The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-03-20
GODDESS OF LIBERTY.
Original Of Profile on Every Silver
Dollar Is Soon to Marry.
Interesting Story of How the Classic
Features of Miss Anna W. Williams
Came to Adorn the Big White
Metal COip.

The announcement that the Goddess
of Liberty is about to be married hai
aroused new interest in the woman
whose face is known to more people
than that of any other woman on thu
American continent. Every man
woman or child who has a silver dollal
carries the handsome profile of thu
Philadelphia school-teacher, Miss Anna
". Williams. Her classic feature,
have been stamped upon millions of tbs
silver disks.
1t is 20 years since the pretty blonde
girl became world-famous. 1t was
then stated that Miss Williams profit,
was the original of the Goddess of Lib
erty on that much abused, much ad'
mired and equally much disliked Bland
silver dollar. The friends of the young
woman placed every obstacle in tht
way of possible Identification. but failed
in their object. The story of how Miss
Williams came to be the Goddess of Lib
erty may be retold, now that it is said
she is soon to become bride.
In the early part of 1876 the treasury
department secured, through commun.
ication with the royal mint of Eng
land, the services of a clever young
designer and engraver named George
Morgan. Upon his arrival in this coun.
try Mr.. Morgan was installed in the
Philadelphia mint and was assigned
the task of making a design for new
silver dollar. After many months OF
labor the young engraver completed
the design for the reverse side of the
coin, upon which he represented the
American eagle. His attention was then
turned to the other side, and his orig
inal inclina ton was to place on it 8
fanciful head representing the Goddess
of Liberty. But the ambitious designer
was too much of g. realist TO be salts
fed with a mere product of fancy.
Finally he determined the head should
be the representation of some Amer.
can girl, and forthwith diligently
searched for his beauteous maid.
It was long search, although pleas
ant. He told his friends of his desires
and one of them spoke of the really class
ic beauty of Miss Anna Williams. The
English designer was introduced to the
girl. Mr.. Morgan was at once i'm
pressed by her beautiful face and
studied it carefully. Then he told her
what he desired and she promptly re-
fused to permit herself to be the sub
ject of the design. Her friends, how.
ever. induced her to nose before an art
list After five sittings the design was
completed.
Mr.. Morgan was so enthusiastic that
he declared Miss Williams profile was
the most nearly perfect he had seen in
England or America. His design fol
the Bland dollar was accepted by con.
gress, and so the silver coins have been
pouring from the mints all these years
adorned with the stately face of
Quaker city maiden.
Miss Williams is decidedly modest
young woman. She resides on Spring
Garden street, not far from the school
in which for years she has been em'
lployed as an instructor in philosophy
and methods in the kindergarten de-
partment. She is slightly below the
average height, is rather plump, and
is fair. She carries her figure with g
stateliness rarely seen and the pose OF
the head is exactly as seen on the silver
dollar. The features of Miss Williams
are reproduced as faithfully as in Q
good photograph.