The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1905-09-15
MRS. FANNIE MONROE.
Child of Soldier Who Fought at
Cowpens, at Seventy an Active
Woman at Her Home.

Written for the News and Cous:er
by Fronde Kennedy.
In lower Laurens county near
Hopewell Methodist church there is
living today "Real Daughter of the
American Revolution" And she may
live score of years longer for Mrs.
Fannie Monroe, though she claims
seventy years, hardly looks fifty.
Lately gave myself the great
pleasure of visiting this remarkable
woman, wishing to hear her recollec-
tions of her father, and to learn the
particulars Of her own life.
A relative of Mrs. Monroe's and a
friend of mine kindly went with me
to introduce me. We drove out the
"Bush River Road" from Clinton for
about eight miles to reach her home.
What / saw was a great contrast to
the oldtime house I had expected.
In an old grove stood new frame
house, just completed, and not yet
painted. All the surroundings indi-
Gated that it was an old place. Upon
inquiry I found that fire had de-
stroyed the home Of Mrs. Monroe in
1908 We tied Our horse and turned
toward the door.
A very energetic lady came walk
ing out to the buggy to greet us.
When I was presented by my COM
panions to 'sAunt Fannie, Mrs. Mon
roe," l could not forbear side in
quiry whether this were the Mrs.
Monroe; for without perhaps realizing
it I had been picturing to myself an
old, old lady, frail, soft spoken, delib-
Eerate, oblivious to the present, full Of
fthe past: I really believe F must have
had an expectation that she would
be dependent on rolling chair, or,
at the least, a staff But she looks
younger than many a woman of fifty.
Her hair is but slightly silvered, and
she said that five years ago it was
as black as crows wing. Although
her complexion is not what it must
have been when she was younger
her face is still quite smooth, having
| almost no wrinkles
That Girl With Black Eyes.
She spoke with regret of the change
in her appearance since she was
girl She told us that she used to be
called "that girl with black eyes"
though they were really dark blue,
like her fathers. Now they seem
more grey than blue, but they are
wonderfully bright and expressive yet.
She is of medium height and not very
heavy. The most surprising thing
about her to me, was her voice. 1t
is very clear and strong. She speaks
with great nicely, showing no tenden-
cy to let her words trail off or to
leave sentences dangling in space. In
fact she is one of the most alert ladies
Of seventy I have ever seen.
When l explained to her why I
had come to see her she was cordiali-
ty itself, but Immediately explained
that she could tell me very little about
her father or the Revolutionary war.
Her father, Joseph Griffin, was
skillful scout He was born in Gull
pepper county, Virginia, in 1861. His
mother died when he was young and
when he was II years old he and his
father came to South Carolina to join
relatives. They settled on Bush riv-
er, and, of course, cleared farm and
built house. There is not any sign
left of this old house.
"Joe Griffin" was strong, we'll de-
veloped boy and in 1777, at the age Of
sixteen, he joined the American army.
He was not very large, but Of great
strength and endurance. He had
coal black curly hair, blue eyes and
very fair, rosy skin. Mrs. Monroe
says that she did not listen to her
fathers tales of the war when she
could escape. They were very bloody
and terrible and she hated to hear