The Portland daily press., 1888-02-16
wife of Daniel Webster, for whom she was

wife of Daniel Webster. for whom she was
named.
AS it has been remarked the first wife of Mr..
Webster and the mother of the brothers KEEL
ly were sisters The great statesman always
manifested warm affection for his nephews-
in-law and their sister. Mrs. Ellen Kelly
Peirce, wife of Charles III Pierce, Esq, a
we'll known lawyer of Winterport, where she
resided from 1887 until her death In 1855;
During his Maine tour in 1885 he visited
the guest of Albert l.. Kelly. A statement
which Mr.. Webster made on that occasion
left an abiding impression on the mind of
Mr.. Kelly, and perhaps largely influenced
him never to accept political office. One
evening Mr.. Webster said, ALBERT, do you
have any concern with politics." mo, re-
piled he, my time is wholly absorbed in my
professional practice and private business"
II am glad to hear yon say that" reJoined
Mr.. Webster. and | advise You not to: LII
were to live my life over again, would have
nothing to do with politics; for however sue
cessful you may be you will encounter fire
in front from your political enemies. and In
the rear from your political friends: This
language was themore remarkable, from the
fact that Mr.. Webster was then at the height
of his fame as an orator and statesman.
As fitting accompaniment to the Kelly
Memorial volume the donor has added two
photographs of Webster, one representing
him ''in the bud of youth. and the other lin
taken from an original golden miniature pre-
scented by Mr.. Webster to Grace Fletcher
during their engagement. 1t corresponds
with the description given by Mrs. Eliza
Buckminster Lee in letter to Fletcher
Webster:
he came to Portsmouth in 1908, to open his law
office. His appearance was very striking: Slen-
der and apparently Of delicate organdza yapH n ns
domnent above the other features. which were
sharply cut, refined and delicate. The, paleness
of his complexion was heightened by halr Dlack
as the ravens wing"
AT about that date the acquaintance Of Mr.
Webster with his future wife commenced at
the house of her brother-in-law in Sails
bury. 1t is related that zone Sunday as
way to the South Village church. they
called at the Kelly house. As they were
leaving Mrs. Kelly said, "Daniel, you
will not be likely to see many pretty girls at
meeting" At noon when they returned,
Daniel remal ked that he saw young lady
proceeding to describe her Mrs. Kelly was
greatly amused and added that II he would
wait he should have an Introduction. In a
few moments the lady appeared and spoke
for the first time to the young lawyer who
was to be her future husband, and with
whose memory her own name, by reason of
the purity and beauty Of her character and
life, was to be associated for all coming time.
IL is almost Supernuous 10 auu Lliae she Was
Miss Grace Fletcher, whose father, Rev;
Elijah Fletcher, had died at Hopkinton, and
She was on visit to her sister. Their union
occurred at the Kelly home. June "A, 1908.
Down to the latest years Of his life Webster
cherished an affection for Salisbury village
second only to that for the Elms Farm. AT
ter his marriage and before the removal of
Judge Kelly to Concord, he would often take
his family there and pass happy weeks in
summer.
The other photograph is reproduced from
daguerreotype taken when Mr.: Webster
was Secretary of State under President Fill
more, and is pronounced by his surviving
friends to be the best likeness made during
the last years Of his life. The two present
striking contrast.