The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1904-02-17

vide circle Of relatives and acuuaipt-
ances of the family Of Gen. Robert T..
Zee, are just nov intensely Interested
rn the efforts Of members OF the family
TO regain possession Of the Curtis
family Bible, which was lost by them
forty-thrcc years ago and for which
during that time, vain and unintcr-
ruptcd search has been conducted
Found unexpectedly e few months ago
in the hands Of Philadclphian, this
priceless heirloom, which Martha
Washington used at her morning dc.
Votions and which bears on its yellow
cd pages pages the birth and death re
cords of many of America famous
men, is now the subject Of dispute
which may be carried into the Courts
For settlement.
The present owner, who is George
". kendrick, Jr., vice president Of
bhe Union Surety and Guaranty Com
pany, refuses to turn it over to the
Lees and does not recognize their
claim to it. An attorney has been
consulted by member Of the family
with view tc finding out whether
legal proceedings can be instituted.
The mystery Of the disappearance of
the GUSTS Bible, which came into the
hands II Gen. Robert +. Lee by direct
descoDa from Martha Washington, is
one which the family has spared no
Efforts 30 solve, the General himself
being au active participant in the
search up to the time of his death.
The story of it's wandcrings has been
only partly revealed by it's discovery,
but sufficiently 80 to convince the
family that it was taken from Arling-
ton Heights by Union soldier in
1861 at the time Of the confscation Of
the property by :he United States
Government.
1t was only few weeks after the
resignation Of Gen. Lee from the Uni
ted States army and his appointment
to the command of the forces of the
South that his family, in their beau
tiful home at Arlington, received
word from Gen. Scott, who was then
at the head Of the Union army, order
ing them to vacatc the place within
twentyfour hours. In much haste
and confusion Mrs. Lee and her chill
dren, whose grief at being torn from
their old home was forced into the
background by their terror Of the
Northern army, packed up their be-
longings in single night and fed to
the home Of relative. 1t was not
for several days that the family Bible,
which had been treasured with the
greatest care, was found to be miss
ing. It had evidently been left be-
hind at Arlington, with other things
of less value. A return for the pur-
pose of looking for it was out Of the
question, since the place was already
in the hands Of the Union army, and
they were forced to resign themselves
10 its loss.
During the four years Of war which
followed no active search was made
for the book, but when after the sur
render at Appomattox, Gen. Lee and
his sous rejoined their family, the
whereabouts of the Bible became an
absorbing topic. Inquiry was made
everywhere, and museums and collec-
tions Of historical relics were cxamiu-
cd without result. The book had
evidently gone forever from the fami
ly's possession, and Gen. Lee died
without hearing any tidings whatever
Of it.
The first word Of the Bible was re-
ceived in March of last year. Miss
Mary Lee, daughter of Gen. Lee,
while visiting friends in Philadelphia,
received on anonymous typewriter
letter telling her briefly that the book
for which she had so long been search
ing was in possession of Mr.. Ken
drick. He had placed it on exhibi.
tion, the letter said, among other
Washingtoniaua in the Masonic Tenn
pie, in November, 1902, at the cele
bration of the sesquicentenuial ami
versary Of the initiation Of Wash
ington into the Fraternity Of Free
Masons.
Miss Lee, who was about to return
to her house in Virginia, did not have
time to investigate the clue at that
>time, but left the matter in charge Of
her hostess. Inquiries revealed that
the book was unmistakably the miss
ing Bible, and Miss Lee, on being in
formed Of it, wrote to Mr.. Kendrick,