The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-04-23
ONE WOMAN'S EVENTFUL LIFE.
Career Of the American Girl Who Mar
rietl Napoleon sonnparte's Youngest
n,1f

career OF Tie american "hA WIN pAAsA
riei Napoleon Bonnparte's Youngest
Brother.
The. New York 1Tiban,c has IN ex-
tended biographical notice bf tile lite
Madame Patterson Bonaparte, from
which we quote,
Mrs. Elizabeth Patterson was born at
Baltimore in the year 1885. She was the
daughter of William Patterson, son of
n farmer in Donegal county, Ireland.
Her father, at the age of fourteen years,
was sent to Philadelphia, and employed
in the counting-house Of Samuel Jack
son. He was q born money-makcr,
during the Revolution trading to France
and bringing back cargoes of gunpow-
der and arms. lie soon acquired a
arge fortune. Miss Patterson was re-
markable for the beauty of her person,
for her intellectual powers, fascinating
manners and uncommon wit. In 1903,
Jerome Bonaparte, then in command OF
a French frigate, landed in New York.
He was, as the brother of Napoleon l.,
hospitably received. While at Balti-
more he met Miss Patterson, fell in
love with her, and on Christmas eve,
1903, he married her, with the entire
consent of her ambitious father. though
her mother had grave misgivings of the
prudence of the alliance. The ceremony
was performed by Bishop Carroll Of the
r. c.. Diocese Of Baltimore. At Wash
ington, whittier jerome, with his wife,
proceeded, they attracted much atten-
ton. Aaron Burr wrote Of her as ga
charming little woman" Meanwhile
there was wrath in Paris. Napoleon, as
the head of the family, was exceedingly
exasperated ut his brothers American
alliance, and gave orders that NJ. jerome
and his wife should be permitted to
land at no port controlled by the French
government. Notwithstanding this,
they set sail from Philadelphia, but before
reaching the capes were shipwrecked.
Again, in few weeks, they embarked
for Lisbon. Here she was left on board the
vessel, by Jerome, who went to Paris to
make, if possible, his peace. He did not
find it possible. Napoleon refused to
recognize the marriage. Madame Bona
parte went to Amsterdam, but there she
was met by Napoleon's order forbidding
her to land. She then sailed for England,
and took up her residence at Camberwell,
where her only child, Jerome Napoleon
Bonaparte, was born on the 9TH Of July,
1905. Two months after she sailed for
the United States. Her reception was
not n very gracious one. Her father re-
fused to pay the income stipulated in
her marriage settlement, upon the
ground that the First Consul had nullified
the union. The marriage of Jerome with
the Princess Frederick. of Wurtemberg,
soon followed. He is said to have offered
his discarded wife the .principality of
Smalcand, with an annual income of
$40, 900, her reply being: "Westphalia,
no doubt, is q considerable kingdom,
but not large enough to hold two
queens" The reply pleased Napoleon
who directed the French minister at
Washington to intimate his desire to
serve her. She replied: "Tell the em-
peror am ambitious; 1wish to be made
u duchess of France" 1t is said that
the emperor promised to confer this
rank upon her, but offered Immediately
a gross sum of $4,000, with life an
nuity of $4,000. This she accepted,
"pr0ud to be indebted to the greatest
nan of modern times" She stipulated,
however. that the receipts for payment
should be signed by her Us Elizabeth
Bonaparte." TO this the emperor ac-
ceded, and until his dethronement the
annuity was regularly paid. Her hus.
band was angry because she refused aid
from him and accepted it from his
brother, but she merely retorted that she
preferred shelter beneath the wing of
an eagle to suspension from the .pinlon
of goose" The submission of Jerome
to the unreasonable commands of his
brother were amply rewarded. He re.
ceived 4 high command in the navy of
France and showed himself q competent
officer. In 1906 he was made q briga-
dier-general in the army, and in 1907
was created King of Westphalia.
Nine. Bonaparte applied to the Mary
land Legislature for Il divorce, which
was granted without difficulty. Her
motive for taking this step is not easily
comprehended. The pope had refused
to annul IL marriage which had received
the open sanction of the church. The
social position of Nine. Bonaparte had
never been in the least compromised by
her domestic misfortunes.
When the Bonaparte government was
overthrown Nine. Bonaparte visited
Paris, where, as she was still beautiful,
and had lost nothing Of her social ac-
complishments, she attracted attention
and was favorably received in the best
circles. Only once did Nine. Bonaparte
meet Jerome after the separation. 1t
was in the gallery of the Pitt palace, in
Florence. The princess was leaning on
the arm Of her husband. He started on
recognizing Nine. Bonaparte, and whis-
percd to the princess: "That lady is my
former wife" The next morning lie left
Florence. She had only said on meeting
lin, "It is Jerome" Mime. Bonaparte
was received ut the court of Florence
with special distinction, and was so
kindly met upon her presentation to the
duke and duchess that she nearly burst
into tears.
Since her return from Europe, Nine.
Bonaparte resided in Baltimore. She
appears to have exercised thrift in the
management of her money matters, for,
with IN income not very large, she
amasscd 4 handsome fortune. Her son,
jerome Bonaparte, was educated ut
Harvard College, from which institution
he was graduated in 1926. He after
ward studied law, but did not practice.
He married, ut in early age, Miss Susan
Mary Williams, of Roxbury, Mass, a
lady of large fortune. This, with his
own acquisitions, made him one of the
richest citizens Of Baltimore. He was
much devoted 10 the management of his
estates, and to agricultural pursuits.
He was on terms of intimacy with his
father, from whom he received - stated
income. lie visited the French court
during the reign of Napoleon III. \
family council decided in favor of his
assuming the name of Bonaparte, but he
was not to be regarded us belonging to
the imperial family. The French courts
refused to recognize his legitimacy. lie
was never haturnlizcd in the United
States, but always regarded himself as II
French citizen. lie died in Baltimore,
June II, 1870. His son, Jerome Ma
polcon, born in 1882, was graduated ut
West Point in 1852, and became IN
officer in the French army in 1854, scrv-
ing in the Crimca with distinction, and
being decorated for gallant conduct by
the Sultan Of Turkey. Another son.
Charles Joseph, is Il rising member of
the Baltimore bar.
The latter years of Nine. Bonapartc were
unmarked by any important events. She
lived to see the imprrio' family with
which she had connected herself Il second
time bunishrd from the throne of France.
and any dreams Of the future greatness
of her descendants must have been long
ago dissipatrd. She employed herself.
it is said, in writing her memoirs. From
1887 to 1911, she spent her summers ut
Rockaway, where she is reported to have
been the" gayrst of the guy" AT Balti-
,,,,,, uln livnl ,,nrv vinn1y IN :. ,lowu