The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-02-01
NAPOLEON BoNAPARTk S NIECE
Daughter of Joseph BonRparts and a
Quaker Girl Who Shared Eis ExiIa.


From the Utica Obaerver.
few days ago the announcement vas
made of the death in Richfield Springs OF
Mrs. Charlotte G. Benton, daughter OF
Joseph Bonaparte and niece of Napoleon
Bonaparte. Though so near descendant
of family that made history, there were
very few who were prepared on the an
nouncement of the death eff Mrs Rehton To
give any accurate facts concerning her Me.
although many with whom she had become
acquainted during her frequent visits in
this city and vicinity knew her history in a
general way. 1t may not, therefore, be
uninteresting to sketch her history.
When Joseph Bonaparte, who had been
King Of Spain when hts great brother had
thrones and GROVES 10 give away, lived in
Philadelphia, soon after his arrival in this
country, he met and loved a beautiful
Quaker girl. Her family had been for
long years noted for its respectability. and
1t was great blow TO the staid old Quaker
family and all their friends when the quiet
little Quakeress fell a victim to Bonapsrte,s
Establishments and became for a time
his companion. Outside of her deseenda
ants, whose position in Philadelphia
has since been untouched by q breath
of scandal, there was for many years
no one who knew the name of this fair Qua
keress. Joseph Bonaparte soon began to
spend the greater part of his time at Point
Breeze. Some claim that it was while a
resident there that he had his second ofdire
de cCeur, andto young, beautiful and ac-
complished girl gave his heart and what
was left of his hand. This is not so. The
little Quakeress who had left her friends to
unite with him and the Trenton, N. j., girl
we're one and the same person. This union
resulted in two daughters, both born near
Trenton. The younger died in infancy, and
the other is the one whose death calls forth
this sketch.
After while Bonaparte moved his estab-
lishment from Trenton to the northern
part of the state. Here he chose to be
known as the Count de Survilliert. He
purchased off Herman LIE Ray a tract of
$4,000 acres, lying partly in jefferson and
partly in the adjoining county of st. Law
rence-an uncultiyaUed and nearly all tim
bored notwithstanding to hold it for him
self and friends in exile as forest retreat
and game preserve LIE Ray writing of
this purchase under the date of April 9,
1891, to the Antwerp Company said
that the count had selected "a tract abound
ing with picturesque landscapes, whose
remote and extensive forests, affording res
treat to game, viii enable him to establish
great hunting ground; qualities of sod
and fitness for settlers were only secondary
considerations" This description of the re-.
gion is truthful one to-day. for although
forest still remains, and the delightful land
scapes LIE Ray spoke of have lost none of
their beauty by the clearing and cultiva-
ton of large areas Of what is still known as
the Bonaparte tract. By an act of congress
of March 81, 1925, Joseph Bonaparte was
empowered to hold the real estate above
described by deed.
The ex-king remained on his northern ess
tate most of the time until soon after he
heard of the French revolution of July,
1880, when he abandoned his American ess
tates, and. gong back to Europe, never re-
turned. By an instrument dated July IA,
1882, he made Joseph Raphineau his attor-
ney to dispose of his holdings in America,
reserving a tract-goodly in extent but
almost valueless for agficulture-to become
the property of his natural daughter, Char
lotte. The mothers maiden name was
Annette Savage, and when Joseph Bona
parte returned to France she married
Frenchman named Delafoile. Bonaparts
had given her large tract of laud
near Indian river, Jefferson county,
and here they resided in fine country
mansion for q number Of years. When
Mrs. Delafoile was left q widow she had
three children to provide for, as two had born
been TO her after her marriage to Delafoile.
She moved to Waterbown, and aided in
their support by keeping small store for
the sale Of fancy work. From the Bona
parte estate Charlotte received 81, 200 per
year until the Franco-Prussian war; She
married Zebulon Il. Benton, who survives
her, and resides on the remnant of the es-
tate in Jefferson county. Il is rich in
iron ore, beyond doubt; but. owing
TO lack of tact, Mr.. Benton has never heen
able to do anything advantageous with
it, although for many years the couple lived
fairly well upon the proceeds of sales Of
piece after piece suitable for timber or pas
turage. But the possibilities in this line
narrowed down, and Mrs. Benton had for
some years aided In their support by teach
Ing French in this city and elsewhere. She
was the mother of two children, son,
Joseph Bonaparte Benton of Philadelphia,
and daughter, who, it is believed, also re-
sides in Philadelphia.
Mr.. aud Mrs. benton waited Paris in 1856,
and were recognized by Napoleon I'LL as OF
his kindred, and were kindly entertained
by the emperor and empress, who presented
them with souvenirs, which are at the same
time testimonials of the visit. Napoleon
III. at this time legitimized by his imperial
will the union of Mrs. Beuton'S parents,
and thus, in French law, made her legiti-
mate child, fact of which she was GER
tainly proud. He also made her daughter,
Josephine, maid of honor to the Empress
Eugene. which place she occupied until
affairs in France compelled their return TO
this country. Napoleon Ill. often said 60
Mrs. Benton, "que je p6ime." in speaking of
her visit to France, thus expressing the re-
greet he felt that she had not come before,
SO that he might have placed her children
in the places to which they were entitled.
Mrs. Benton was known in her youth as
Miss Caroline Delafoile. When in her teens
she attended for some time the school taught
by Mrs Evarts on Whitesboro street, this
city. She was particularly handsome
girl, and her eyes were large, dark and lus>
trious. and never dimmed by age She had
nrirr hort nv En~ mother
that were left by her father, and she re-
ceived many more on her visit to France.
It was her delight TO talk by the hour about
the Bonapartes and the French people. She
wrote book called France and Her Peo-
ple.n and corresponded with many papers
and several magazines. Throughout her
life. so far as known, she had an abiding
faith in fortune tellers, and her belief IN
them in no manner departed as her years
increased. Few women had greater amoi.
ton, and the downfall Of her family ana
fortunes was the source Of much grieVous