Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-09-14
BtANNERHAssETT ISLAND.
A Recent Visit by q Register
Correspondent.
81. GEORGE, ". Va, Sept {

Correspondent.
81. GRoRaE, W. Va, Sept 8.
On the afternoon Of August 9th,lssl
the writer in company with W. h. Kel
log9, of Connecticut, and n. ]. Bartlett
Of " est Virginia, left Parkersburg, in
skiff, to visit Blsnnerhsssett island.
From the city the island looks to b
only q few ~furlongs away, but it Is really
more than two miles.
/ found to my surprise that there are
persons who have lived for years within
sight Of the island, and have never
visited it; and, what is more astonish'
ing, know little or nothing Of its his
tory.
The upper end Of the island is covered
with an exceedingly luxurisnt growth
OF vegetation, and it was only after fas'
tening our skiff and walking nearly 9
mile down the dry channel Of the Ohio
on the West Virginia side, that We could
find q path by which We could reach the
interior. Our way was through q series
OF fields, in some of which was the finest
corn | have ever seen in West Virginia
in others there were tomatoes, sweet
potatoes, grapes and watermelons.
On q second terrace, probably sixty
feet above the river, we found, in 6
grove Of locust and sycamore trees, the
sight OF Blannerhassett's mansion. II
is about two hundred yards from the
river, at the famous "landing" where
Burr first set feot on the island.
The original owner Of this island was
Col. P Dovel, of Virginia. He sold it to
Elijah Backus about the time of the
settlement OF the Ohio Company. Her
man Bl-snnerhassett purchased the up.
per part, in 1898, and erected q suberb
dwelling, snow-white and three stories
high, with wings interlocking the trees
on three sides. In the travels OF Ashe,
an Englishman who assembled the Ohio
in 1903, we have a splendid description
of the mansion and the scenery both
natural and artificial which then deco
rated the island, but it Is too long for
quotation.
Blannerhassett was an Irishman by
birth, but came TO America when quite
Dung. He was we'll educated in ali
the departments Of polite learning. His
house was a philosophers cell' on q
grand scale. A complete set OF chemical
and philosophical apparatus occupied
one wing OF his dwelling, while his
library filled a good part Of another. II
We may credit his b~iographer, Howe,
these means Of education were we'll en-
ployed; for, in addition to being fully
yersed in the sciences as they existed in
his day, he was profoundly read In an
Gent and modern literature, and it is
said that he could repeat from memory
the whole Of Homer's lliad in the orlgi.
nal Greek. (See Hiidrith, Am. Pioneer }
He married Miss Adeline Agnew, a
granddaughter of Gen. Agnew, who
figured 80 prominently in Wolfe's cam
paign against Quebec. Mrs. Banner
hassett was scarcely less accomplished
than her husband, but was gayer and
fonder of outdoor exercises, such as
fishing, walking, riding on horseback
and sailing. On n occasion 1t is said
that she walked all the way to Marietta
for the sake OF romance; and, II 1t was
as dusty then as when the writer was
there, she must have had a great love
for the Quixotic. But, fond though she
was OF pedestrian exercises, she was
still more 30 of equestrian. She fire.
ouently rode about, dressed in scarlet,
making her horse leap fences, bitches,
etc.
The most interesting thing in the his.
tory Of this island is It's connection with
Aaron Burr's scheme for the conquest
of Mexico. There are four things in the
history of the United States that have
not been generally understood: First,
the surrender OF Fort Necessity second,
the battle of Point Pleasant; third, the
conspiracy Of Burr. fourth, the battle oil
New Orleans.
Almost everything has been charged
against Burr-even that lie designed
the separation Of the States west of the
Alleshanies from those east, but 1t Is
reasonably certain that no person &C
ouainted with the character OF Burr and
the evidence in the case has ever made
such a charge. What he contemplated
in mis- own mind, Of course, We know
not; but nothing has ever been found to
prove that such was his designs; be-
sides, he was a man OF too much COM
mon sense to think of such an under
taking, and he said On his death bed
that he never contemplated any treason
against the United States. The facts OF
the case, 80 far as connected with this
island, are about thus: In 1906 Aaron
Burr, then sailing down the Ohio, land
ed, unlimited, on the island. The high
offices which he hal lately held, his
fame ss a lawyer and politician, and,
more than all, his fine conversation
recommended him at oncs TO the friend:
ship, and finally to the confidence OF
Blsunerhassett. He remained but a
few days, but soon and frequently re-
turned, and at last p~ursuaded Banner
hassett to join in the enterprise which
was to settle a colony on the Washlts;
and, in case Of wal between the United
States and Spain, then threatening, to
invade and conquer Mexico, OF which
country Burr was to be King and blan-
nerhassett Minister 10 England, etc. Ii
Burr meditated the severing CT the
eastern and western States, Blannerhss'
sett was not aware OF 1t, a the CORE
spondence Of him and his wife Clearly
proves. Blannerhassett loaned money
to Burr on the security OF Burr's son-in'
law, Mr.. Allston, OF South Csrollna;
and Mrs. Allston was q guest OF Mrs
Blannerhassett during the negotiations
In the meantime Blannerhassett wa
building fotilla OF barees near var
eta. The peculiar shape OF these boats
"a well as other circumstances, excltec
the suspicious OF the civil authorities
and Col. Phelps. commandant OF the
militia of Wood county, was commanded
to arrest Blannerhassett. But, before
this could be done, he had gone OF
down the Ohio with his barges loaded