The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-08-10


widow Of President Benjamin Harrison
was its chief engineer for thirty years
He had been dead for many years.
The ''recluse of Rio" was eighty-si,
years old last month, yet his form re
tanned its erectness, his hair its raver
blackness and his eyesight was undim-
| med to the last. He was over six feet
| tall, smooth shaver and always wore q
| -brimmed black SLOUGH hat. WheI
Packer was Governor OF Pennsylvania
before the Civil war. the recluse was q
| colonel on his military STAFF, and il
Northeastern Pennsylvania he was a
power in politics two generations ago
| His life on the mountains was peaceful
and uneventful for years. He never came
| to Port Jervis nor wandered outside OF
| the woods and few cultivated fields
around the little settlement which is
| dignified with a post-office, but has not
enough population for a church or a
school.
When his cabin burned he was cared
for by John Daugherty, who holds the
| title of postmaster. and when Mrs
Dougherty died three years ago, he went
Joining farm and was cared for by
Gemohr and his family until he died.
He spoke very little but his every word
betrayed the cultivated man Of the
world and he was looked up TO with
awe and respect by the jewellers in the
wild country, none OF whom dared ques-
ton him about his private affairs or
the reasons which impelled him to live
so far from friend or kith of kin.
AS he lay dying in the little farmhouse
room which he had called home for so
long. his strong mind wandered and
ne was carried back half a century to
the days when. as a civil engineer. he
commanded men and planned and car
ried out big undertakings. He sat erect
in his bed and gave orders to imaginary
gangs Of men and to lieutenants who
were building under his direction the
great canal, no wemptied of its water
its usefulness ended. and the property
of the railroads 1t was built to COM
pete with. Then other scenes came into
his disordered vision and he shuddered
and cried Murder" and covered under
the bedclothes. begging piteously of i'm
aginary foes not to kill him.
Drs. Wilkie and Swartout. who were
called from Port Jervis in inducing him
to swallow brandy to stimulate the act
ion OF the heart. which was falling him
rapidly. He thought it was whisky.
which he had not tasted since drink
drove him to his clustered life, and he
said over and over again:
Don't give me whisky. I've had more
than enough of that in my life. Take
it away"
When the great work of building the
Delaware and Hudson Canal from
Honesdale, Pa, to Rondout on the Hud-
son was completed, Russell Lord was
placed IN charge Of its affairs and he
made John his assistant A bank had
just been established in Honesdale and
John Lord married the beautiful and &C
complished Miss Neal, daughter OF it's
first cashier. Her mothers brother was
a clergyman and a college professor. Dr.
Scott, and when his two pretty daugh-
tiers, Carrie and Lizzie. came to visit
their cousin, Mrs Lord, in Honesdale,
Russell F. Lord. at that time an elderly
widower, courted and married Lizzie.
young layer Of Indiana, wooed and
won Carrie.
Russell Harrison was named for his
uncle Russell Lord. and Mrs. Scott
Lord. the wife OF Russell. was the ex-
ecutive in the social affairs OF the White
House when Mrs. Harrisons health gave
way.
Russell Lord had two beautiful daugh-
ters. one OF whom was married to son
OF Acknowledgement Dimick, OF Penn
sylvania, who lived only three months
after the wedding Az Mrs. Dimick she
was an inmate Of the White House dur
ing the Harrison Administration. and she
was her aunt's nurse until she died.
Mrs. Dimick became the second wife
Of former President Harrison. and is
his present widow. Russell Lords son.
Russell, Jr., was a civil engineer like
his father. and became eminent IN his
profession. lie died in New York not
long ago.
After the close Of the war both Russell
Lord and his brother John grew singu-
larlys cratic. Both separated from their
wives and families. Russell died and
John became recluse on the noun
tains.
His only son frequently offered him a
home with him in Philadelphia, but the |
recluse said the pure air ard the free |
life OF the woods made the only sort Of |
existence he cared to lead His son |
paid his board with the farmers who /
him. and every year sent 20 1
the tax-coIlector Of Orange County a /
small check which paid taxes or the 1
10 acres OF barren land with stony soil 1
and stunted pines on which Col John /
Lord elected &c live his lie out. and i
where he built his cabin with his own /