Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1896-08-13
WAS "BELLE BOYD MAID.
An Old Negro Woman Who Claims
To Have Served the Famous


To Have Served the Famous
Spy.
Grafton wv. Va Cor. Philadelphia
! Times.
At the western base of a hill
in Berkeley county, W. Va,
about a mile and a half back from
the river and directly opposite
Williamsport, in a comfortable
farm house, surrounded by a fam
lily OF grown children, nves
"Aunt'' Mary STRIPPING, an old
colored woman, who cherishes the
memory of once having been the
maid, and, in a manner, the com
panion in her early life of Belle
Boyd, the famous female spy of
the C~onfederacy.
"Aunt" Mary is a relic of slav-
cry days. She was born in Clark
county, Virginia, on the planta-
ton of John Early, father of Gen
eral Jubal Early, the leader. Her
childhood was spent at that old
Virginia home, but when her
young mistress, Miss SusanEarly,
became the bride of James Glenn,
whose plantation bordered many
miles of the Potomac, about Sandy
Ridge, near Shepherds slown,
she went along to continue in the
service of her "missus.' 1t was
there she first met and became as
ISOLATED with the woman whose
daring wild escapades we're rare
ly equaled by, and often astonish-
ed, the men in gray whom she
mingled in the rays of blood and
strife.
Maria Belle Boyd was born in
Sartinburg. She was the daugh-
ter of Benjamin Boyd, a repu
table and wealthy resident of that
place. Their home was bright,
inviting, and there Belle and her
sister, who lives in Charles Town,
and a brother were carefully
Scared. Her after life, however,
threw a black shadow athwart the
threshold of that home and the
raining she received here.
James Glenn, the owner and
master Of "Aunt'' Mary, was the
uncle of Belle Boyd, who often
visited and spent much of hel
time on his plantation before the
war. She was described to a press
representative by the old coloret
woman as having been a stately
and prepossessing young lady with
black hair and eyes, and having
many admirers among the male
sex. Her associates were classed
among the best families. her
always dressed in style and was 6
great lover of outdoor sport, il
which her high-spirited nature
was wont to revel. She sat upor
horse like an equestrienne ane
would ride like the wind over The
country in a fox hunt with an es
cort, but frequently alone. In Thu
respect her manner often bordereG
on recklessness. At times she
would appear disguised in male
dress and ride horseback witt
parties of her friends. Thes'
elements in her nature at tina
time, however, we're the only in
dications which, though unforeseen
pointed %unerringly into the future
to a life of stirring romance ane
wild and reckless daring.
James Glenn had two daught
ers, Florence and Lille, wLt
were her constant companions
during her visits to their home.
When the wal broke out Bell.
Boyd's nature was reused and bel
sympathies went out freely to The
Southern cause. She never init
mated to anyone her determine
ton, but after the first year O.
carnage passed she quietly left
home and joined General Ashby's
command. Her career then be.
gan. She gradually oyercame bel
womanly timidity and the spirit
of fearlessness arose in its stead.
As a spy she won fame and fig
ured in some of the most daring
adventures on record. Her ser.
vice to the Confederate army was
invaluable. The fame of the
woman spread over the country
and won at once admiration and
contempt. Her life has been pub
lished in full and is well known.
She was captured by Union sol
diers and sent to Fortress Monroe.
Then she was sent to the old cap
ital prison in Washington, and
married a northern soldier. There
her father found her and died OF
a broken heart. Her life was
checkered, full of romance and
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