The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1883-01-06
Blennerha seettss Isla nd.
Richard E, Fast. in the West Va School JOurr

! faSt, III inc W est SShooi Joufnai.
The Island of Blennerhassett, stu
ated in the Ohio River about two
miles below Parkersburg, has doubt
less attracted more attention from
tourists and readers of history than
any other part of West Virginia soil.
The story connected with this
island surpasses in interest anything
that has heretofore been written con-
corning our State. The romance
which attaches to the narrative is suf-
fieient to enlist the interest of those
who read for pleasure alone. 1t is
one of those stories in which the sun
shine and shadow of life are wildly
portrayed, mingled with fallen great
ness and blighted fame.
The original owner of this romantic
island was Col. p. Devoll, of Virginia.
About the time of the settlement of
the Ohio Company he sold it to Eli
jah Backus, who, in 1898, disposed
of the upper half of it to Blenner-
hassett.
Herman Blennerhassett was de-
scended from wealthy and distin-
guished Irish family. He was born
in England while his mother was there
on visit. His education was begun
in England, but he returned to Ire
land and entered the University of
Dublin, where he graduated. While
yet a student at Dublin, he studied
law, to the practice of which he had
to resort for living after the ruin of
his fortune in America. Being in
principle republican, and disliking
over Ireland by England, he sold his
estates, and, embarked for America,
landed in New York, where he was
received into the wealthiest and most
distinguished families. He was a
man who possessed rare intellectual
attachments, and the refinements of
taste and manners. He was possess
ed Of a tenacious memory, and could
repeat, it is said, the whole of Homer's
Had in The original Greek. While
he lived on the island, he owned q
valuable and we'll selected library, a
chemical laboratory and p.lilosopl,i-
cal instruments. He was married to
Miss Alkaline Agnew, a grand daugh-
ter of General Agnew, who fought
with Wolfe on the Plains of Abraham,
before the City of Quebec. Mrs.
| Blennerhassett was very beautiful
and highly accomplished. She was
gay, dressy. a graceful dancer, chaste
IN conversation, agreeable and pleas
ant in society, pure and upright in
her motives, fond Of exercise, and
splendid and daring rider. Her rid
ing habit was scarlet: and she was
accustomed to make her horse leap
fences and bitches without unseating
his fair and graceful rider.
The home which Blennerhassett
had made for himself and family, re-
minds one Of some enchanted land.
Nature had decorated the island with
trees and shrubs, and flowers of every
kind and perfume. Nor were the
feathered songsters wanting to war
bic their sweet melodies in the groves
at morning and evening. From the
| vi tllC IolduN. ullC HIS UcN O1ti
the Ohio, gently undulating toward
the west, were visible On the east
were seen the historic hills of Virginia
rising up in their majestic grandeur.
Casting the eye down from these
scenes of hill and vale, the beholder
looked upon the "beautiful river"
flowing almost noiselessly, with
scarcely q ripple breaking its surface,
along the borders of the island. Add
ed to all these charms which nature
had given, were all that wealth and
art could procure to render home
pleasant and life enjoyable. The
mansion was built on the summit of
the island. 1t was snow white, three
stories high, and furnished with
wings, which, with the surrounding
trees, confined the prospect from the
river and intercepted the sight of
barns and stables, which are so often
suffered to mar the effect of the finest
views. The most Of the workmen
employed were from Philadelphia;
and while his house was buildng,the
family resided at Marietta. A lawn,
containing one hundred acres of the
best pasture, interspersed with flow
cring shrubs and clumps Of trees, in
a manner that evinced the refined
taste and judgement of the designer,
spread out like fan from the house
to the river. There were gardens
elegantly laid out, Astounding in
choice vegetables, peaches, and other
fruits and vines. With an ample
fortune to supply every want, beau
tiful and highly accomplished wife,
and children just budding into life,
he seemed surrounded with every
thing which can made existence de-
sirable and happy. The adjacent set
Elements Of Belprie and Marietta, al
though secluded in the wilderness,
contained many men of cultivated
minds and refined manners, with
whom he held constant and familiar
intercourse; so that he lacked none
of the benefits of society which his
remote and insular situation would
seem to indicate. Many were the mer-
ry gatherings of the young people of
those two towns beneath the hospita-
1 II n. a Al i