The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-12-29
HER TRIALS END.
Death of Mrs. Jessie Benton
Fremont at Los Angeles.
Daughter of One q. S. Senator
and Widow of Another.
FEEBLE WITH YEARS.
And as a Result of a Fall Three
Years Ago.
Illness Which Began Christmas
Quickly Did Its Work.

Los Angeles, CALI Dec. Z9.-MrS- jessie
Benton Fremont, widow of General FIRE.
mont. who died Saturday night at her
home at 11OT West Twenty-eighth street,
in this city, was rs years of age. Mrs.
Fremont was taken i'll on Christmas
morning. She grew rapidly worse and
soon lapsed into Inconsistencies, from
which she never rallied. For the past
three years the aged widow of the
pathfinder had been extremely feeble
as a result of a fall in which she suf-
ferad the dislecation of one hip, which
has since prevented her from walking.
naturally strong constitution was i'm
paired by the shock of the fall. and re-
Gently Mrs. Fremont required the at
tendance of a trained nurse, her adj
vanced years aiding the gradual decline
of her strength. Mrs. Fremont was the
daughter of Thomas H. Benton, for 80
years United States senator from Mis-
souri,.
Mr. and Mrs. Fremont came overland
to California years ago, bought ranch
and settled down, after the daring ex-
plorations that had caused him so much
privation and peril and brought him so
little reward. He became territorial
governor, and one of the United States
senators from California, was his
ldLuSI-lu-le1W from A1lSSOuI1 WI4SI1 @1ldl
state was admitted.
When Mrs Fremont returned to
Washington as the wife Of senator she
felt that in a measure her hero had bEen
partially indicated, and when, in 1856,
as a resident of the state of New York,
John c. Fremont became the first candi-
date OF the Republican party for presl-
dent of the United States. the vindica-
ton seemed more nearly complete.
And if he had been elected president"
said Mrs Fremont 4.fharp would have
been no civil war" Such was her sub
lime faith in her hero.
After this came years of struggle with
poverty for the Fremonts There were
no more worlds for the pathfinder to
map. He was too old or too im2etuous
for military service. Years before he
had read Blackstone by the light of
blazing pine knots around a camp fire
in the Rockies, while the snow was be-
ing whirled about with blizzard fury.
Fremont began the practice of law in
the city of New York. In this he was
The president appointed him governor
of the territory of Arizona in 1873 and
he served four years. Years of retire
ment. economical living and dreaming
or the past followed for Mr.. and Mrs.
Fremont. The world had not forgotten
them. but little was heard of them in
this period of retirement.
One day ten years ago in early spring.
a feeble but erect and handsome old
man, with long gray hair, entered one
of the department buildings at Wash
ington. The secretary of war had sent
for him. None Of the clerks knew the
old man, who waited hesitatingly until
the secretary appeared. The secretary
grasped his hand warmly.
General Fremont" he said, 81 have
good news for YOU
When the secretary told the nature of
the good news the aged Pathfinder burst
into tears; and a she was led away by
the secretary, the clerks, who had over
heard his name, also wept, for the news
was that a vague Stigma which for
nearly fifty years had been upon the
record of General Fremont was wiped
out forever. In the early days in Cali
fornia some government money disap-
peared mysteriously- 1t was in Ere
mont'S keeping, but he could not ac-
count for it. He was mathematician,
not bookkeeper.
After half a century the war depart
ment clerks were at last able to figure
out that, instead of General Fremont
owing money to the government, the
4 government owed the general several
thousand dollars. This money was
turned over to the venerable explorer
and he FASTENED to his humble home to
tell his wife.
You are nearly vindicated,'' she said,
but not quite. It must come soon.''
And so 1t did Congress passed an act
restoring General Fremont to the army
retired list with the pay of a retired
major general.
GU dIG NIllQlCdL0Q, SdlQ Jessie Ben
ton Fremont, and together the aged
couple wept for their lost youth and the
joys that might have been.
General Fremont died a few months
after his complete vindica ton. His son.
John c. Fremont, is a lieutenant COM
mander in the navy, and during the re-
cent war he commanded the fastest boat
afioat, the torpedo boat Porter. Like
! his father, he is daShing and impetu-
Gus.
In his memoirs, written late in life,
| Fremont tells of his first impressions of
his future wife, the young lieutenant hav-
/ ing escorted the elder Miss Benton to a
school concert in Georgetown, where he
was introduced to Jessie:
Naturally I was attracted She made
the effect that rose of rare color in a
beautiful picture would have done. There
are features which convey to US a soul
SO white that they impress with instant
pleasure, and of this kind were hers.
Her qualities were all womanly,
and education had curiously preserved
the down of modesty which was in
nate. There had been no experience OF
life to brush away the bloom.
Warm sympathies-a generous pity for
suffering, and a tenderness and sensibili-
ty that made feeling take the place OF
mind: > and withal a sweet and
happy and forbearing temper which has
remained proof against the wearing of
time
When President Mckinley visited Cali
fornia in May, few months before his
assassination, the president and his wife
and several cabinet members called at the
Fremont home and, while the most OF
them remained outside in their carriages.
the president went inside and chatted
with the widow of the first presidential
candidate of his party. It was one of the
fctions of the time that Mr.. Mckinley
took the ubiquitous carnat ton pink from
his buttonhole and pinned it upon the
gown Of the crippled old lady as she sat
almost helpless in her chair. She was
moved to tears and he stopped and kissed
her.
The Gar and the spooks.