Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-01-08

Her corps of gallants vas as strong 4
a Scottish clan, and contained NOR
chivalry than tho retinue of a feuda
lord. If, as it vas charged, she mar
ried the first time for money, her sec
oad wedding was 10 be an affair o
love. Among her sUitors was a poo
but respectable young lawyer o
Huntsville, Ala, Joseph Acklen. Ii
is not known to the writer whether
Mr.. Acklen had ever formed the &C.
qualntance of a brief or received an
Introduction to a case in court, but in
his maiden speech, though it was
spoken to a widow, he was successful.
1t is said that his engagement ring was
paid for by the lady he had won.
After their marriage they began to
live in regal splendOr. Three children
were born to them, of whom Congress
man Acklen was their Oldest and their
pride. They removed to a still more
beautiful place zeal Nashville, on the
Franklin road. A magnificent man
sion was erected and called Bel
mont" 1t was superbly situated, on
high, commanding ground, a portion
of those conterminous hills stretching
from river to river and inclosing the
handsome city of Nashville. Behind
was the city with its superb and ele-
CANT capital surrounding a central
hill, as if a citadel, and quite as pic
turesque as a Rhenish castle or Athe-
Man acropolis. In front, two miles
distant, stood another range Of hills
stretching from river to river. Across
this valley the battle of Nashville was
fought in December, 1864. While
Sherman was marching down to the
sea the rebel General Hood made a
dash toward Nashville, and drove
General Thomas back upon this SPLEEN
did line of natural fertilization, and
Belmont became General Thomas
headquarters, and thus becomes his
tOrical ground. To describe this SUI
perb home, with all of its elegant sur
rOundings, would require considerable
space. 1t was freely acknowledged
the grandest residence in the South,
and was the Mecca Of all sight-seers.
YOUNG ACKLEN's BIRTHPLACE.
Born and reared at this magnificent
spot, young Acklen had a far happier
lot than usually falls to mortals. His
education was intrusted to the very
best private teachers. He was taken
TO Europe, learned French, German
and Italian travelled and saw strange
lands; he grew up a handsome, urbane
dashing fellow. During the var his
mother remained in Europe with her
children. His father went to Louisi-
ana to look after their plantations.
One of those plantations was situated
up Red river, wher Mr.. Acklen was
cut off from the world by the forces of
General Banks, and where he was tax
en- sick and died.
MARRIAGE NO. 3.
After the war Mrs. Acklen returned
to Nashville a widow for the second
time, still fresh, blooming and attrac-
tive. SuitOrs were not at all back
ward in coming forward" and finally
in 1867, she was married to DR.. Will
liam A. Cheatham, a distinguished
Tennessee physician, whose brother
was the Confederate General Frank
Cheatham and whose first wife was
sister to the wife of General John II.
Morgan, the famous Confederate raider.
Incidental to Mrs. Acklen' history, it
may be told that her crop of cotton
having been seized by the Federal au-
thorities she engaged the legal serv-
ices of General Gideon j. Pillow, of
Tennessee, who recovered for her the
handsome sum IF 81, 000, 1000 in pay
ment for the cotton seized.
HOW ACKLEN REACHED CONGRESS.
As his share of the princely fortune
Congressman Acklen received one of
the Louisiana plantations. After com
pleteing his education in Europe he
also graduated from the Lebanon.
Tenn, Law School, and shortly after
moved to Memphis. He did not prac-
tice his profession long, however, for he
soon became enamored Of and married
to Miss Betsel, whose father was also
rich. His wife only lived about one
year, aud young Acklen moved from
Memphis to his Louisiana plantation.
from which section he was sent to con.
gress.