Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-01-08
CONGRESSMAN ACKLEN.
Brief History Of His Early Life and
Tralning---hrs. Acklen's Marriages
---HOw the Tennessee Belle
Caught a Millionaire.
ny. Herald Evansyills Letter.

Shakespeare says Some men are
born great, some achieve greatness
and some have greatness thrust upon
them" The readers of the Herald
have probably judged for themselves
under which category comes the name
Of Congressman Acklen, of Louisiana,
whose exploits just now are filling the
public prints, and are rolled out so
tripplingly on the tongue of the sensa-
tion-loving public. The eminent So
cial relations of Mr.. Acklen, particu-
larly in the South, render his case
peculiarly interesting. Indeed there
are many incidents associated with
Acklen's social history which, though
bearing no relation to his recent ad-
ventures, may yet be told as a part of
the romantic history of a most roman
tic young man, Mr.. Acklen is a young
man, scarcely more than eight and
twenty, and is a native Of Nashville,
Tenn, born literally mid pleasure
and palaces" He has been the espe-
cial pet of fortune, and his life one Of
ease, elegance and luxurious leisure.
His mother, at present Mrs. DR..
Cheatham, of Nashville, was formerly
Miss Adelicia Hays, whose nephew, j.
Addison Hays, of Memphis, about
three years since, married the daugh-
ter of Jefferson Davis, president of
the late Confederacy.
MRS. ACKLEN's TRIPLE MARRIAGE.
In order, however, to clearly set
forth Mr. Acklen's connection with
other prominent Southern families, it
will be necessary to revive a bit of
history, in which Mr.. Acklen's moth
er is the heroine. Her matrimonial
events number three. First, she was
the wife of Mr.. Franklin. of Tennes-
see; second, Of Joseph Acklen, ST..
of Huntsville, Ala, and third, of DR..
Willism A.. Cheatham, Of Nashville.
The history Of her life reads some-
thing like a romance. About forty
years ago there lived in Sumner coun-
ty, Tenn, twenty miles north of Nash
vile, an immensely wealthy old bach
elor named Franklin. He was the
richest man in tennessee, owned tWU
cotton plantations in Mississippi. two
sugar plantations in Louisiana, and
more than one thousand negro slaves.
His place Of residence, Fairfield, was
a lordly manor of several hundred
bluegrass acres, and rich in hill and
vale and lawn and running brook. Il
had a magnificent park stocked with
herds Of buffalo and deer. The stables
were filed with blue-blooded nags. fat
cattle browsed in its fields and import
ed occupants bleated in its cosey
sheepfolds. The Fairfield mansion
was quite in keeping with all its beau
tiful surroundings. Splendid art gal
leries Of choice works, libraries
stocked with mental ~opulence, while
statues, fountains, lakes. arbors. rustic
bridges and Conservatives adorned
the grounds and completed the picture
of which these words are but a rough
outline. The owner Of all this was a
beneyolent-hearted, generous-souled
old gentleman, a man Of various ac-
complishments and thorough culture.
a typical Southern planter Of flush
times, hospitable, genial and philan-
thropic, whose doors were always
swung ajar for the coming guest.
HOW MISS HAYS CAUGHT A NIL
L1ONAIRR.
One day a gay party of young people
from Nashville visited the abode Of
the bachelor, and among them was
Miss Hays, since mother to congress
man Acklen, who at that time was a
beautiful and uyacious belle of the
Tennessee capital. Mr.. Franklin was
absent, but his lodge-keeper accommo-
dated the visitors with the rare sight
of a buffalo chase and a deer hunt
the maitre d'hotel set out a most
bountiful spread, and the hours.
though brief, were rosy. Before leav-
ing each lady and gentleman was re-
quested to register in the reception
room, an eccentrioity Of Mr.. franklin
being autographs. Pretty Miss HAYS
thought it capital fun to place oppo-
site her delicate chirography a SEN
tence s%ignifying her intention to set
her cap for the old bachelor. 1t
worked like a charm. 1t was the turn
of the tide in the affairs of Miss Hays.
Bachelor Franklin, hitherto inyulner-
able to Cupid's arrows, was struck in
a tender spot by the feathered DART
the gray goose quill Of Miss Hays. A
brief co%urtship, a grand wedding, and
Miss Hays became Mrs. Franklin, and
the mistress, too, Of Fairfeld's broad
acres and its concomitants. Two or
three children blessed the union, but
the angel Of death looked in upon the
household, and in the course Of a few
years claimed as his own each Of the
babes. as we'll as millionaire Franklin
himself, thus leaving a blooming young
widow ''rich as creek mud, and no
encumbrances whatever.
MARRIED TO JOSEPH AcKLEN.
Mrs. Franklin had money to spend,
~ lonJ mnnav IN 0IVa nuou