The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1882-12-17


Soon after the close of the Revolutionary
family as private secretary aud tutor OF Georgew
ana Eleanor Parke Custisa young gentleman from
Portsmouth, H., Tobias Lear who had gradu-
ated from Harvard College In l7s3. Col. Lear was
the son of Tobias Lear, retired captain and tho
owner OF very large farm near the Wentworth
Hotel at Newcastle. In the october and November
numbers OF the Granite MDnthiy we fnd a genealogy
of the Lear family, and many historical remlnis-
cences by Hon. T. l.. Tuloch, now postmaster Of
this city, native OF New Hampshire, from which II
appears that the ears were old family In Ports.
mouth, dating back to 1856 II not further aud were
related to the sherburnes, angdons, and other dis
tinguished people of that town.
After leaving college Col. Lear went abroad and
spent some time in Europe, where he acquired u
knowledge OF the French aud other modern languages
GEN. Washington, as is well known, placed unlimited
confidence in Col Lear, who remained in his family
for fourteen years. and was at Mount Vernon In
December, 1893, when the General died. lie was an
accomplished gentleman, of courty manners and
wrote with facility whatever topic might present
Itself to his attention lie the author of the first
book on the District OF Columbia, printed in New
York In l793-two copies which the posses sion
of MIR. Wineberger, the we'll known book collector of
this city. Col. Lear an especial favorite with
Mrs. Washington, two of whose nleces he married;
his first wife, daughter of Col. Plerse Long, OF
Portsmouth, having died in 1902 OF yellow fever In
Philadelphia, leaving an only son, Benjamin Lincoln
Lear, who died Of cholera In this city In 1882. Lincoln
Lear was an eminent lawyer of high character Ills
first wife was sister OF Commodore Morris, his second
daughter of Col. BOmtord, Chief of Ordnance U.
s. A. After the death of Mr.. Lear this lady married
the celebrated Richard Derby of Boston an eccentric
man OF fashion.
During the administration of Fillmore the widow
of Col. Lear was frequent guest at the evening re-
ceptions at the White House; beautiful old lady,
wearing her own white harlan unusual thing for
ladies In those days-and with the air and manner of
duchess, like Mrs. Gales aud Mrs. Pleasanton.
Her maiden name Frances Dandrldge Henley,
niece of Mrs. Washington and sister of Capt. John
ID. Henley, of the Navy Col. Lear had previously
married another niece Of Mrs. Washington, Frances
daughter of Col Barwell Bassett, of Virginia. and
widow OF Col. George Augustine Washington, who
died In l7s3-a nephew OF the General
Col. Lear has been charged by the biOgrapheIs of
Washington with abstracting from his papers after
his death certain correspondence between himself and
Mr.. Jefferson and transmitting the to the
ter, by whom 1t destroyed To prevent any knowl-
edge OF Its contents from becoming a matter of his
tory And 1t alleged that for this service was
rewarded by MIR. jefferson with the place of Consul
General at st. Domingo in 1902, and that of Consul
General at Alglers in 1901, which he held for eight
years, when he returned home and was appointed by
Mr.. Madison accountant of the War Department.
He died in 1916 by his own hand in the Writ
House, - street. between Seventeenth and Eigh-
teenth streets. Ills military title came from his ap-
pointment by Washington in 1898 military secre-
tary the acceptance by the General of post
Commander in Chief of the Provisional Army.