Omaha daily bee., 1890-05-11

! per month, and Mrs. Hancock like pension.
For several years past Mrs. Hancock has
been in possession of her fine brick amp
| brown stone residence, in one of the most de-
! sirable locations of the west end, not far
| from Massachusetts avenue extension, the
| most valuable property in the district The
| fact OF the embarrassment to which Mrs. Han
| cock was subjected by the dilatoriness on the
part of those who proposed the subscription
| fund for the purchase of this home is too
| well known to be touchedupon. But the fact
| remains that had it not been for the publicity
| given the matter through the editorial col
umns of the Post, in this way bringing the
| matter to the attention of the late philan-
| thropist w. w. Corcoran, and other wealthy
| residents, whose subscriptions enabled the
| committee to meet the obligations, Mrs. Han
| cock would today have been living in ungrat-
| flied expectation of the promised gift.
Widowed in the true sense of the word
| Mrs. Hancock leads an exceptionally quiet
life, and is seldom seen abroad except among
limited circle OF warm personal friends, to
whom her companionship is u valued pleas
ure.
Mrs. Virginia L. Farragut, widow of Ad-
mlral t'airagut, was also numbered among
those upon whom was conferred pension of
$4,000 per year. Mrs. Appoline A. Blair,
widow of General F. p. Blair, Is another who
draws yearly pension of $1,000.
Among the many widows drawing from
1000 to 81 ,2OOO yearly, two of the best known
and most popular ladies' who for long time
held sway in Washington society, are Mrs.
George II. Thomas and Mrs. General Rick
etts. The former of these charming women
not long since passad quietly away at her res
idence on street, where she had for some
time resided with her sister, Miss Kellogg,
who survives her. General and Mrs. Thomas
had no children, and upon the death of her
husband she remained for years in the deep
est seclusion, but once interrupted by the de-
mand for her presence upon the occasion of
the unveiling of the statue to the memory of
the brave officer whose name she bore. AS
work of art this statue is one of the finest
among the numerous statues which orna-
ment the parks and public reservations, com
blned to render the seat of government one
of the most beautiful cities of the country.
The pension of $50 a month was at first
granted his widow was by special act, and
afterwards doubled in appreciation of his un-
r1valled and gallant service.
The social career of Mrs Ricketts, and her
popularity through the various vicisitudes of
fortune through which she has been called to
pass, give unmistakable evidence of the
brave and unselfsh nature of this woman. A
courageous and loyal wife, Mrs Ricketts, un-
tlinchingly followed her husband through
sickness and danger in southern prison,
where he for many months lay sick and
wounded in a wretched state of confinement
in small apartment crowded to suffocaticn
with the poor victims of war and where her
only protection from the sad scenes of suffer
ing and death was blanket shawl which she
nad substituted Tor a curtain TO secure some
slight degree of privacy. OF the good eff
fected during this period Of self-abnegation,
numerous living examples in the north and
south testify TO this true and
devoted womans indominatablc courage and
skillful nursing. Upon her return home
Mrs. Ricketts, became the author of book
During the later years of General Ricketts,,
life, their hospitable home was ever the cen
ter OF the most congenial and brilliant gather
ings at the capital, and Mrs. Ricketts, sym
pathetic nature often led her into helping
others to her own disadvantage. Upon the
death Of her husband, Mrs. Ricketts, and her
children removed TO New York where she
still resides in an unpretentious fiat alone
with her son, her daughter having about a
year ago become the wife Of DR. Chauncey
Boow OF that city. Mrs, Ricketts, is today in
receipt OF an annual pension of 81 200, in
creased from 800.
1t is generally known that the widow of
General Fitzpatrick is petitiOning congress for
an increase Of pension and IL Is understood
that the bill will be eventually passed. The
announcement of the engagement of Mrs.
Fitzpatrick TO General Schofeld has been
made topic of general gossip, and the oppO-
sition of her daughters 10 the match IS an
open secret They do not hesitate 10 express
their strong disapprovm whenever the sub
iect is alluded TO in their presence.
In addition to these well known widows OF
soldiers, there are three representative ladies
OF the white house-twO of whom claim army
priyileges-in the persons of Mrs. Sarah O.
Polk, MIS-. LucretiaA. Garfield and Mrs Julia
ID. Grant, who draw special pensions of g, 900
a year, with the additional advantage of the