Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1902-08-09
DID KILL THE TORIES
Bill Arp Tells the Story of Nancy
Hart.
He knows Tom Lee, n Great-Grand-
son of the Revolutionary Heroine
-DepIOres IncOmpIeteness Of
Confederate Army Records.
copyrighted by the Atlanta Constitution
and reprinted by permission.l

copyrighted by the Atlanta Constitution,
and reprinted by permission.l
A few months ago some doubling
correspondents limited that the story
of Nancy Hart was probably an ex-
aggerated romance or a handed
down tradition or maybe Myth. 1t
is fortunate that the doubt was pub
lished, for it awakened and aroused
the good old people of Ebert and
Hart counties and brought to light
facts and records concerning the old
lady that might have passed into OBJ
livion. That the story of her hero
ism is true is now established, as
clearly as it was when Hart county
was cut off from Ebert and named
for her, the only county in Georgia
that was named for a woman. While
this newspaper controversy was go
ing on down in Georgia there was
great strapping Virginian named
Tom Lee, 61s feet high and large in
proportion, operating the passenger
department of the Laekawanna rail-
road. He is the great-grandson OF
Nancy Hart, descended from her in a
bee line through honorable Virginia
ancestors. He knew nothing of this
controversy concerning his maternal
ancestor, and said recently, when
speaking of her that it was the sor-
row of his life that he was not per-
sonally acquainted with her.
Tom Lee is great favorite among
the railroad officials. Very recently
he wished to try the work and speed
of a new monster locomotive, and In
vited the presidents and superintend'
ents of several railroads and AZ edi'
tors and newspaper men to go WILL
him on a special to Pocona noun
tains and back again. On the north
ern roads the superintendent now
have an Indicator or Dutch clock II
their private car that registers the
speed. "What do you wantY" salo
Tom Lee. "Well, about 70 miles,
said the editor. The speed was theI
IS miles an hour, but quickly The
clock registered Sc, 81, So, 60, 65, 40
where it remained for several min
utes while the engineer was holding
her down to an even, steady pace. /
glassful of water on the floor woul'
not have spilled a drop. Tom LIE
said: II would have given you so l
YOU had asked for it" After awhll
they stopped at the saltwater house
where Washington and Lafayett
played croquette after the war wa
over. and where Joe Jefferson spend
his summers. Tom Lee knows hi
lineage and that his parents wer
Virginians and nearly related to tn
Harris, for whom Thomas Hart Ber
ton was named.
For the sake of many children VIII
have never heard the story, / WI
briefly relate that during the dar
DAYS of the revolution five tories cam
to her cabin and ordered her to &c
dinner for them. She did so, an
while they were eating and drinkin
and their guns were set up IN tn
corner of the room she quietly too
them outside, and, standing at tn
door, with one in her hand, she DIRE
aim on the leader and ordered thel
to surrender or die. One man star
ed toward her and she shot him dea
and seized another gun and shot al
other who had risen from the tabl
With another gun she kept the Other
quiet until some neighbors came an
they were taken prisoner. No dout
this is a true story, and man ha
better not move to Ebert or Hal
county and express any doubts abo'
it. 1 have been there and know. Son
years ago lectured in Hartwell, al
from there journeyed to Elberton
a buggy with a preacher. We got
late start and the preachers hor
wanted to slow up at every hou
where there was a woman IN slgf
and when we got to the river t
ferryman was away and we had
wait an hour for him to come baC