The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-05-11


or Notorious WumHn-Hsr Marriage to !
PArAsTsbaEE Gentleman.
The Philadelphia Tina says that Fan
ME Lear, the world famous adventures
whose death was announced by cable, wa
known to thousands in Philadelphia, hel
home and birthplace, Her mother ant
child, the former now gray.haired OLE
woman and the latter young lady growr
TO womanhood, are both living here il
retirement. Her fathers church is stil
standing, his grave is here, the house sht
was born in is quite unchanged, and somt
OF tho men who were her victims ant
some who no doubt were as much o.
more TO blame are among the prominen
citizens OF Philadelphia,
Up to the time OF her marriage Hattie
Ely which is her true name, had nothing
more 10 her detriment than the vanity
ambition and Willfulness that are go Otter
accompanied by such great beauty as Shit
undoubtedly possessed. Her father, thu
Rev. Ezra stiles Ely, named after his ma
ternal grandfather, who was Chaplain X
Congress, succeeded the Rev, DR., Alex
ander as Pastor OF the old Third Presby
terrain Church, at Fourth and Pine streets
and became the most prominent minister
OF the denomination in Philadelphia anC
one OF the most prominent in the United
States, He was OF Puritan stock, and both
his father and grandfather, on both patet
nal and maternal sides, were minis
ters, This is the sort OF ancestry
that Fannie Lear came from, Min
listers for three generations on bel
fathers side and her mRterna
grandfather's. DR.. Ely was born in l7SG
In Connecticut and educated at Yale
where he was graduated with honor. Fol
many years before he came to Philadel
phia he was city missionary in New York
and II was there that he began the publ
cation, in London, Of Ely's Journal, which
became quite famous. Calling DR.. Ely to
the Third Church split it, and several Of
the Elders and part OF the congregation
founded what has been since known as
the Sixth Church. The opposition to him
caused DR.. Ely's installation to be defer
red quite while. He remained its pas
tor for twenty.One years, and was sue
Ceedsd by the Rev, DR., Brainard. Even
in the height Of his career DR.. Ely was
considered eccentric, but late in life he
became more 80. At all events he was
very popular with large following and
before there was any division In the Pres
byterlan church. lie was Moderator oI
the General Assembly that met in Phila'
delphia,
Samuel Caswell, who was one OF the
most distinguished importing merchants
OF Philadelphia, ContemporRneous with
Stephen Girard, Jacob Ridgeway, Lewis
Chapter and John MCCrea, died in 1922,
leaving four children-twO sons and two
daughters-to whom he bequeathed in
about equal proportions an estate valued
at 100000, which was considered enor'
nous at the time. DR.. Ezra Stiles Ely,
then young clergyman, married one oil
these daughters, and Lemuel Lamb, then
and for many subsequent years President
or the Mechanics Bank, married the other
daughter. DR.. Ely by his first marriage
had four Children-two daughters and
two SONS. The eldest daughter married
DR.. Samuel Mcclellan, the uncle Of Gen.
George B. Mcclellan; his other daughter,
Mary, married John II. Patterson, OF Baltl'
more, and the sons remained single. By
DR.. Ely's influence, bis son.in.law Samuel
Mcclellan was made Professor OF 0bstet.
RIGS and his brother George Gather OIL
General McClellan) Professor OF Surgery
in the Jefferson Medical College, members
OF It's FIRST Faculty, which Proiessorshipi
we're filed with distinguished ability. DR.
Ely's vile, upon the death Of her father
was given larger share Of the property
than the other children separate amount
being given to build house suited to Dr.
Ely's position. This house, which is still
standing on SeCondstreet, between Spruce
and Walnut, with iron gate and wall In
front OF II, was at that time the fines
house in what was then the Court end o
the city. The frat Mrs. Ely, the mother
OF Mrs. Mcclellan, Mrs. Patterson, Samue
o. Ely, and Benjamin l.. 8. Ely, died II
lS42, leaving her children surviving. Mrs
Mcclellan, Mrs. Patterson, and one son
clergyman in San Francisco, btill sur
yive.
Not a great while after his wife's death
DR.. Ely, then quite advanced in years
married Miss Caroline Holmes, the daugh
ter OF DR.. Holmes, a gentleman OF promin
ence in Virginia. The children and al
the relatives Of the first Mrs. Ely, a lady
OF great popularity aud Of the utmost re
flnement, culture, and distinguished socia
position, were bitterly opposed to Dr.
Ely's second marriage and the secont
wife, though OF an excellent Virginia
family, well educated and Of good social
standing, was re2udiated and all inter
course broken Off. This non.interCoursI
extended to the children Of the seCont
vile, and 1t Is said there Is not one Of DR.
Ely's children by his first marriage VIII
ever saw "Fannie Lear"
After DR.. Ely's death, while hiz widow
was travelling In Virginia, Hattie, then i
and very beautiful, accidentally met will
a Young man named BlaCkford, who wa
employed as q freight clerk in the Balti
more Railroad Office OF Petersburg, "
Va. From casual meeting on the trail
she fell In love with him. He followed
her and a week afterwards, while tn
mother and daughter were on their way /
Philadelphia, Hattie left the train on th,
pretext Of going to buy sandwich an
allowed her mother to 90 on alone. Join
ing Blackiord they drove 10 Convenien
clergyman and were married. At tn
time she was very mature and preCoCioul
Within year her husband began to 70 t
the bad. Whether she had anything
do with It is not known. He beCam
addicted to drink and their life was ur
happy. She became gloomy for Will
and then gay. Her husband died. Man
conflicting stories Of his death exist, an,
II lie hard to tell how 1t was caused. Som
blamed his wife, but he was at this tim
physical wreck, and II seems most probl
bic that he committed suicide. just afte
the war the widow came TO PHILADELPHIA
with her child and began 10 attract grea
attention. For while she was employe
In the Mint.
Her frat unpleasant tiotoriety was on
Summer at Long Branch, where she cut
great figure and was much talked abou
Then she came to Philadelphia and b.
gan 10 he socially ostraCized. She wa
next prominent at the Moya Ball, and he
name was associated with the famous ma
about town, John Tobias, who aiterwar
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