Semi-weekly Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1897-1901, 1901-07-12
a RON ANTIC LIFE.

Career of a Senator'S Widow VINO Hs
Just Died In California Rivals Fiction
| a Mexican scheme OF Hsr's Tina
Hivaiied Aaron Burr's.
The death Of Mrs Mary Elizabeth
Gwin in San Francisco few days agt
ended a career rs interesting as thai
of heroine of fiction. Mrs Gsir
was 81 years and the widow OF Sena
tor william NJ Gvin of California.
She was the daughter of kentuckiar
named Bell, who kept famous tsV.
ern. William Logan, surveyor OF
Glasgow, Ky, msrried her when she
was II aud took her to Texas. There
they became frienos with Gen Sam
Houston. MIR Logan died in 1888 or
1886, and his wicow, tcarcely out OF
her teecs, returned to her father :
house, young, hloomitg and busom.
The story goes that Dr. William NJ
Civic. while riding past the tavern,
saw tie youthful beauty at some work
90 the rear porch ana teen and there
was so struck by her grace that he
alighted 10 700 her.
Their marriage took place at Vicks.
burg, Miss, and later the coctur { ok
his bride to New Orleans. When tre
news came that gold tad been dis
covered in California Mrs Gsin
urged her husband to go there at once
and become United States senator.
They arrived on June 4, ls49, and
ever after1ard Mrs Gwin called that
hsr birthday. DR. Gwin was elected
United States secator in 1919, al
though the state was rot admitted to
the Union until 1850. The hospital
ity dispensed by him and his wife is
yet recalled in Washington. Presi-
dert James Buchanan was one Of Mrs
Gwib : ardent admirers.
10 1857 Adelina Patti vas in Wash
ington, and the project Of giving
concert to intfoiuce her was submit
ted to MIS- Gain. The latter kreR of
the marvellous Sweetness of the girls
voice, and determined to mske the
concert the social event of the season
in Washington. She induced the
p esideut. members Of tie cabinet
and prominent senators to attend the
concert, which was u great success.
Patti never forgot the Kindness. Years
later, when Mrs Gain WAS q ConfeJ
crate sympathizer in Paris, Patti saw
a great deal of her, and never forgot
to express her gratitude for Ter start
in Washington,
When the Civil War broke out Sen
ator Gwin espoused the cause Of the
South, hut did not enter the army
Mrs Gwin welt to Baltimore, where
she had a daughter at school. Bslti.
more was more or less Of a hot bed of
Southern sympathy, ard the govern
ment at Washington was very Wig liant
IN regard to communications from
there to the Confederate lines. 1t
was suspected that Mrs Gwin was
information and quinine
through the lires, and at the edvice
If her friends and perhaps DR. Gwin,
she vent to Paris. The Gwin home
became a Confederate headquarters in |
Paris.
The most remarkable part Of the |
Swim story is that connected with
heir dream of colonizing the State
Of Sonora in Mexico with dissatisfied
SoutherGers Bfter the war. This
scheme was thought out in Paris in
1864 ard 1860 and received the sup
port OF Napoleon Ill This ambition
, as almost parallel to Aaron Burr's
Sild dream of empire Napoleon III
leld that France could claim Sonora
or servics ren7eVi the Mexican en-.
lire. He agreed to its settlement bv
of birth ana promised Or
twin the post of Viceroy of Sonora,
With the title of duke.
10 JanuArv, 1865. DR. Gwin jour.
Keyed to Mexico with an autograph
etter to Emp'rlr Maximilian and 10
he Marshal Bazinp. Neither favored
he idea, although DR. Gwin rad great
'lans for making the mineral wealth
f Sonora available to the Mexican
,mpire.
He returned TO Paris and Napoleon
vas about to aid him with troors
ghen Maximilian's empire tottereI
nd fell to pieces. Tie d"keaom var.
ST ed. ard DR. GNin rested unGer
more thar the s"spicion Of disloyalty.
n all his most ambitious schemes
rs wife hsu part, and DO doubt she
reamed of power she WIS rever to
-ield. Some years ago she returned
0 California, and lived there till her
cath.