The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-08-05
NELLIE GRANr-sARroRIs.
Tho Unfortunate Marriage OF a Presidents
n, Daughter to an Engusbmnn.

ment OF the engagement OF Miss NCll5e 4
Wrenshall Grant, dau9 hter Of tic \
President of the United States, to Az |
gernon Charles Frederick Sartoris, a
British subject. The prospective
groom was son Of Edward Sart0ris,
OF Hampshire, England. Ills mother
was Adelaide Kemblc, daughtcr Of
Charles and sister of Fanny Kemble
the actress. The young man had been
educated i'll England and Germany and
about 1870 came TO the United States
to seek his fortune. In 1872, on the
steamship Russia, while Miss Nellie
was returning from q trip TO Europe,
the couple met and formed one of
those eunaccountable attachments called
by women Glove affairs" which termi-
mated in cOurtShip and marriage. At
that time Nellie had turned seventeen.
She had enjoyed life of exceptional
social opportunities and had every
thing to make q maiden in her teens
happy. Her father had been the chief
tain of the powerful armies of the
United States and was the conQuercr
of the rebellion. lie then had reached
the pinnacle of power and grandeur,
the scat of the Chief Magistrate Of his
country. AS child Of six or ten
years with her mother Nellie often
visited her fathers headquarters in the
field. During the movements and
strife Of armies she often heard the
thlndcrs of artillery, the rain Of mus
kerry and the clash of arms. At tho
capital she was tho pet Of the social
world. She had received distinguishes!
attentions from old and young. Her
debut was one Of the events Of the
social history Of the Executive Man
rl,In ,r a..
most eminent statesmen and officials
were her companions. In her homo
she was the idol of her father.
In Washington society MIR. SartOrs
was only a figure as the friend of Miss
Grant. He possessed mono of the
finer social qualities Of young men.
He was given to sporting and much
of his time was passed at the marine
e barracks. His conduct there was q
matter Of common talk. His ill-con-
sidered and unusually irresponsible
comments among the officers about
Miss Grant, the lady to whom he was
known to be engaged, in disparage-
mcnt Of her intelligence and education,
often almost led to Chastisemcnt. 1t
was only his relations ut Il G Executive
Mansion which compelled the to sun
press their Indignation and tolerate his
presence.
When it became known to Mrs.
Grant and the President that the at.
tcntionS of Mr.. Sartoris meant mar.
riaGe there was deep sense Of disap-
pointmCnt, TO refer to the matter mild.
ly. The President, in speaking on the
subject to Il friend, in most feeling
manner expressed his regret that the
object of his daughters affections was
not an American citizen. "Thc hum
blcst in tie Mnd,' he said. "rathCr
than the sub jrCt of Il foreign Slatc.''
lie tried TO dissuadc his daughter, his
idoliHed child, from so mistaken step
Her determination was fixed. as the
President said at the time. 'Rathcr
than have any public c0mmcnt
4 yielded consent, though yithaWounhrd
=, heart"
r& The marriage was the talk of society
for weeks and the event iScl was the
q. most brilliant ever Witnessed within
the stately walls Of the Executive
Mansion. II was the seventh affair OF
tho kind which had occurred there.
Miss Todd, relative of Mrs. Madi-
son, in 1911 was there made the wife
of John G. Jackson, Il Representative
in Congress from Virginia. Marie
Monroe, the daughter Of tho President,
%, III the Green Room, in March, 1920, ii
~ the age OF seventeen, was married TO
~ her first cousin, Samuel l., Gouycr-
neur, of New York. Ii was there, in
"a 1926, that John Quincy Adams, Jr.,
married his cousin, Miss Johnson
+ During the administration of prcsi-
Z dent Jackson Il daughter Of Major
Lewis, Of Nashville, was there mar
ricd to Nj. Paquot, ofSlortiniquc, after
wards Minister Of France to The Uni
So ted States, and also Miss Eslcn, the
' Presidents niece, to Mr.. Polk, Of Ten
, ncssee. The next wedding was ihc
; marriage Of President Tylcrs daugh-
ter, Lotita, to William Waller, Of
Williamsburg, Va, I'm the East Room,
June 81, 1912. The next was the
marriage Of Miss Nellie Grant, and
since; during President Hayes admin
istration, Miss Emily Platt to General
Russell Hastings, ana last, President
Cleveland TO Miss Frances sFolsom.
The wedding of Miss Nellie Grant
thcnyninctcep, and Nh, ,Sartoris, TWEEN
ty-tlirce, took place IN the East Room
at 4 a., M, May 81, 1874 Che floral
marriage bell and decorations were
superb. The bridesmaids were the
daughters Of the most distinguished
pcrsonages lip the pland. They were
Miss Edith Fish, daughter of the Sec
retary Of State; Miss Bessie Coukling,
daughter of the Senator from Nov
York = Miss SalIie ,Frelinghuyscn,
daughter Of the Senator from New
Jersey; Miss Lizzie Porter, daughter
Of the Admiral Of the navy; Miss
Minnie Sherman, daughter of the
General Of the army; Miss Anna
Barnes, daughter Of the Surgeon Cen
eral of the army; Miss Fannie DrcXcl,
daughter of a. j. DrcXcl, of Phila-
delphia, and Miss Maggie Dent, cousin
TO che BRIDE The ceremony was con
Quoted with great elegance. The
troussoau had never been cXcc!icd at
the capital. The wedding dcjcuuer
was " heepinG. Flags of two nations
x md flowers adorned the table. The |
aa guests were only the highest officials
HMa Hnstd Their ssi c,1 ladies' and very few inli
e, President and Mrs. Grant and n few
friends accompanied the bridal counIr |