The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-07-27
(Atlanta Constitution.)

A few months ago some doubling cor
respondents limited that the story of
Nancy Hart was exaggerated romance or
a handed down tradition or maybe a
myth. 1t is fortunate that the doubt was
published, 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 oblivion. The
story of her heroism is now estab-
lished 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 going on
down in Georgia there was great strap
ping Virginian named Tom Lee, 61a feet
high. and large in proportion, operating
the passenger department of the Lack
awanna Railroad. He is great grandson
of Nancy Hart, descended from her in
bee line through honorable Virginia an
eestors. He knew nothing of this con-
troversy concerning the maternal ances-
tor and said recently when speaking of
her that it was the sorrow of his life
that he was not personally acquainted
with her.
Tom Lee is a great favorite among
the railroad officials. Very recently he
wished to try the work and speed of
new monster locomotive and invited the
presidents and superintendent of sew
eral railroads and forty three editors and
newspaper men to go with him on
special to Pocona mountains and back
again. On the northern roads the super
intendents now have an indicator or
Dutch clock in their private car that reg
listers the speed. what do you want?''
said Tom Lee. "Well, about 20 miles"
said the editor. The speed was then SO
miles an hour, but quickly the clock reg
istered So, 81, IS, so, So, 70, where it re-
manned for several minutes while the en-
gineer was holding her down to an even
steady pace. A glassful of water on the
floor would not have spilled a drop. Tom
Lee said 81 would have given you so
If you had asked for it, After awhile
they stopped at the saltwater house,
where Washington and Lafayette played
croquet after the war was over and
where Joe Jefferson spends his summers.
Tom Lee knows his lineage and that his
parents were Virginians and nearly re-
lated to the Harris, for whom Thomas
Hart Benton was named.
For the sake of many children who
have never heard the story, / will briefly
relate that during the dark days of the
Revolution five tories came to her cabin
and ordered her to get dinner for them.
She did so and while they were eating
and drinking and their guns were set up
in the corner of the room she quietly
took them outside, and standing at the
door with one in her hand she drew aim
on the leader and ordered them to sur
render or die. One man started toward
her and she shot him dead and seized
another gun and shot another who had
risen from the table. With another gun
she kept the others quiet until some
ncighbors came and they were taken
prisoners. No doubt this is a true story
and q man had better nor move to Ebert
or Hart county and express any doubts
about it. l have been there and know.
Some years ago l lectured in Hartweil
and from there journeyed to Elberton in
a buggy with preacher. We got late
start and the preachers horse wanted
to slow up at every house where there
was woman in sight, and when we got
to the river the ferryman was away and
we had to wait an hour for him to come
back. So it was dark when we reached
Elberton. The court house was lighted
up and seemed full of people and the
boys were rapping and calling for ARP"
"Bill Arp" The preacher unloaded me
near by and told me to go up stairs and
open the ball while he went home to put
up his horse. AS 1 hurried in the door
the door-keeper stopped me and said:
Hold on, my friend, you haven't paid"
| modestly told him that | was the
speaker. "Oh, yes," said he. Maybe
you are and maybe you amt. Several
other men have tried to pass on that
schedule. 1 reckon you had better pay
So 1 paid half dollar to go in and hear
myself talk, but / got half of il bacn
when we divided proceeds.
Now, 1 don't know that Nancy could
read or write. but she could shoot and
in war times that is better. At any
rate Gcorgians are proud of her ID her
great grandson, Tom Lee, has never tar
nished the name or fame of the family.
When John Randolph boosted of his an
cestral blood, Tristan Burgess, of Rhode
Island. his bitter enemy, rose w to say
that good conduct in posterity was Of
more consequence than good blood in
ancestors. Il have great respect" said
he, for the gentlemans English blood
and his Indian blood, but he should re-
member that he is removed from them
by several generations and that one
sixty-fourth part of Lord Rolfe or Poca-
hontas blood flows in his veins. That .
not much to boast of. The rest is wide
ly scattered. diluted and degenerated. ;"
Burgess and Randolph had many spatS
like that, but they never came to blows.
There never was a time in the South
land when so much eager interest was
manifested in tracing up aneestry-ln-
cage. ! receive letters almost daily from
good people, from Carolina 10 Texas
asking for help to trace up and Prov
their claim to join the Sons or Daugh-
tiers of the Revolution or to service of
their father or grandfather in the Civil
War of forty years ago. The cencaIogi-
cal department of the Constitution and
George Smiths weekly contributions to
the Journal are doing valuable AMI in
tcresting work on these lines.
There is one other line thai has been
shamefully neglected. From first to last
there were near 10000 Georgia soldiers
in the Confederate army, and yet there
is no record of them-neither in the
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