, 1879-01-06
CONGRESSMAN ACKLEN,
A Brief History OF Early Life and TRIMMING
--Fffs Mothers Three hfatttages-fIow the
Tennessee Bclls Caught = millionaire.
llfresrondeacA NAip fofk Lt1dld.


EvAssvlLtE, Ind, Jan. 1.-Shakspeara says,
"sume arc born great, son1o achteyc grentness
md son,e hAyc greatness thrust upon thcm."
Tho readers OF the Herald have probably Judged
for themselves under which category cpn,es thu
name OF Congressman Acklen, Of Louisiana,
whose exploits Just now arc tilliuR tho public
prints anl arc rolled cut 30 trippingly on the
tou0uo Of tho sensatIol-lovtng public. The EN-
iuens social relations uf Mr. Aeklcn, particularly
In the South, rcuder hls case peculiarly inter-
estinG. Indeed, there are many iucidonta nsso-
c!ateA with Mr. Acklens social history which,
though bcastng no relation to his recent
adventures, may Jet 10 told a. a part
u tho romantic history OF most romantic
.yonnx man. Mr.. AckIen Ia a young mau,
scarcely more than g, and is native of NASH
Vile, Tenn, born literally amid pleasure and
places" lie has been tho especial pct OF
!vssnne, ano s lte ~. nne ot sasc c.e9anse snd
Dr. Carathatn, OF Nashville. was form1Ely Miss
Adellca Hays, whose nephew, ], Atldtson Hays,
OF MeHpbts, n6out ono year elncr married tho
daughter Of Jelerson Davis, President VI tbs
In order, however, to clearly set forth Mr.
Aeklcn's connection wilh other prominent
iiam!cs, IL WY bo ,,.ce:saty to rov!yo BIT OF
trroirc.~ Her matrimonial events number
tbrec. First, sbc was tho wills Of Mr. franklin,
OF Tcnneaseo; socond, Of Joseph Acklet, Sr.,
Ct Huntsyille, An; anl third, Of Dr., William
a. Ehcnthan,, OF Nashville. The history Of her
life reads somethInEllke ROMANCE. About forty
years ago there lived In sumner County, Ten
tesscc, twenty miles north Of Nashville, an In
mcnscly wealthy old bachelor named Efnukliu.
cotton-p1antations In Mississippi. two sugar.
plantations III Louisiana, aud moro than l,OJD
negro slayes. Ills place Of residence, Fairfield.
was q iardly manor ot several huudrel blue
vi f.&1, L.
and running brook 1t baI1 4 magnificent park,
stocked With herbs OF buffalo anti deer. The
stables wcro filled With blue. e.bioodcd nags, tat
cattle trowsetl fn it, 1slos. and imported oecn-
Held mansion waa quite H. keepIug With nll its
beautiful surroundings: splendid art-gatcrlc1 Of
choice works. librares stocked with mental o3u-
Icuec, while statues, fountains, hikes, arbors+
Ern,1nls, and completed the picture OF wh!rh
thcsu words arc but rough outline. Thu owner
Of ~ this was benevolent hearted ,g!nerolas-
soued oil gentleman. man OF varied accom-.
oouthcrn planter OF flush times, hospltablc,
genial. md phIlanthtop,c, whose doors were al.
WAYS swung a1ar for the coming guest.
uSS sy a ps{ t1s 81 s pspr psSs from
among thcm was. Miss Hays, sinca mother 70
Congressman Ack!on, VIII 1T that time was
beautiful and v!yactous belle Of tho Tennessee
canttal. Mr. Franklln wa abAent bus hts
the rare sight OF butfalochhae and u
lrcr.hlnt; the maItsc d'hotel net out
most bountitul spreaa, and the hours,
though brief, were rosy, Bsforc leaving.
