was A. bitter a. the sym
patty was earnest for the boy Baker. Pierce, she
paid, rockored the most heartlcss pirate that
ever sailed the seas. and she bad doubt but his muir
dcrs could be counted by hundreds She related that
ne once boarded Spanish vessel and his work OF
murder and plumber he put death father mother and
nyo young children But another. beautiful girl OF
sixteen, begged hard for life that Pierce spared her.
subsequently OF his pratical suggested that
II she ever escaped from them the information she
would give would DO the death OF all hands. and he
therefore urged that she be thrown overheard Al
this time Pierce hal formed attachment for the GIRL
ana he was enragcd hts fellow pirate what he
said thai he ran a knife through his heart subsc-
nuently, however, some others OF tho poisoned
lie poor GIRL and shortly atcrwsrd the vessel cap
Jared and the outlaws executed, as described.
REVOLUTIONARY MEMORIES