Claiborne guardian., 1880-08-11

(St. Louis Globe DcmocrAt.l

(st. Louis Globe Democrat
One OF the busiest streets to. day
10 st. Louis 10 Fourth. Millions Of
dollars change hands each day in
places Of business fronting on it's
curbstones There are many nota.
ble business houses and localities
Of interest upon Fourth street,
among which it Is only necessary to
mention the Globe. Democrat oflsce,
tho Planters' house, and the court.
boose. II Is, however, bat . few
years, comparatively, since this
great highway of traffic was the
site of the residences of the youug
aristocracy Of st. Louis, who in
those days had no thought of the
great aud prosperous city which
was so0n to spriug up, and, tearing
away their hOmesteads, erect In the
places once occupied by them bnsi.
ness blocks and grand narts of
commerce. II they had thought Of
it they would have bought more
land.
Fourth street 10 historical. There
lived in the years gone by the
Harneys, the Dents, the Russells,
the Beunetts, and many other fam.
iliea, memb~rs of which have since
arrived at distinction. Upon that
street two Of the most notable men
OF the century At present-Grant
aud Hsncock-were married.
In those days. Grant, the great.
eat general of the age. was reRarl.
ed as Of little account, while Gen.
Hancock was extremely popular; in
fact, the curled darling Of st. Louis
society. When old man Dent con-
Rdentially informed bis friends that
be had the most singular sOnin law
in seven States, the Russels we're
immensely proud Of the acquisition
TO their family Of Lieut.. Hancock.
The Rnssels were very high.ioned
people In those days; the Dents,
while eminently respectable, were
not Of the class that wore CLAW.
hammer coats every day, and there
Was probably no memler of the
family who was = good judge Of
extra dry.
A reporter of the Globe Demo
crat dropped around yesterday into
tho Office Of John F. Darby " gen.
tlcman who was living in St. Louis
when the children Of the forest
were begging fine-cut of De Soto,
and requested him to refresh his
memory in regard to those two
notable marriages.
~ remember Grants wedding
WE'LL" said Mr.. Darby. "OId man
Dent met me on Third street, and
asked me to come around, as Julia
was going TO be married to = fellow
named Grant. l knew Grant, and
40 when l got homo l asked my
wife If she wanted to 60 to . we'd.
ding. 'WhoseP said she. Julia
Dent's,' said l; she's going to mar.
rs Q man named Grant Il s'pose
We might as well co. ssys she. II
wasn't much of q wedding. A
Methodist preacher performed the
cersmonyr
ibid they have q wedding tourH"
asked the reporter.
"Well, no; they didn't have any
money, and the walking in those
days wasn't very good, 90 they just
stayed at home.'
"Where was the Dent residencef'
.sCorner Of Fourth and Cerre
Streets
"Tbe way Of it waa,7 coutisued
Mr.. Darby, "young Lewis Dent
went to West Point a. Q cadet.
He there became acquainted with
Grant, and on one Of bis vacations
brought the future general home to
make q visit. He thus became nc.
Quainted with Julia, aud they were
shortly afterward married.
"Was Julia a handsome girlr'
"Well, not particularly" said Mr..
Darby; stroking his chin, reflect
lively, mot particularly"
"Fourth street was not very
busy in those days. remarked the
reporter.
"No; all residences. Stay; there
were a few shops near the court.
house."
"You remember Hanoock's wed.
ding, also, do your
II do, distinctly. 1t was Q uota'
ble event in st. Louis society. The
couple were married by Dr.. Eliot,
The Rassells were Unitarians then
Nearly all VI that ssct were pre-