each lady and gentleman was requested
to rcgIater IN the rccept!on-roon.,-an ec.e,,-
tFicity Of Mr.. franklin beng autographs. Pect-
" Miss Hays thought t. capital fun to place
oppostte hcr delicate chirokrapl,y scntenee
Old bachelor" It worked like charul 1t wus
khc turn Of the t!o In thu affairs Ut Miss Hays.
bachelor Franklin. hitherto invulncmbia to
Cupas arrows, was struck In y tender smt by
tllo fcathcrcd daEt,-thu gay :oosa tlull 1T AtisS
llays- 4 brief c0t1rlshp, 4 grxlMl wrttdnls, untl
stsss flaYs lxcatuo Mrs fransllll, and the inia-
trcss TOO, VI FartlcId's brtal ucrcs util It's cou-
comitants. Two or thrco cAlillrcM blrsaeI tho
tho hDilsoho!d snu III tho cuurau uf q few yrars
clainlrt AZ ls own eac!. of tho bab.s, ~ wnH u
..nillionatre Franklin hfnse!t. thus leaving =
hluuinlnE young widow "rtel, ~ erpeH mud y
all llu Membranes whatever.
Mrs. Franklin had money II, s5.end, money to
lend. money IL give away. Her rut,As of pal-
lants VIVA u.s. strong a. Scottish claal, and con
tulheA mora c!lsalty tnan ths rettnur ii feudal
luru. II, A. It was charged. ahu married tile rst
tttne for money, her secuDd Wedding was tn Ia
"A affair Of love. Among hor suitnrs NAs q
lloor but respectable youn: lawyer Ut Hunts
tile writer whether ar. Acklcn had eyer turn,rl
thu acquaintance of brief. or received III Intro
ducttoa 10 a case in court, but III biz unaiden
apcGrll. Though " was elaRen 10 NluDK. siu
was SUCCESSFUL 1t ii said that ilis engagement
ring VIVA paid for by the ln.ly iIo had won. A.
tor thear marriage they began to lt7u In regul
splcndof Ebrra eniIdrCn Wers boru to tAcnl,
Ut whom Congressman Acklen was thsIr cliest
and their prldc. Thcy removed to still nlnru
beautiful piAre near Nashville, un the Franklin
road. A. nlsxntIlcen. tnanslon WA ercctci
aDd called hcltaunt." II Hua, Supcrbly stu.
etsl, OF ht:h, commanding grolnd,-a portion
VI those ctIaru1tnE VunttrllliIDua hills stEutrh-
Ing fruu river to river, aud inclusiux the band
so.ne City OF N1shvtll=, BehJud WAY ths city
With It's suhsrb ana elegant C4plto! 4uF1nountlux
Z gcntral hill us IL y eitudel, aud quite i. jtcs
ures4ur as 1tcnish cLstle Or Att,Gnlan acrun-
ats. In frput. two niles distant, sttx,d auother
ra,lgs vi hills stretching fson river u, river
Aerus1 this valley Lie battle vi Nashyiltc wa>
fought In December, 1851. While Sherman WAS
MarlllnR luwn to tlie sen the Rebxl lien. HaL
nude dash toward Nashville. s,:i dsoss ten
Thomas bark upon ths splendid line nf natural
fertilization. anu Belmont became nul,. 1hou,ss'
headquarters, suu thus oueones A!sttktvai
ground. 10 describe lhls ku4s1lt hoMr. with
I'LL Vi It's ctgANt surroundings. vnut,! to u tta
considerable spare. 1t wus Freely acknowledged
tha gr4t1acst rsht4eliru III this Aonth, uuu was
ttlc -It:ta Vi atl sKAtsegrs.
born aud FuiseA Ut lhiA magnificent spot.
young Arklen bad faF ha, ,,ptrr kut tnan usually
ialis IL moEtais. Ills education wes inlFusted
10 thr Vo:y best private <ea:hcrs. liz Vas taken
to Europe, lcarucd krenrn, 4usnan, and ltat,sn;
Travelled ant saR strange lands. As grew up !