The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-02-17
An Alabama Woman
Who Runs a Plantation

Mrs. Leila Leiton Wilder, of Decatur,
whose remarkable success as farmer has
given her q national reputation, Is spend
ing a part of the winter in Washington
D. c., having gone east a short time ago.
She spent a few days in Birmingham just
previous to her departure for Washington.
She is a conspicuous figure in any gather
ing because of her unusual height and her
charming vivacity. With these personal at
fractions is connected an interesting his
tory of a woman's venture in farming an
occupation which Mrs. Wilder has conduct
ed so successfully that she is an advertise
ment of feminine success in the matter Oh
running large plantation. Wider Race
is a fayorite resort of politicians OF the
state, as Mrs. Wilder takes great interest
In politics In a recent interview in Wash
ington, Mrs. Wilder said:
s.'I spend a large part of every week day
on horseback looking after planting. culti-
waiting and gathering the crops, as the
time may call for. | have become a. eX-
pert on wire fencing and roadmaking from
necessity and even have the cabins Dullt
under my own supervision. l think i have
as good set of negroes on the place as
could be got together Most of them have
either lived on the plantation all their lives
or have come through marriage. Ihey are
more devoted, l sometimes say, to my IN
terests when / am away than when I'm
there to watch them.
II have tried to cultivate among them
the English tenantry idea that their hold
ings or leases will descend to their sons
after them. Last summer told one man
he could not live there any longer. / was
away for a few weeks, and when / came
back the first person 1 laid eyes on was
Bud He simply said 1t was all the home
he'd ever had and he couldn't live any
where else. OF course l let him stay.
They are devoted to my interests, and yet
ltyav to
ing is a good joke. I'm going to start rais-
ing hogs for wholesale trade. I've got
some big woods that were just made for
them 1 reckon, and later there may be boar
hunting If they last long enough. I'm
clearing lot of land besides and run
woodward in town.
mo, l am not a suffragist a club
woman. / haven't time for clubs and can
always find two or three men who will vote
for me. 1 don't advise any woman to start
into such extensive planting unless she's
cast iron in constitution and has sense
enough to get plenty of recreation. If she
has the personal direction of every single
act on such place she can't stand it with
out rest. I couldn't If l didn't run away
between crops every year"
Mrs. Wilder on one side is descended from
the famous Loyalst Setons, a number of
whom gave their heads for their devotion
to the unfortunate Mary Queen of Scots,
who in turn presented to some member of
the family portrait of herself. 1t is now
in the possession of a New York member
of the Seton family. On the distaff side
Mrs. Wilder is descended from Roger
Williams.
Among her other possessions is an old
bank in Decatur, which has a mystery that
Mrs. Wilder wouldn't mind having solved
for her. This old stone bank is supposed
to be the hiding place of a buried
treasure.
1t of the five buildings left
standing in Decatur at the close of the
war; Several years ago letter reached
Mrs. Wilder's mother saying that the
writer, who was an old soldier, knew
where money was buried under the bank
she owned. If she would pay his expen-
ses he would locate the spot for her. This
opportunity was allowed to pass. A short
time ago Mrs. Wilder heard from mem
Der of the family that pay-train had been
robbed during the war near Decatur and
1t was supposed the booty was located in
or about the bank walls. Now Mrs
Wilder isn't tearing down stone banks on
chance, but she wouldn't mind at all if
the previous old soldier or another as well
informed would appear to locate the treas
ure. supposed to be thousands at least
Mrs. Wilders name is being urged for
appointment to represent Alabama at the
Paris fair