Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-04-19
A KEMBLE MEMENTO
PRESENCE OF THE ACTRESS,
GRANDSON AWAKES MEMORIES.
OF MANY YEARS AGO
Her Marriage TO a Wealthy Southern
Planter and Later Retirement at
Butler Place, Near Philadelphia
Gen. Grants Daughter Allied TO the
Family in a Romantic Way.

An OIu playful, stained ana yellow
with age, is fastened on the wall OF
Days stage entrance, New York. with
other faded mementos of past events.
1t is dated and announces in bold black
type the first appearance in America of
Fanny Kemble, the famous daughter of
Charles Kemble, and niece Of the great
Sarah Siddons.
There are veteran New Workers who
still recall the furore created by the
genius of this beautiful young actress
Crowds besieged the theater and stood
their ground all night in order to OBJ
tain the privilege Of buying ticket for
a performance. 1t is curious to note
that today London company is giving
play at the New York Lyceum the
alter, My Daughter-in-Law. Wedged
III among the performers is the name in
very small print of Henry Kemble.
Some kindly critic remarked en- pas
santthat Henry kemble acquitted him
self Of his small part with discretion.
This same young actor, neither OBJ
tanning nor counting notice, is a shoot
OF the distinguished family of English
actors, and the firts of his name to ap-
pear on the stage of this country since
the visit of his ancestress, Fanny
Kemble.
At the close of her first season,
Kemb1e became the wife of Pierce But
Ter, member of one of the oldest and
richest families in the south, and
through this marriage the Kembles be-
came allied to the blue blood G. the
south.
Pierce Buffers mother was Miss
Middleton, niece or sister of Arthur
Middleton, and connected by marriage
to the Weir Mitchels, whose descend
ant, S. Weir Mitchel-by the way, he
married young actress few years
ago-has recently brought fame upon
himself by dramatizing Thackeray's
Vanity Fair for Minnie Madeira
Fiske.
Just about the time that Fanny KEN
bic became the wife of the millionaire
southern planter, although it might
have been the year previous, her sister
Adelaide, who had a beautiful voice
and was concert singer of no little
fame in her own country, married Al
gernon Sartoris, an English squire CT
large estates
How curious are the twists and turns
of the wheels Of fortune! Twenty
five years later their son, Alg8-r N
Frederick Sartoris, while visiting e
American relatives with his father,
met and Wooed Nellie Grant. Gen
Grant bitterly opposed the match, but
the young lovers were eventually mar
ried in the east room Of the white
house.
Poor Nellie Grant Sartoris, the world
talked as much about her unhappy
marriage as it talked about her bril-
liant wedding. At the death of her
husband she resumed her title OF
her citizenship, and her children are
now Americans. The elder Sartorts
and his wife (the former Adelaide
Kemble) loved their daughter-ia-Iaw
and at the fathers death it was discov-
cred that he had provided for her fut-
IRE by leaving her an annual income OF
$4,000.
Pierce Butler took his young bride
to Butler place, a rather grandioso
name for an old farm house a short
distance from Philadelphia. The pent-
up genius of the woman whose life hat
became suddenly narrowed to a little
country home, endeavored to find an
outlet in beautifying the barren place
She enlarged the house and laid out
walks and flower plots in imitation Of
an English garden, and the beautiful
walk of stately trees at the further en-
OF the grounds was planted by Fanny
! Kemble's hands almost sixty years
ago.
Butler place is now one CT the mos
charming homes in the neighborhood
Of Logan Station, which is a fashion.
able and exclusive suburb of Philade.-
phia
A low, rambling house, covered with
climbing roses, fanked by conserva-
tories, porches and bay windows. apt
standing in the midst of stately trees
picture of an ideal home, mellowed AM
made beautiful by historic associa
tons.
| The hall runs through the center Of
the house. On either side is the draw
ing-room and dining-room, and direct
| ly opposite the entrance is the library
the four walls Of which are covered
! from ceiling to floor with old volumes
representing not only the collection o.
Fanny Kemble herself, but that of he,
literary daughter and grandson.
In the hall is large steel engrav
Ing of the famous painting of Sarah
| Siddons, representing her as the Nus
of Tragedy, the original of which is il
the National gallery. Nearby is the
charming crayon sketch Of Fanny
Kemble's head, by Sir Thomas Laur-
ence, the best portrait Of Fanny KEN
Bile that has been left. The house is
full Of hooks and corners, reached by
climbing or descending step here and
| there. 1t grew as the family grew in
numbers, and the magic touch of the
mistress transformed its incongruity
into harmony and beauty.
It was at Butler place that the two
daughters of Fanny Kenble, Sarah ant
| Fanny, were born. Sarah afterwards
became the wife of Dr. Owen Wister o