The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-11
Living Links of the Eighteenth and
Nineteenth Centuries.
A Lady Who Met Washington and
Knew Caesar Rodney.
ANECDOTES OF JEFFERSON,
A Kiss Received from the Father Of His
Country Ninety Years Ago
MRS. ANNA DENNY.


We seldom hear Of Delaware connection with tho
American Revolution Tho fact Is, she Is such small
State and completely ovsrshadowed ordinarily by
her neghbors that she Is often heard from at all
the Senate Of tho United States aud there her
voice Is and sways has been ut least potent As tho
greatest IN tho federation Her soil Is prolific OF great
men, and her revolutionary history Is equally rich
and interesting. What Daniel Webster poIili. ally
said Of tic Massachusetts troops who par
tcipated In thal struggle may be truthfuly
said or Delaware, 'The bones OF her sons
lie bleaching every battlefield from Maine to
Georgia." Her three sSncrs CT the Declaration Of hide
pendcnco Caesar Rodney. George Read and Thomas
Mexican, but Rodney par excellence tho man who,
In conjunction with his colleagues, fred tho heart OF
Delaware and rpened the people for participation in
that great event With tho view Of obtaining some in
tcrcsting facts about history OF Dcia
ware, tho writer to-day called upon
DENNY.
vt tho residence OF her son-in-law, Mr.. George w.
Cummings, about two miles from tho beautiful little
town OF Smyrna Mr. Cummings lives in the heart Of
tho great pcachgrowing region OF the State. His
plantation Is extensive and under the highest cutiva
ton. and his house and grounds exactly what
would be expected of gentleman OF taste and refine
mont, while no himself is tho best of hosts and has
evidently suffered tho OF the stcrcoypcd
domination OF one for many long year. Having been
previously informed that Mrs Denny nincty- nine
years old, the writer was totally unprepared for tho
elegant aud sprghty dame who gracefully entered the
drawing room and Hospitality offered him her hand.
She said her recollecons OF tho early history our
country had made the coming Centennial celebration
matter OF peculiar interest to her She thought II well
that harmony restored should all JOIN
in doing honor to the hundrcdth anniversary OF The
birth of tho government and the memory OF tho great
men who founded It, Sho too young during tho
Revolution have any distinct recollection Of events
tbey TRANSFERRED She livod at that near Will
mington and had often the passing troops and
gazcd ON them with childish wonder Many OF tho
men who figured at that tune sho remembered DIS
unctiy. She
LIVED NEXT DOOR TO CESAR ROONEY
Of the slgners OF the Decara alton and when she
live in he neighborhood OF Smyrna gave her
elm tree, which she put in her trunk and
In thnt manner to this place (Mr Cummngs' The old
lady at this point insisted upon showing Tho writer the
tree which she had planted at tho Of the house
She trppcd out into tho grounds with almost grlish
grace and esgernesa, and pointed to the towering
elm probably IN tho State. Without cxaggcration II
must have been lou ieet nish ana measured as much
around the girth as the largest oak II was covered
with foliage, aud was noble monument to the grand
old hero that gave II to Mrs. Denny. Continuing Mira
SHE MKT GENERAL wAsnrxGroS
IN Wilmington during the Revolution. reception
given hum by some Of the citizens She a
little girl and he took her up his arms and kissed
her. she was ton young TO remember much about his
manner or bearing but like every one else who lad ever
in contact with that great man, she often
! ward recalled his Kindness TO herself. She had
Thomas Jefferson and remembered his appearance, but
| with hlm She knew Major Bennett well. lie was an
officer in Halls regiment Ho a tall. stately man,
knee Sreeches and buckles lie Was very
/ fond OF knitting stockings | used to show
him how 70 km,-thas Is laugh. him how to widen
was compelled to confess his ignorance; but after
very lucid explanation, such as would enable apt
person TO knit pair Of stockings himself, the writer
! began have dim idea Of what she mcant.) Mrs.
Denny said that on ono occasion Major Bennett knit
A PAIR STOCKINGS THOMAS yEYFERsoS
when he was President but suffered the
Of having Thorn returned to him, jefferson adherng
his innexbIe rule OF not receiving presents while
President OF the United States.
.How things have changed" said the old lady. II
understand now they grow rather indignant n you
DON'T mako thon presenss.'
Mr.. Cummings here took part In tho conversation by
making the statement THAT they didn' receive
MAJOR Bennett WAS subsequently elected Governor Of
the State OF Delaware but aid NOS vo his
term. Mrs. Denny SAID she knew
PxrEn JAQrHTT,
who also belonged to this celebrated regiment He
a small man. Of rather sour temper. There
anecaotc when she young. and shc had no
doubt or the truth OF It, that one occasion MAJOR
Jaquett was sued Tor calling ono oil his nsighbors
thcl--i atow WAS his name rallow recovered dam.
ages him. and The Judge told Jaquctt therc
words hc could have called him upon which
he could have recovered unless he proved special
to write them down. and ever afterward when no met
Tnliow he would pull out his paper, and commencing
the lightning would DAwl out the whole category
until he had driven tho nnfortuLats man out Of his
reacn. MAJOR Jaquct was buried IN the Old Swcdcs'
church In Wilmington, the oldest church, probably. in
the state
me writer subsequently, visited wilmington and
was rewarded with sgnt Of the old church alluded
Dy Mrs. benny Ii buIit 1905 and 1t that
time belonged 10 the uthcsans but has fallen
inlo hands Of the Epscopalahx Il CONSTRUCTED
OF KIND OF puish granite VIII CHI looks as Though il
hat az nj 10 ulxu
covered with ivy. some attention paid 10 archi-
tectural finish IN IT'S constructions. and " PROBABLY
row the most picturesque building In this country.
The interior IS very prsnuso in appearance, and
cords well with It's antiquity. 10 the right d tho
church the tomb OF Major Ja1uott, the savage Old
Revolutionary hero, and Il bears the following nscrip
tion -
sacred to the memory Major JAsuss born 9th
every general enlargement unicr Washington which ieoS
place In Delaware. rennsysan, Sew jersey New iosk
army and with the brave Dc KAib 10
companies reduced 20 two. Of ninesysx each
eapan ma's" lie sasss O. uS
Of Camden siege u ninttyx and battle Of the village
10 under Grsens. an.ii d CosnN
town.
There is another old churcn IN Wilmington on the
main street. Baptist church, IN tho graveyard VI
which PLAN but noat monument 10 the memory OF
COLONEL BEpEoRp
Lieutenant Colonel Of the First regiment raised Del
aware, and Who alter " had been mustered out oi
vice. served on washnatons sian A. the close OF the
delegate the convention which frainsd the constu
ton Of the United States and was tho rst Judge OF the
District Court Of the United States having been mp
pointed 70 that position by Washington.
Mrs Denny, continuing, sait she remembered when
smyrna possessed but 600 700 Inhabitants IN fact
when the town VA not intended 10 DO built
lis present location all, but q mile uftAcr
tho The old LADY spoke Of number OF Celeb
rites OF y date who are foreign 70 the
present purpose. and concluded BY saying:-"Now. a
person GRAND yours should not leave the
ncighbos hood wthcut visit 10 the next place. The
Ter or IN q no
State born, and " you feel any hcsiiaucy assut
going unlimited, old as am viii tsy aud ac-
company you myself"
Tue wrller thanked Mrs Denny TOR her kindnoss
bui insisted that advanced she should not
ineoaycnicnce herself lie thought he could make
bold TO do estate himself. lie then babe adou
20 one OF thu statccst and elegant matrons he
had met expressing tho hope that he might
her ut the Centennial
THOMAS KELSO