The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-11-22
" PEG O'NEAL. Z"
DEATH OF THE ONCE FAMOUS
WASHINGTON LADY.
How She Caused the Dismissal of lack
sons Cabinet-A Social Controversy
Which Made Van Buren, President.
MRS. MARGARETT l.. EATON.

Ill which she was conspicuous that, though
she died in the same city where OH her nc
count, fifty years before, a Cabinet had beef
dismissed by an angry President, her cham
pion, her death excited no remark for tn
very reason that her existence had beel
forgotten. Mrs. Margaret L. Eaton wa
eighty-fOur years old at the time of her dealt
and for nearly half Il century of her lif
she occupied prominent place among TIN
celebrities of the national capital Mr.
James Parton says that her father, VIM
O'Neal, kept at Washington for many year.
large old-fashioned tavern where mem Der:
of Congress in considerable mum bers boarded
during the sessions of the National Legis
iSlature. The daughter was sprightly ant
beautiful, and assisted in the entertainment
of the guests of the inn. She was f;lmiliarl,
called Peg O'Neal by the patrons of the
tavern. Says Parton, "a witty, pretty
saucy, attractive tavern keepers daughter
who makes free with the inmates Of hel
fathers house and is made free with by
them, may escape contamination but moi
calumny." Another story of Peg O'NeaE,
origin is that her father was u Southern
gentleman of large means, high social posi-
ton and liberal cultivation. but in all prob
ability Parton was right in attributing Il
Miss O'Neal'S father the vocation of 6
tavern-keeper. At any rate the daughter
while she was yet girl MIS- married to
Mr.. Timberlake, purser in the United
States Navy, and by him she had two chill
dren. While the purser was on his cruises
the wife remained at her fathers inn and
assisted, as she had done during her girl
hood, in the entertainment of the boardcrs
:, SENATOR'S WIFE.
III 1918 when Mai. Thomas II. Eaton
went to Washington rs Senator from Ten.
nessee he boarded at the O'Neal tavern, as
he continued to do for ten years afterwards
OF course he knew Peg O'Neal, then Mrs.
Undertake, very well, rs did also Gen
Jackson, who was an inmate of the tavern
during his Senatorial career Ten years
after Maj. Eaton took up his quarters at the
O'Neals intelligence came that Pursel
Timberlake, who was attached to the Med
iterranean Squadron, had cut his throat
after protracted lehauch During these
ten years of residence beneath the roof OF
the O'Neals, Maj. Eaton had conceived an
affection for the pretty Mrs. Undertake,
and he had so poorly concealed his fondness
as to give cause for public scandal Mai.
1aJ
stories and sought to diSprove them by
marrying the widow 1t is said that he
consulted his friend Gen. jackson on the
subject, who said: "Why, yes, Major; il
marry her by all means, for your marrying
her will disprove these charges and restore
reg g;eeed name"
And so in January, 1879, only few
weeks before jackson arrived in Washing
ton for his first inaugural, Mrs. Timberlake
and Major Eaton was married. Major
was not very much of a man, but he had
Jackson's complete and entire confidence,
Cabinet Secretary of War. But when
Washington society realized hat Peg O'Neal
was to be the wife of Cabinet Minister,
Washington society was indignant and at
once decreed that Mrs. Eaton should he kept
more securely under the ban than ever. As
the wife Of Senator Eaton people had called
on her and she had been invited out very
generally, but it was held that which was
yepial in n Senator's wi fa woS marital in III,
wife of Il Secretary of War. Before there
had been full meeting of Gen. Jackson's
first Cabinet much embarrassment had been
occaSioncd by the refusal of the wives of
the members of the Cabinet to call on or re
ceive Mrs. Eaton. In his impetuous way
General jackson made a personal matter of
Mrs. Eaton's social standing. He even
wrote an indignant note to Mr.. Calhoun,
then President, on tn, subject, but re-
ceived u somewhat uns;l:isi;t, tory reply
from the Carolnian, who made light OF the
affair as a ladies quarrel" Mrs. Donel-
son, the niece of tho President and mistress
Of the White House, while compelled to re-
ceive her positively declined to visit her.
She sail, g I will do anything for you, my
dear uncle, anything but this. l will not
cali upon Mrs. Eaton"
TROUBLE IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
"'Then 60 back 10 Tennessee, my dear, -
was I'll" Presidents reply, ana back to Ten
n&ssce Mrs. numsissn went None of the
ladies al the Cabinet would lave anything
f., ir, with har 49,, i ,rI- ,,,. I,.r ,-,1
lie WAS Il wiluwcr without circumstances,
assisted the President in his ellleavors to
compel society 10 accept Mrs. Eaton ain
fact, says Parton, he political history of
the United State, for the thirty years fol-
lowing the incumbency of Mr. Adains dates
from the moment when the soft hand of Mr..
Van Buren, touched the knocker of Mrs.
Eaton's door,"
To give snMe idea of the manner of the
FRAY. we quote from a Washington ceres
pond"nt of the day:
"a ball and supper were got mp by his
ENcelency the British Minister, Mr.. Waugh
an, 4 particular friend TO Mr.. Van Buren,
After various stratagemS to keep Eellona
(the nickname of Mrs. Eaton) atioat dur
ing the evening, in which almost every
cotillian in which snc made her appearance
was instantly dissolved into its original
elements, she was ut length conducted bv
the British Minister to the head of his table,
where, in pursuance of that instructive
power of inattention to whatever it seems
improper to notice, the ladies seemed not to
know that she was at the table. This ball
and supper was followed by another given
hy the Russian Minister (another old
bachelor.) TO guard against the repetition
of the modification in the spontaneous dis
solution of the cotillions and the neglect of
the ladies ut supper (where you must OBJ
serve none but ladies sat DOWN. Mr.. Van.
Buren, made direct and earnest appeal to
the lady of the Minister of Holland, Mrs.
Huygens, whom he entreated in her own
language to consent to be introduced to the
" accomplished and lovely Mrs. Eaton"
The ball scene arrived and Mrs. Huygens,
with uncommon dignity, maintained her
around, avoiding the advances of Bellona
and her associates until supper was an
nounced, when Mrs. Huygens was in formed
by Baron Krudener, the Russian Minister,
that Mr.. Eaton would conduct her to the
table She defined and demonstrated but
in the meanti:he Mr.. Eaton advanced TO
offer his arm. She ut first objected but to
relieve him from his embarrassment walked
with him TO the table, where she found Mrs.
Eaton seated at the head beside an empty
chair for herself. Mrs. HuygenS had no
alternative hut to become an instrument OF
the intrigue or decline taking supper; she
chose the latter and taking her husband S
arm Withdrew from the room. This was
the ofiense for which General jackson after
wards threatened to send her husband home.
The next scene in the drama was II grand
dinner in the East Room of the palace,
where it was arranged that Mr.. Vaughan
was to conduct Mrs. Eaton to the table and
place her at the side of the President, who
took care, by his marked attentions, to a
admonish all present (about so, including
the principal ofceas of the government and
their ladies) that Mrs. Eaton was one OF