Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1902-10-02

paper mas AION N'uIV ~ NlA'N N'NNNN
in review the shove name. viii YOU
allow the writer to set the story at
rest, for all time by sending you a
true account Of the tragic fate of this
lovely and accomplished woman"
Soon after the war OF 1872 there
were almost yearly accounts ot her
sad end, and naturally most distress
ing to her family in California and to
her father and many friends in New
York. Pirates when about to cNptate
their fearful crimes at the yard
arm" made full and free confessions
of having been present when this
beautiful woman was made to walk
the plank" from more than one pratt.
cal craft Many years have now
elapsed, and these sensational &C
counts have we'll nigh been exhausted,
and the "portraits' of her have been
discussed in your Review.
Those interested in her will read
with much pleasure the correspond
euce hetweet Aaron Burr and his
daughter after her marriage to Joseph
| Aston of South Carolina. Her letters
were from Hagley and The Oaks, rice
| plantations of theirs on the WaCCaman
River, South Carolina and from the
| old Aston residence on King street,
Charleston This volume is, OF course,
out of print, but may possibly be found
in some private library in New York,
as those Of the South were mostly
burned during the un-civil war Those
letters would of course only be of in
terest to those who would appreciate
her home life at the south.
The devotion which existed between
father and daughter was very great;
he had spared no pains on her educa.
| ton and was proud of her intelligence
and many fine traits. and she had re-
turned the same with. as will be seen,
| her undying love The summer home
| of the AlStOnS was on DebOrieu Island,
on the coast, some 100 miles north of
Charleston. The old house is still
standing, and having withstood the
storms Of the century, is occupied in
| the summer months by nice" of
Gov Aston. Here. during the war
of 1912, Theodosia lost her only son,
most promising boy, twelve years
of age, and the idol of his parents
The blow was a crushing one, ana on
the return of Gov. Alston's younger
brother from Yale college, as soon as
| Il, L,r 40 Ip hN, oh,
exclaimed, "Haveyou seen my father?'
| The writer only mentions this as an
| evidence of her great love for him
| The one desire now was to go to him
in New York.
BY the laws of Carolina, at the
period | write of. no governor could
leave the state during his official term,
| but apart from this the existing war
compelled him to remain. even If such
a law had not existed. A long journey
by land which at this period would
consume weeks, and in her present
| frame Of mind was out of the ques
ton; so a pilot boat" was fitted out
for her, though this, too, was attended
with great inconvenience and danger.
as the british fleet was then lying off
the 'capeS.' The boat was deemed
| safe and seaworthy, and for ballast
carried tierces of rice to defray eX.
penses in New York, and so the heart.
broken mother accompanied by sew
eral Of her devoted servants. who
refused to be left behind. sailed away
forever from her southern home. be
loved by Ill who knew her. The cap.
tain of the vessel carried with him
letter from Gov. Aston to the British
admiral requesting under the circum-
stances safe permit through the fleet
to New York, The non-arrival of the
vessel was of course a great source
of anxiety, which became more IN.
tense as weeks and months passed
! but for long and weary months all
| hope had not expired The war was
now over, Gov. Aston had died. and
no truthful intelligence had been re
| Ceived Of the pilot boat or Theodosia
till Gen. Thomas Pinckney, a near con
rection Of the family in Carolina. met
at dinner party in London the Ad
| miral Of the fleet already alluded to-
who stated to him that the letter Of
Gov, Aston had been received and
read by him and the request promptly
granted but that a very violent storm
had arisen during the night ana the
fleet was scatterd, and doubtless the
pilot boat and all aboard were lost.
This was the first reliable information
which had been received. and the fam.
lily accepted It as absolutely true
Long years had now elapsed and moth.
ing more was heard of the Inflated
vessel save the newspaper fabrication
alluded to, when IN 1873 the following
letter was received by Mrs. w. p. p.
who inherited the old residence on
King street, Charleston. already men
toned
Elizabeth City. y. c. July 2s. 1878
Dear Madame: I inclose you photo
Of the painting I have believed to be
portrait Of Mrs Aston. II has been
sent to many Of the relatives OF Col
Burr in New York and elsewhere who
all see in II a strong resemblance. but