Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-10-12
LOVED THE NEGRO.

Her greatest hobby, however, was her
love for the negro. They have black
faces, but white principles" she was
often heard TO comment, and she lost
no effort To try to uplift those around
her. treating them almost as equals,
and striving TO educate them. This ed
ucation OF one OF her favorites was the
means of accomplishing Il purpose with
dire results to the cause she abhorred
That she bcfriended northern soldiers
was known, but just how far her sym
pathy extended was never even sus-
pected.
Through the installation Of n trust
cd agent in the service of President
Davis, Miss Van Lew was able TO fur
niSh the Federal forces with The most
valuable information. Her emissaries
to the enemy's camp were many and
trusted. Her ingenuity could devise
means for the putting of the enemy
in possession of the desired inforIna-
ZION. as well as plans for securing il.
That her services to the cause that she
eSpouSed were appreciated was attest
ed by the acts of General Grant. who.
after his army had entered the city.
paid lengthy visits to her at the old
home, and gave her services material
recognition by appointing her post
mistress OF this city on the 10th day of
March, 1869. only fifteen days after his
own Inauguration, and re-appointed
her In 1873, in which capacity she
served until May 10, 1877, when Colonel
w. w. Forbes succeeded her in office.
Miss Van Lew was Of inestimable aid
to the Federal officers who escaped
from Libby Prison, and in making the
success of their plans n possibility In
her house We're sheltered those who
We're not recnptured by the Confed-
crates and returned to prison.
Another friend by whom Miss Van
Lew was never forgotten was Admiral
Dahlgren, of the United States Navy.
She knew where the remains of Col
onel Dahlgren had been hidden after
his defeat and death in trying to cap
ture Richmond. and she had his re-
mains shipped to his father after the
war was over. This act of kindness
was highly appreciated by the old Adj
miral up to his death.
FRIENDLESS AND ALONE.
Yet Miss Van Lew died friendless and
alone. She was suspected by the au-
thorities, but was not molested. One
by one the friends OF her youth, feel
ing themselves and their country out
ragged, dwindled away, and left her
with only her thoughts for company.
The very doors of st. Johns Church.
of which she was Il regular attendant.
were closed upon her. Children shrunk
from her and even the servants whose
cause she had espoused looked on her
with distrust
Eccentric as she was and as full as
had been her life with plots and plans
against her own people, she. no doubt,
worked for the thing she believed to be
right. Full OF humanity. she has in
terested herself all through life in the
sorrows and Affections of others, visit
Ing the jails and prisons for the last
forty years, aiding in some way or an
otner some unfortunate creature.
Up to the last year. in which her
strength had perceptibly failed, al
though her mind was as active and
her will as strong as ever. Miss Van
Lew had been q familiar figure on the
streets of Richmond But here she was
pointed out, not as the Federal spy
which fact is little known and even
less remembered. not as a friend OF
the poor-but as Miss Van Lew, the