Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-02-26
DIED WITHOUT FRIENDS.
The Death of the Widow of an English
BarOnet in Chicago.

CHICAGO, Feb. 23.-Alone, friendless
and unknown, a woman who is said to be
Lady Ellen Fortesque, died in this city at
No. p Emma street, on last Thursday,
under the name of Ellen c. Williams.
Lady Ellen was the wife of Sir William
Fortesque, of England, who, 80 years ago,
was popular club man in London. In
the summer of 1S4S Sir William, on ac-
count of some peccadillo, sought the Sc
clusion of the country for a time. In the
course OF his wandering he came to the
town of Hull and fell in with the family
of Capt. Murray, retired officer of the
Royal Navy. The Captains daughter
Ellen was then 10 years old, and Judging
from picture found among her effects,
which was painted about that time,
must have been beautiful. The
Baronet. after short WOO
ing, succeeded in gaming her hand.
The course of true love ran smoothly for
for time, but soon Sir Williams old as
sociatiOns proved too strong for him, and
the gaming table saw him oftener than
his wife. Money, lands, houses, and even
his good name left him. Throughout all
his dissipation, however, he still preserved
his love tor his wife, for, Influenced by her
earnest solicitation, he at length con-
sented to break loose from his old ties and
come To America, there to begin a new
life. Gathering together the remnants
OF what was once a large estate, the
husband and wife set sail for New York
IN september, 1859. Dissipation had shat
tered his health, and the pair travelled
through the country hoping to restore his
broken constitution. Their hopes were
in vain, and in 1852 Sir William died in a
small town in Western Virginia.
He LETT his wife alone and without
friends. Her immediate relatives in Eng
land were dead, and she was Obliged to
depend entirely upon her own resources.
To add to her misfoTtunes daughter had
oeen born short time before her hus-
bands death. For some time she eked
out scanty existence by giving music
lessons. By close economy she saved up
few hundred dollars and came to
Chicago, where she had resolved to be-
come doctor. In due time she was
graduated from Rush Medical College,
and began the practice OF her profession.
hampered by the many difficulties which
always beset a woman. In 1873 her
daughter died, and the poor woman's
mind was badly affected for some time by
the loss of this, the only tie which bound
her to her former state. She continued to
struggle alone, sometimes in great pow
erty, sometimes in poor health, but al
ways trying to keep up her courage. She
died suddenly of apOplexy. Nothing was
known of the event until at least twenty
four hours after it had occurred.
A Coroner held an inquest upon her
body, and she was about to be consigned
to a pauper's grave, when a letter was
found sewed up in the hem of her dress,
which gave directions for finding sum of
money to defray her funeral expenses.
Papers were also found relating to her
past, from which was CLEANED the history
OF her lite, as given above. Among her
effects were some silver with the FOrtes-
que arms engraved upon it, and several
handsome rings, which the woman in all
her poverty was too proud to pawn.