National Republican., 1880-08-23
PArRIoK nENRrs GRANDDAU AUGHTER
A Descendant OF the Great virginia Orator
In sickness and Distress

A Descendant OF the Great virginia Orator
In sickness and Distress.
The attention Of few persons in this city
has been called within the past few days TO
the fact, which Is not creditablo to our char
actor US anation, that the great-granddaughte
Of Patrick Henry is now lying her residence
in this city sick helpless and in distressed
circumstances pccuniariy. The city papers
few days ago published the funeral notice of
Mrs Susan l. Henry, widow of Patrick Henry,
the grandson Of the great American orator, to
whom more, perhaps, than to any other man,
does the country owe its freedom and distinct
national existence. A momcntary interest
was felt in the departed lady as one connected
with tho grandest orator Of modern times, but
the Interest ttlt was transient, and, perhaps
went no deeper han feeling Of curiosity
The fact, however that the departed lady left
a daughter In Washington, aud that that
daughter Is sick in bod, pcnuilcss and
substantially flicudlcss, will awaken the deep
interest Of the community If there be left in
us amy reverence for the memory Of the great
revolutionary giant, who has bceu ftly termed
the Tongue Of ;he Revolution
Hearing Of the illness and distress Of Mrs
Ilcury's daughter n representative of THE
NATIONAL EEpUEIICAS called at No. 20 ID
street northwest and was shown into the room
Of MIS-. Emma Young the daughter Of Mrs.
Susan Henry aud greut.grandduughtcr of
Patrick. Mrs Young was confined 10 her bed
from sickness, complication Of disorlcrc,
aud 1t required not much medical skill to
diagnose her case as one arising in great part
from trouble and mental anxiety. Mrs.
loung's circumstances were at once
seen to bo straitcued ones, although
the air Of nCatuGss aud rChucmcut
that hung over all things at once pro-
claimed that the lady occupant Of the room
had seen better days. Mrs. Noung's weak
voice and helpless condition att,stcd the ST.
verify of her illness aud awoEo the sym.
pathy of her visitors. 1t was a delicate mat
ter for stranger to seek TO learn concerning
the personal history of one who was evidently
lady, and n lady Of refinement aud culture.
But the feeling that the great-grauddaushte hter
of Patrick Henry was, in some measure be-
cause of her ilustrious ancestry, ward of the
nation, entitled because of her great relative 5
services to the country TO some reeoJ-
uitiOn on the part of the government, I'M
pcled the reporter TO ask questions which
under other circumstances he would have
| considered imperlncnt. He learned that Alrs.
| Susan | Henry, tho lady who died week ago,
| was the widow OF Patrick Henry, a grandson
| of the illustrious orator; that Mrs. Emma
| Young, the sick lady before him, was hci
| daughter, and consequently the great grand
| daughter of the famous Nirginian. One sister
| is in the insane asylum, and one living IN
| Utica, Kan. Mr.. Patrick Henry, the younger
/ was, during the war, union man within the
| rebel lines, and suffered consequently the los,
| of all his property. The war indeed broke
| him up, After the war the family moved tc
| Washington, where { he father died some seven
| years ago aged ii0y-eight years The hus
| band Of Mrs. Young herself died sono tive
| years ago, leaving her with little girl lIei
mother part Of the time was employed IN the
| agricultural department., hut the work was not
| constant They car fully husbanded tho little
| they had, but Mrs. Young failure to obtain en-
ployment kept them from adding to that little
ana hence careful as they were il went Sick
ness came, with all its evils and troubles and
finally Mrs. Henry died. The little gir is JUS
| getting over a long spell OF illness, and Mrs
| Henry, sick aud feeble for weeks, gave way
| when her mother died and is now in bed undcl
medical treatment Her means are entirely
| exhausted She has no relatives in Washing
| ton on whom 10 rely aud her case Is one which
appeals to the sympathy of the nation. Nov
here is a lady OF education, of character aU(
| refinement, connected by blood with some o
the best families Of Virginia a lineul dc
sceudant Of one of the principal, if not tn
principal, actors in the revolution, VIII
| by the visitation of God has bec
deprived Of husband father and mother,
| sick, pennilCss, anxious TO obtain employ
mcnt aud hitherto unsuccessful. She is
member of prominent episcoValiun churc
| III lnla CITY, WHICH ms seemed 10 neglect =
to forget altogether this iady's fOrlOrn cor
dtion. This Is Il case which, under the eli
cumstauccs calls for the prompt recognitio
of friends. Is there not room in the COY
crnmont Offices in Washington somewher
for tho great granddaughter of PGtric
Henry? There are hundreds Of persons Ct
joying departmental situations who have pt
thousandth part Of the right to such 81
uation as has this lady, who in addition hi
, suffered the loss of property and world
means by tho devotion Of her male prote
tors TO the cause of tho union,
would seem that Nirginians, who a
reputcd to have 80 much state pride, and a
: so fond of the memory of their illustrioI
orator, would not care to have it known tn
descendant Of their famous orator shou
thus need friends and he compelled to fin
them outside Of tue state Of whose fame IN
great.grlndMther is one of the most brlliat
: parts At any rate it is hoped that Mrs. Your
may ilud in her hour Of grief and troub
many active and practically sympathct
friends.