The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-12-28
NEW YORK NOTES.
Story of the Marriage of Daughter
of Commodore Vanderbilt.
Accident to GEN. Grant---Rate- Cat
ting to the Northumberland
Army of the PeOpIe"-Mis-
ceIIaneous Items.

NEW York, Dec. 2s--Among the death
announcements in New York newspaper
several months ago was one of Mrs. Robert
J. Niven, who left several children. On
Tuesday the following appeared among the
marriage notices in newspaper Of this city:
NIvEN-CLARK.-At Frankfort on-Main,
December g. by the Rev. George William
Mackenzie, British chaplain at that city,
Robert ]. Niven to Maria Louise Clark, nee
Vanderbilt of New York city.
Maria Louise Vanderbilt was the fifth
daughter of Commodore Vanderbilt She
married Gen. Horace F. Clark, a lawyer,
and congressman from this state from 1858
to 1861. At the time of his DEATH June 10,
1873, he was president of the Lake Shore
railroad.
During the residence of the Clark family in
Washington they became acquainted with
Robert J. Niven, who was attached to one Of
the departments of the government, became
a member of their family, and resided in the
same house with them in Washington city
for many years. When Gen. Clark re-
turned from Washington city with
his family, Niven accompanied them
and took up his residence with
them at 10 West Twenty second street, where
he remained until some years after Gen.
Clark's death, when both he and Mrs. Clark
left the city and took up their residence in
Paris. Niven had a sister who married Jay
Niven-Hegemen, the druggist, of 755 Broad
way. A daughter of Mir. Hsgemen becaIne
the wife of G. NJ Depew.
Mrs. Clark attended the Rev. Mr. Hutton's
church in West Washington place for some
years. She finally changed to DR.. Adams
church, now DR.. Parkhursts in Madison
square. A gentleman who was unknown to
most of the members of the church was
almost Invariably her companion in
her visits to this place of worship,
and those who became acquainted with him
learned that ne was Niven. He prospered
after his arrival in New York, and was as.
ISOLATED with the Nanderbilts in prominent
| enterprises, and Lis name appeared as the
secretary of the New York & Harlem rail
road, of which Cornelius Vanderbilt was
president and Cornelius Vanderbilt, Jr.,
treasurer. 1t was known to a few that
Nivcn had family from which he had been
| separated during the years of his residence
| with the Clark family.
| On Gen. Clal1s death Cornelius Wander
| bit took charge of the affairs Of the Lake
| Shore railroad, which were somewhat com
! plicated and Of his interests in the Union
Trust company, and made handsome prop
erty for the widow. On the commodore
| death, Mrs. Clark became neir to $50U, 600
| which her brother, W. H. Vanderbilt, in
/ + eased to 81, OOJ,000
| Mrs Clark AID Niven have lived fol
/ several years in Paris, where Mrs Clark has
recently built a magnificent residence in one
of the finest parts of the city! Many New
! Workers have met bIrs. CLARK in Paris, and
| have diiicd with her They Invariably me;
| Niven at these dinners, ard he was considered
a member Of the family. Mrs. Clark had one
/ daughter, who married MIR Collins, the sol
\ of dry-good merchant in this city Mrs
| Collins was divorced from her husband ant
married an Englishman from whom it is re
parted she has since been separated. 1t il
said that Mrs. Clark aud her daughter have
not been On speaking terms for several years
Many explanations have been given of tn,
cause Of Mr. Niven's first taking up his resi-
deuce with the Clarks in Washington City
One was that he nursei Gen. Clark through
a sickness of smallpox, and that the genera
took him into his family through gratitude
Mr. Niven is said to be a lawyer by profes