The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-11-08
RICH WIDOWS IN NEW YORK.
The Women Who Have Plenty of Money. but
No Husbands.
Sew YORK Correspondenee Hartford Post.

New York Correspondence Hartford Post.
New York at present contains a number
of rich widows, who, though now out of
town, are still within our direct line of
population. One of these is Mrs. Paran
Stevens, widow of the opulent landlord.
The latter was of New England birth, and
had rare faculty for bookkeeping. He
had several establishments of this kind in
the Eastern cities, and made them profit
able while other landlords failed. In 1856
he became interested in the erection of a
large house, of which Amos r. Emo was
proprietor. and which has become widely
known as the Fifth Avenue Hotel Here
he was remarkably successful, and at his
death his estate was upward of a million.
Mrs Stevens in view of her great wealth.
was soon received into good society, but
did not reach the highest tone until she
succeeded In dining the Russian Prince
who was here with his fleet. This was a
wonderful feat, and occasioned great dis
satisfaction with many old families. who
were annoyed at the rapid advance of a
parvenue. Mrs. Stevens, like Mrs Leo
Hunter lin Pickwick carried off the prize,
and the Duke escorted her daughter
to the theatre. and she after
ward married British fortune-hunter,
who gave her title in exchange for the
money her father made in tavern keeping.
Mrs. Stevens is row at Newport, and
under all these circumstances is received
into the best circles.
MRS. a. T. STEWART.
This woman, who is the richest widow
in the union, is native of this city, and
was born in humble life Her brother, the
late Charles Clinch. considered himself for
tunate TO get berth in the custom house,
where he gradually became an expert and
was retained longer than any other official
She married Stewart while he was keeping
petty retail store, and they began house
keeping under very humble circumstances
When Stewart got on in the world one of
the indications was found in the fact that
he and bis wife took board at the Astor
House. which tEen was the finest hotel in
the city. Mrs. Stewart now occupies the
grandest private mansion, with but one ex-
ception, in America, which during her
visit to Saratoga is in the care of family
of trusty servants. The apartments for the
latter, indeed, are more elegant than any
thing the Stewards had during the first ten
years of their married life
RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATIONS.
Mrs. Stewart has for many years beel
member of st. Marks church but she was
kept on such short allowance by her hus-
band that she could not assist in any of
the benevolent operations OF the society.
Her parsimony at last became proverbial,
but it is now evident that it was solely due
to the hard-hearted husband. Since his
death she has shown some liberality. though
by no means to that extent which might
have been expected Mrs. Stewards prop
erty is estimated at $10,000,000, not in
GLIDING the palace she occupies, which
cost a million. The taxes on this building
were last year $4,000, and this year may
be trifie less. Mrs. Stewards pastor |
(Rylance) recently visited England, of |
which country he is native. He could |
there'mention the remarkable fact that |
lady in his congregation was engaged in |
building a cathedral as q monument for |
her husband. Such things have seldom |
been DONE even in the old world.
THE CoNfMoDoRE's WIDOW.
This lady is the youngest of all the rich |
widows, and has thus far had the best /
chance. Her life has been somewhat event
full, She is an old acquaintance of the
Vanderbilts, and was married early, but |
not happily. According to report, she OBJ
tanned a divorce, and then supported her
self teaching music. During the war she
was in the south. and was aided pecunia
rily by the Commodore. At its
close she came north, and, as
the Commodore soon afterward be