Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1895-06-14
HOW BURR'S BEAUTY DIED.
The Famous Mans Daughters
Fate Disclosed at Last.
Norfolk Public Ledger.J


only child beautiful young Theo
dosia, met her death at.the hands
of ocean pirates years ago, and
how thatfact was only very re-
Gently established by the discov-
tery of a portrait of her. rescued
from the schooner from whence
she was thrown into the sea, is
told in print for the first time.
Involving, as it does, the death
bed confession of one of the pl-
rates who drowned the youn 6
woman, the tale seems more like
fiction than verified history; but
there are persons living who
have verified it in detail and who
will vouch for its accuracy.
T1eodosia Burr, a young
woman of unusual mental attain
ments, was married to the son of
Judge Aston, of South Carolina,
a relative Of Washington Aston
the celebrated historical portrait
painter. Mr.. and Mrs. Aston
resided On their plantation near
Charleston. When Aaron Burr
contemplated returning from the
extended visit he made to Europe
after his trial, he wrote Mrs Ais
ton, to whom he was devotedly
attached, asking her to meet him
in New York on his arrival
there. Mr.. Aston, engrossed
with the business of his planta~
ton, found it impossible to ac~
company his wife There being
no railroads in those days, and
Mr. Aston, deeming that SUM-
mer trip from Charleston to New
York by sea would be less irk~
some to his wife than a stage
Journey by land, chartered a
coasting schooner. In this Mrs.
Aston set out. She took with
her as present to her father, a
notwithstanding of herself But
she never reached New York and
down to the present day the fate
of Aaron Burr's only child has
been a matter Of speculation
among historians, some. contendr
ing that the vessel and all on
board were lost at sea, others
asserting that Mrs. Aston fell in
the hands of some of the pirates
who in those days infested the
Atlantic Coast.
But the mystery has at last
been cleared up. It's accuracy is
vouched for by the former rec
tor of Trinity Episcopal Church,
Elkton, Md, clergyman we'll
known throughout Maryland and
the Middle States.
DISCOVERED DURING A VISIT.
About five years ago this
clergyman was visiting his mas
tive State, North Carolina, and |
for several days was the guest of
the widow of the late DR.. Will
liam Poole, near Elizabeth City. |
Above the mantlepiece in Mrs.
Poole's parlor was all old-fash-
Toned painting, exquisitely exc
cuted, of a beautiful young Wo-
man dressed in white. 1t so
interested the clergyman that he
asked Mrs. Poole whom it was
to represent. She then
gave the following story of it:
Eight years previously, she
said, DR.. Poole had taken his
family to pass the summer at
the little coast town of Nag's
Head, N. c., where the United |
States 1nan-of-war Huron came
to grief. The place is largely
populated by "bankers ''-gener-
ally rough class of men who
earn a livelihood by pick
ing up all species of hotsa1n and
Jetsam along the coast. One of
these "banke1s," however, was
very respectable and very old
named Mann. His wife
was suffering sfrcm a compiled
ion Of diseases, and DR.. Poole
took great interest in her case.
Under his treatment she recover
ed, and as a token of gratitudelto
he doctor presented him with
he painting which SO greatly
Interested the clergyman. Mrs.
Mann said her husband had re-
covered it from a wreck. When
quite young man he was walk
ng along the shore one morning.
His attention was then called to
coasting schooner under full
all, bearing swiftly down upon
he dangerous bar which i'll later
ears occasioned the loss of the
huron. With other "bankers" '
Mann put out to her assistance.
They boarded the schooner, (
'ut found that the only living
hing aboard was a little black t
nd tan dog. Careful inspection {
If the schooner proved nothing
S to her antecedents. Even her t
lame was not ascertainable. But
NE of the cabins had evidently ,
'een very recently occupied by a t
and in this cabin was i