The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1886-08-04
SELLIE GRANT-sARTOKis.
The Unfortunate Marriage of II President
DaughteHto an Englislunan.
philobplnnio rin,nO .

NO bit Of society news ever created
greater surprise than the announce
mcnt of the eugagemcntof Miss Nellie
WrcnshaIl Grant, daughter OF the
President of the United States, to Al
gcrnon Charles Frederick Sartoris, 4
groom was n son of Edward Sartoris,
of Hampshire, England. His mother
was Adelaide licmblC, daughter OF
Charles and sister of Fanny kcmble
the actress. The young man had been
educated in England and Germany and
about 1870 came to the United States
to seek his fortune. In 1872, on the
steamship RuSSio, while Miss Nellie
was returning from a trip TO Europe,
the couple met and formed one OF
those unaccOuntaDlc attachments called
by women Stove affairs" which tcrmi-
mated in courtShip and marriage. At
that time Nellie had turned seventeen.
She had enjoyed 4 life Of exceptional
social opportunities and had every
thing TO make u maiden in her teens
happy. Her father had been the chief
tain OF the powerful armies of the
United States and was the ]conqucrcr
of the rebellion. lie then had reached
the pinnacle of power and grandeur,
the seat of the Chief Magistrate Of his
country. As Il Child Of six or ten
years with her mother Nellie often
visited her fathers headquarters in the
field. Daring tho movements and
strife OF armies She often heard the
thu"dcrs of artillery, the rain o! mus
kerry and the clash of rms. At the
capital she WAS the pei of the social
world. She had received distinguished
attentions from old and young. Her
debut was one of the events of the
social history Of the Executive Man
sion. The sons and daughters Of the
most eminent statesmen and officials
were her companions. In her home
she vas the idol of her father.
In Washington society Mr.. Sartoris
was only q figure as the friend or Miss
Grant. lie possessed mono of the
finer social qualities Of young mon.
He was given to sporting and much
Of his time was passed ut the marirc
barracks. Ills conduct there was a
matter of common talk. His ill-Con-
sidcred 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 OBLIGATION,
often almost led to chastiscmcnt. Ii
was only his relations at the Executive
Mansion which compelled them to sup.
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 a deep sense OF diSap.
pOintment, 10 refer TO the matter mild.
ly. Tho President, in speaking on the
subject 10 a friend, in q most feeling
manner expressed his REGRET that the
object Of his daughters affections was
moi an Amorican citizen. "rhe ham
a.blest in tho land,' he said, "rathcr
than the subject OF q foreign State
lie tried TO dissuadc his daughter, his
iuoliHed Child, from so mistaken II step.
Her determination was fixed. as tho
President said at the time, "liathcl
than have amy public comment ]
yielded consent, though withawoundcd
heart
The marriage was the talk Of society
for weeks and the event itself was tho
most brilliant ever witnessed within
the stately walls Of tho Executive
Mansion. It wa, The seventh affair OF
tho kind (Which had occurred there.
Miss Todd, y relative of Mrs. Maui.
son. in 1911 was there made the wife
in Congress from Virginia. Marie
TN ~ iAN- - NV l INGi''Nsl's
i'll the Green Room, in March, 1870, At
the age Of seventeen, was married 10
her first cousin, Samuel II. Gouvcr-
ncur, Of New York. 1t was there, iii
1926, that John Quincy Adams. Jr.,
married his cousin, Miss Johnson.
During the administration OF prcsi-
dent Jackson a daughtcr Of Major
Lewis, Of Nashville, was there mar
riCd to NJ. Paquot, of Martinique, after
wards Minister Of France to the Uni,
ted States, and also Miss Eslcn, the
Presidents niece, TO Mr.. Polk, Of Ten
ncssce. The next wedding was The
marriage of President Tylcr's daugh-
ter, Lctitia, to William Waller, of
Williamsburg, Va, i'll the East Room,
June 81, 1912. The next was the
marriage of Miss Nellie Grant, and
since, during President Hayes admin
istration, Miss Emily Plat to General
Russell Hastings, and last, President
Cleveland TO Miss Frances Folsom.
The wedding of Miss Nellie Grant,
then nineteen, ana Mr.. Sartoris, TWEEN,
ty-thrcc, took place in the East Room
{. II a. M, May n, 1874. The floral
marriage bell aud decorations were
superb. The bridesmaids were the
daughters of the most distinguished
~personages in the land. They were
Miss Edith Fish, daughter OF the Sec
rotary Of State; Miss Bessie Conkling,
daughter Of the Senator from New
York; Miss Sallic Frclinghuyscn,
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
cral of the army; Miss Fannie DreXcl,
daughter OF a. j. DreXcl, OF Phiia-
dclphia, and Miss Maggie Dent, cousin
to the bride. The ceremony was con-
Quoted with great elegance. The
trousseau had never been. e&ceilcd ar
the capital. The wedding dcjcuncr
was in keeping. Flags Of two nations