National Republican., 1881-07-30
Building permits were granted yestt
MRS. FLORIDA WHITE-BEATTY.
Distinguished Daughter OF Kcntueky
who Once Owned 400 slaves.

Mrs. Ellen Adair Beatty passed through
the city last evening, en- route from Blue Ridge
Springs, Virginia, her accustomed place for spend
ing the summer, to Crnggle Hope, where she Will
spend some time with her niece Mrs. Murray and
family, of Memphis. Mrs. Beatty is remarkable
lady. She is daughter of Governor John Adair,
of Kentucky. At the age of eighteen she married
Joseph NJ. White, of Florida, who was elected TO
Congress from that State and continued to repre-.
sent it at Washington for twelve years wthoute ever
going to the State or even asking the sufirages OF
his constituency. He declined to serve longer be-
fore each election, and finally was allowed to re-
tire the pretext that his wifes health required
a change He then went on
AN IMPORTANT FOREIGN MISSION,
and remained abroad many years, whereby his
gifted and beautiful wife possessed extraordinary
advantages in sharing the honors of dignitares In
church and state. She was honored by private
interview with :he Pope Of Rome fifty years ago
without paying the usual homage of kissing his
toe, and not only did he pledge ever to receive
whomsoever she might see proper to commend and
to remember her In his prayers, but he sent her
some valuable presents, among whichwas an ele-
giant diamond cross, with an exquisite representa-.
tion of the Saviour In amethyst. Mr.. White was a
successful lawyer, and at his death leit an estate
of half million dollars Five years and more
had elapsed after his death when Mrs. I" Florida y
White, as she
WAS KNowS IN WASHINGTON,
married DR.. Beatty, Of New Orleans. He died in
about five years, when she retired to the privacy OF
her estate In Florida. There she remained alone
with her two hundred slaves until the results of
the war made changes necessary. When Mr.. Lin
coin issued the emancipation proclamation she
called them together and explained to them its
import. They readily understood, for she had,
with diligence, taught them to read and write
After the war she returned to Washington, and
has regarded that rs her home since. But for the
kindness of merchants In New York refusing to
send money that she had lent them In time of
peace upon her demand, when the confederacy
was in need she would have aided It, so that at the
close of the war she
WOULD HAVE BEEN PESSILEss.
Although past eighty years of age, she possesses
her faculties quite perfectly. Her memory Is ex.
c1llcnt. When younger she and Mrs. President
Polk were special friends, and last evening" as the
train stopped at Murfreesboro she incidentally re-
marked that q few years ago Mrs Polk reminded
her, while on visit here that the first time they
ever met was at Murireesboro', where Mrs. P. was
raised, when they were both lassies. Little Ellen
AdOir, OF Kentucky, had gone on quite journey
with her uncle Colonel Anderson, father Of Gen
eral Patten Anderson and Butler p. Anderson.
AFTER THE WAR
she busted herself in the building of a Southern
Presbyterian church at Washington, and f,om one
OF her own sacrifices she gave couple of thousand
dollars realized on the sale of her diamond cross.
II was relic that she greatly priced, and she
would not have parted with it; but although she
had educated seventeen children, she was never
mother hence there was no person on whom she
could SO satisfactorily bestow It In giving to her
chufcl,-NQshglle Imericdn 9th Instant