The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1901-08-19
ONE 0FSINGER'S ROMANCES
Incidents in the Career Of the Sew
ing Machine Inventor Recalled.
Death of the Third of His Nine Wives
She Was Virginia Woman and
Was Soon Abandoned by Her
Husband-A Beautiful Daughter

NEW YORK. Aug. 1S.-Mrs Mary
Eastwood Merritt, who was the third
wife of Isaac Merritt Singer. inventor of
the sewing machine bearing his name, is
dead at Greenwood Lake. N. j. She was
eighty-seven years old, and her life had
been an eventful one, filled with romance
and sorrow. She had one daughter. Alice
who sared for her a share OF the Singer
millions years after the mother had been
deserted and six other wives had taken
her place in the inventors affections.
Leaves from the life of Isaac Singer
tell the story of her own existence. Mr..
Singer was born in Peck Slip. Manhattan.
and secured patents on his sewing ma
chine in 1851. Prior to that time he was
a machinist and strolling player.
For years he appeared with Olive and
Mary Logan and the parents of the girls
They Travelled about in rickety stage
coach. giving performances of Shakes
peares plays in the little hamlets and VII
lagos in schoolhouses, barns. and any
place in the open where they could COL
lect a crowd.
On one of the tours he met In a small
town in Virginia a girl whose great
beauty charmed him. She was Mary
Eastwood. That was in the '40s. He
told her of his affection. but the stage
was ready to move. He went with 1t
and forgot
Ii was after he had invented the sew
ing machine and riches were beginning
to pour in on him that she again crossed
his path. He was sitting one summer
afternoon in front of French's Hotel.
which stood near the present entrance to
the Brooklyn Bridge.
rl- IN
Park, and followed, asking II one was
not the lido. Of his Virginia courtship.
Demurely she answered that she was
Their acquaintance was renewed and she
became wife No. 3, taking the name of
Mary Eastwood Merritt.
After her daughter Alice was born he
abandoned her. and she struggled along
for years in poverty in Williamsburg.
But the daughter had blossomed forth,
and the fame OF her beauty reached even
to Europe where her father was living
as an exile because of his many marital
entanglements. So many warrants waited /
for him in America that he did not dare
return.
Mr. Singer sent for his daughter to come !
to his home in Paignton, Devonshire. |
England Under the protection of W. y.
P. La Grove she made the journey. Mr.. I,
Singer was proud Of her beauty. He also
liked La Grove and ordered his daughter !
to he married TO him.
The ceremony was performed a few |
days before her fathers death, and she |
was mentioned in the will for sS00.c0a. |
Mrs. La Grove had one son, who is stiIl |
living in New York.
She disa greed with la Grove over the
attention she paid to her mother, who had |
not received a penny of the SIC, 00O, 900 es-
tate. She fed 10 France and was Joined |
by her mother. On her return to America
she secured divorce and went on the
stage as Agnes Leonard but her theatri-
cal ventures were unfortunate and costly
She retired.
She was next heard from In 1883, when
They separated the day after the mar
Rage. She secnred divorce, and devoted
the balance of her life to the care of her
mother.
Mrs Merrtttsinger-Ia Grove-Leonard-
Bangs died at her home, Eastwood Hall,
l423 Pacific street. Brooklyn, eleven years
ago, after a torturing fitness that had
lasted two years. During that time she
had been treated by DIR. Sp.tzka, the IA
nous alienist. She had been paraIyzed
two years before her death.
She left her fortune so that the income |
from half of it should go to her mother
during her lifetime. The other half went
TO her son. who nov jnherits everything.
It was on the bounty thus secured from
II
ter that Mary Eastwood Merritt was able |
TO round out her last years in comfort.
Although Ar. Singer lived eXtrava gantly |
he loft q fortune that was considered |
enormous IN the seventies Bitterly he be- |
walled the fact that his wives would not |
let him return to America, and he fire.
Inently announced that America was the |
Dnfy country fit to live in.
This accounts for custom he enforced
as long as he lived IN Paignton. on each
fourt of July he would summon all his
his servants, the farmers, and
employees on his lands. the tradesmen with
whom he transacted business. the Epis-
,opa1 clergyman TO whose church each
year he made handsome donation. and
III others in any way indebted to him.
THESE he would range on the lawn under |
he shadow OF the American Flag while
lie read the Declaration OF Independence |
All were expected to bare their heads and |
give three cheers for the Star Spangled |
Banner. And he kept close watch to see
hat all cheered heartily. Not to do 1t
meant loss OF favor.
The only Americans against whom he |
Yer cried out Were those who We're under |
heavy financial obligations to him, and |
who kept alive the agitation about his
marriages, SO he could not return.
In spite Of the fact that too many Mrs |
singers barred him from his native land |
lie continued to add to the list on the 9TH
r side. OF all his wives none deserted
an away. This nettled him SO that he
'pent immense sums in sending out |
parties for her.
Finally he got a clue that former maid |
# the french wife was in the Lake re-
lions of Scotland. He sent word that he |
would land near the place of her employ
neut on certain day and date She |
on 10 q n nj nd . |