The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-07-07
STANLEY'S BENEFACTOR.
History Of tho Great Explorers
FOstor-Father.
Starting In New Orleans at an Early Age
IIe became WILDLY Known md
Rcspectcd-Dcscrted by His
Adopted Children.

Adopted Children.
Many New Orleans citizens remember
Henry Hope Stanley, who adopted
Stanley, the explorer, and gave him
his first upward start in life. Very few,
however, have any recollection of STAN
ley, tho famous traveller in Africa.
Henry Hope Stanley, says the New Or
leans Post-Dispatch, was born in Eng
land in 1915. lie came of good family
and was highly educated. lie had
II brother who was killed by fall from
carriage during the war. After his
fathers death, which occurred early in
SANKEY'S life, his mother married an
Episcopal minister. She is said to DO
still living and her son by the second
marriage inherited SANKEY'S fortune.
The young Englishmnn was Of indie
pendent mind, and determined to carvo
his own way to success. Accordingly
he came to America about 1887, first
landing in Charleston, S. c. There tho
young man heard of the great west and
made his way to Texas. He found
wife in the Lone Star state, but little
in the way of fortune, and the couple
determined to remove to the southern
metropolis.
Although Stanley was twice married,
neither wife bore him children. Their
kind hearts hungcrcd for the touch of
baby fingers, and at various times the
household adopted little orphans and
bestowed us much love and care upon
them as if of their own blood. Strange
to say, none of these fathcrlcss ones re-
manned to comfort the closing years of
their bcncfactors life.
Joanna, the first adopted child, died
after her marriage to local druggist
who has also passed away. Henry
STANLEY Africanus'' went into tho
world against his fostcr-fathcr's will
and was never forgiven. while Annie,
who shared the homo with the explorer,
is said to have clopcd with the coach
man.
About this time Stanley made the nc
Qunintancc of an individual known as
Cedar" Smith on account of his bust
ness, which consisted in exporting
Louisiana cedar. About 1913 they took
trip up Red river on u cedar purchas-
ing expedition, intending to ship Il
large cargo to England. They were
gone some time. Facilities for mail
communication were neither rapid nor
plentiful in those days. Stanley heard
little of affairs at homo. He returned
to New Orleans to find his wife had
taken sick and died during his absence
from home. Soon afterward he mar
ricd Miss Miller, an Englishwoman.
He then changed his business bccom-
ing cotton wcighcr for tho firm Of
Payne, Cameron & Co., the prcdeccs-
sors of Payne, Kennedy & Co.; later he
obtained employment with Wright,
Williams & Co., in the same capacity.
lie made n good deal of money in the
days when there were fortunes in the
cotton-prcss business. When the war
broke out he took no part in the con-
flict, but with his wife went over to
England to revisit the scenes of his
youth. He left his dwelling, facing
Annunciation square, in charge of Mrs.
Stanlcys sister, Mrs. Walter Nicholl,
who occupied it with her husband dur
ing the absence of the .5tanleys. When
Gen. benjamin Butler made his head
quarters in New Orleans he ordered the
seizure of the house and the CONNER
cial press, putting his soldiers in the
latter.
Mr. Stanlcy's friends took advantage
Of his British birth and foreign resi-
dcncc to appeal to the English consul.
The latter promptly sent word to But
Ter to release the property within TWEEN
ty-four hours. The orders were obcyed
ard the soldiers marched out and
campcd in Terrclls press across the
street. AS soon as the war ended
Stanley ard his wife returned. STAN
ley resumed the cotton-prcss business,
but was not as successful as in the ante
bcllum days. In 1870 he sold the Com
mcrcial press to Lehman & Abraham
and bought the Liverpool press, which
he conducted until his death, although
he left the management principally to
James Randolph and George johnson.
In 1878 he went up to plantation to
look after the crops in which he was
Interested, suddenly became i'll and in
twcnty-four hours was dead. His sec.
ond wife preceded him to the land Of
rest. Mr.. Stanley was member of
Mount Moriah lodge, Il prominent ma
sonic body, and was buried in it's tomb
at Metairic ridge.
Interesting If True.