Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-10-18
4 LANDMARK
Of EARLY Times in Wheeling.
Written To-. The S,mdoy Register.

memories Of "My husband, Col. Shep-
herd, whose portrait hung side by side
with her own, while that of the General
hung in the background. She had no
lineal descendants, and only distant
kinsfOlk; her last years were lonely,
indeed, and she now lies buried at the
'old stone meeting house"
Many people, still living, knew the
old lady well, anu have heard from her
lips stories of the past, even back to the
seige of Fort Henry. She took an act
i've part 10 the defence, and from her
clear memory could draw a detailed ac-
count OF it; but differed from the pre-
vailinR opinion as to the heroine or the
occasion. Her range Of experience
eoualed her range of years; familiar
with the widest frontier life, and the
savage warfare Of the Indians, and as
familiar with the ball rooms Of the ma
tion's capitol. Much more we could
write Of her but it has been better writ
ten by Mrs. Fremont in her souvenirs
Of Ny Time;" from which the folllng ex-
cerDt has been taken:
"When the government built broad
maeadamized highway to connect the
Ohio river aud western travel with
Washington, il was considered so line
work that il was named the National
Road" And the public men connected
with it made much reputation and the
contractors great fortunes. The wife
of one of these used to come for the
winter to Washington, driving from
her home near Wheeling in her coach
and four. After the death of her hus-
band she came less often and in OIL
miniShed state, but always with con-
sciouS Importance.
She had special interest in me. and
always repeated for me the story OF her
saving my life-hOw 1, as three-year-
Old child, had Ton our way TO ST. Louis
been seized with such a violent attack OF
Group that my father had turned of
the highrOad into the nearest house,
which was hers; how she instantly
ran to where some boiling water was be-
ing used and gave me the saving hot
bath-and how our people rested with
her until it was safe TO again take me
on the Journey. From which came our
established attentions to Mrs. Cruger
whenever she was in Washington.
Although she was not congenial
person she had a very clear mind, was
remarkably well up in national
matters, and understood the reasons for
our cOuntry's development. She was
otherwise we'll read also, but singularly
without any Sympathies. She had
passed out of my mind until we were
in Wheeling, W. Va, in the early days
of the war, where had the surprise TO
learn that she was still living and as
clear headed as ever though quite
a hundred years old. Her reso-
lutte living alone, with no one
at all in her house-eyen
all servants locked out at sunset had
given ground 10 certain distant relations
to petition for a guardian to protect her
and her property. The old lady asked
to come into open court and prove her
capacity. She came oil with Tying
coiors. II was made sure that she was
not only distinct as regarded the past,
but as her memory Of passing events
was questioned she triumphantly told
the Judge OF a business scandal with
which mis- family name had lately been
and was let to so her own
waV unmolested.
We were told it was a risk to make
the visit, for she lived few miles out
of town i'm a billy country, but 1 was In
a light carriage and accompanied by
the General and party of officers on
who knew how to look
out and what to do If attacked. 1t was
lovely May weather and everything in
beauty, but no work was going on for
all the men were in one or the other
army.