Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-04-24
Main and Tenth Streets.
DEATH OF MRS. SARAH BERNARD
Member of an HOnOred Family and
Widow of WeII-KnOwn Publisher.


Mrs. Sarah Lloyd Bernard died yester-
| day at the residence of her son-in-law.
Mr.. Robert Hill, Jr., In the S6th year of
| her age. The end came after lingering
| illness. during the last ten weeks Of
which she was confined TO bed with a
| stroke of paralysis. Thus was fulfilled
a noble mission of great usefulness, and
the light that fiickered and went out
had burned with great brightness. De-
ceased was possessed Of many noble
traits of character. Before the war she
was occupied continually i'm acts Of
charity, and during the whole of her
| life she was esteemed for her Christian
piety.
Mrs. Bernard was born I'm Boston, while
her parents were on visit TO that city
but she lived in Richmond during her
whole life. She was "a daughter OF the
late T. w. White, the founder of the
Southern Literary Messenger, and spent
the early part Of her life at the old
homestead known as the Hermitage"
which was situated where the EXPOSE.
tion -Grounds now are Watkins Lee,
Judge Marshall, and Edgar Allan Poe
were constant visitors at her fathers
house. together with many other distin-
guished men. The atmosphere was q
literary one. and Mrs Bernard herself
was possessed of great mentality and
many accomplishments. Edgar Allan
Poe was employed by her father on the
Literary Messenger, and was a devoted
admrer of her sister. Miss Elizabeth
White, who was very beautiful girl,
and is generally believed to have been
the Raven OF Poe's celebrated poem. II
has been stated that Poe and Miss White
were at one time engaged, but this seems
doubtful. as at that time the poets
habits were most unsteady, and he
rarely attended TO his duties on the Mes
senger for more than two or three weeks
at a time, which led Mr.. White to dis
pense with his services. Poe often saw
Miss White at the house of Mrs. GLENN,
In Philadelphia, after this, and con-
tinued to pay her the most assiduous at
tentions. She became renowned as a
Shakespearean reader. and died In the
year 1888, aged 76 years, never having
married.
Mrs. Bernard was the relief of Mr..
Peter Dudley Bernard, who died about six
years ago. For more than fifty years her
husband was prominent here as a printer
and publisher. He was a direct de-
scendant of Pocahontas. He was man
of scholarly attachments and in addition
10 publishing tHe Llltrdry messenger 1Or
some years after the death of its
founder wrote several plays and other
works. He was i'm the funeral procession
of jefferson and Adams, and was a mar
shall at the funeral of Henry Clay. Ro-
bert II. Randolph. who pulled Andrew
Jackson's nose, was at the wedding of
Mr.. Bernard and Miss Sarah White, No
vember Z. 1888.
Mrs Bernard had three sons in the
Confederate army, two of whom are now
living, one of them-Mr. William III.
Bernard-being the owner and editor OF
the Wilmington on. C) Star, and the
other. Mr.. ID. w. Bernard. being printer
in this city. Mrs. Robert Hill, Jr., who
nursed Mrs. Bernard during her last i'll
ness. is q daughter Of deceased. as also
Is Mrs. John NJ. Benson, of Wexford,
S. c.
The funeral will take place at 0
o'clock this evening from the First
Presbyterian church, the services being
conducted by Rev. DR.. Kerr, and the
interment will be made at Hollywood
The pall-bearers will be Messrs. Robert
Whittet, ST.. John G.. Dabney, Judge b.
X. Wexford, John w. Ferguson, Captain
w. j. Epps, Captain r. p. Henry, Charles
w. Goddin, and j.. A. Tucker.