News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-08-21
A STORY OF FIRST LOVE.
GEN. SAM HOUSTON, AND HIS FIRST
WIFE.
A Sudden Breaking up of Love Ahhirs .n" !"
Desertion-A Husbands Magnnnimhy'
TFrom the Century for Augusta

from the century lOI nuS aS''I
In 1927 General Houston was elected
Governor of the State of Tennessee by
majority of nearly twelve thousano' a IL
successor to General William Carroll.
So great was his popularity, and such
was the confidence of the Legislature III
his executive ability, that they opposed
none of his measures. On January ~,
1929, at the age of thirty six, he married
Miss Eliza Fl. Allen. who was a member
of large and influential family III
Smith and Summer counties. General
Carroll, after being out of the Gov
ernor's chair two years, was again ellgl-
bic, and declared himself in opposition
to General Houston, who was a candl-
date for reelection. The following is
from the letter of Colonel Williams
"The first meeting between them took
place at Cockerels Springs, at a bat
| TALON muster in April.
81 was at that time sheriff of the
| county, as well as colonel of the militia,
and, at the request of Governor Hous-
ton, drilled the regiment on that day.
He desired me to acquaint myself fully
with the popular feeling, and tell him
after the speaking, which I did; and as
| the sentiment was greatly in his favor.
it afforded him much satisfaction, and
he left the grounds for the city in fine
spirits Saturday afternoon. I was regis
| tering my name at the Nashville Inn the
following Monday, when Mr.. Garter, the
clerk, said: Have you heard the news ?
| answered, No; what news? He re-
piled: Governor Houston and his wife
have separated, and she has returned to
her fathers family I was greatly
shocked, having never suspected any
cause for separation. went to his room
at once, and found him in company with
Doctor Shelby. He was deeply mortified,
and refused to explain the matter. left
him with the Doctor for few moments,
and on returning said to him, Gov
ernor, You must explain this sad occur
renee to us, else you will sacrifice your
self and your friends He replied, i
can make no explanation; I exonerate
the lady fully, and do not justify my
self. l am a ruined man. [ will exile
myself, and now ask you to take my
resignation to the Secretary of State I
replied, You must not think of such a
thing when he said, 1T is my fixed de-
termination, and my enemies, when /
am gone, will be too magnanimous tc
|
mination, I took his resignation to the
Secretary of State, who received it. The
following morning he went in disguise
to the steamboat, accompanied by Doc
tor Shelby and myself. He wrote me
afterward that he was not recognized
until he reached Napoleon, at the mouth
of the Arkansas River, where he met q
friend, from whom he exacted promise
not to make him known"
This affair, of course, caused a great
deal of excitement, various reports fly
ing through the State, all of them I'M
founded, while some were begotten by
the sheerest malignity, and popular feel
ing was infamed to the highest pitch
The friends of Mrs. Houston, thinking
they were doing her a kindness, loaded
the Generals name with odium, charg
ing him with every species of crime
General Houston remained quiet and lie
the storm rage on, without offering
single denial of single calumny; h,
would neither vindicate himself nor lie
his friends do so for him, thus increas
ing the mystery which hung over al
affair that had divided the whole Stat
into factions. During all his after life
even among his most confidential friends
he maintained unbroken silence as to tn
cause of the separation, though when
ever he spoke of his wife it was with tn
greatest kindness. The explanation be
low presented is accepted at Nashvill
as the true one, and is substantiated b,
the statement of Colonel Williams
whose position and intimacy with tn
General will render his statement un
questioned; this also agrees with what
have heard through my fathers family
to whom General Houston was related.
Years afterward he revealed the caus
to the lady who became his wife Il
Texas; and she, through sense of con
jugal and maternal duty, after his death
gave the facts to the world as follows
After his first marriage ne became con
WINGED that something which had no
been revealed to him was preying upol
the spirits of his bride, and he frank,
told her of his suspicion, asking O franl
confidence Oh her part. pledging him
self it should not work her injury. Hi
firm but gentle manner led to the con
fession that her affection had been givel
and pledged to another prior to thei
meeting, and that filial duty alone haC
led her to an acceptance Of Houston'E
offer. After their separation, he allowed
the entire fault to appear as his, per
mitted and encouraged her application
for a divorce on the plea of desertion
and she was finally married again to the
man of her choice.