The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1906-10-04
1816-1906.
hrs. F. l.. Cleveland Cele-
brates Her Ninetieth
Birthday.
From spartanburg Is. c. Herald.l

.
Interest, marking as it does the nine
tieth golden milestone in the life OF
Mrs. Frances Leonard Cleveland, of
Marietta, Ga, who is visiting her daugh-
ter, Mrs. j. B. Cleveland. While no
formal invitations were sent out,
friends called throughout the day,
bringing many good wishes and con-
eratulations TO her, whose happy face
and whose cordial interest in every
guest, claimed for her beyond doubt
ing, that she, like Oliver Wendell
Holmes, was NINETY years young"
The reception room was filled with
y flowers, books, and various other gifts,
remembrances sent by friends from
various States. Among the hardsomest
of the floral offerings was bowl of
magnificent roses, sent by Mrs. f.
Kendall, with touching note, saying
that she sent them in memory of Mr..
Kendall, who on Mrs. Cleveland's last
birthday, had sent her similar offer
ing.
Mrs. J. B. Cleveland and her sister:
Miss Harriet Cleveland, OF Marietta,
received their mothers guests, and du-
ring tie calls showed many interesting
pictures and relics from their mothers
old home. On tbs walls were two
quaint pictures, painted N Fleetwood
street, London, more than hundred
years ago. One represented the Tree
of Life" and the other Repentance,
each teaching a moral lesson. They
we're bought by Mrs. Cieveland's father,
Rev. Henry Wight. A quaint teapot,
with. the antique twisted handle, and
some other pieces of teaset were
shown, they being of special interest
just now, when the "open door" with
China is being SO discussed. This tea
set was made in China, by special order
of Mr.. Wight. for his wife, her mono
gram in gold letters marking every
piece. 1t is more than hundred years
old.
\ Mrs. Cleveland, wearing q becoming
white muslin cap, and dainty MORN
ing apron with sheer gated frills,
looked the oil time lady that she is.
She does mol W ar spectacles, using a
reading-glass when she reads She
talked most entertainingly to her visit
ors, telling many interesting incidents
in her life. She was born in Bristol,
R. her father being Rev. Henry M.
! Wight, who was in active service in the
Revolutionary war. Her mother was
Clarissa Leonard, daughters OF Col.
Jephaniah Leonard, paymaster in the
Revolutionary army. Mrs. Cleveland g
/ grandmother was named Abigail Alden,
being a direct descendant of John Alden
and Priscilla, made famous in Longfel-
lows poem. Mrs. Cleveland says she
remembers distinctly her grandmother
telling her the story of loyal John long
before Longfellow wrote the poem.
When asked about her first school, she
said she went to an A B & school in
Bristol. Her teacher was an old maid
named Miss Dolly Diamond. and she
recalled distinctly how she painted hel
cheeks. She said that in this school the
Bible was used as reading book. She
afterwards went to school in Provi.
dence, r. l., and later went to a Fin.
ishlnk School for Young Ladies'" in
Philadelphia, of which her brother-in.
law. Mr.. John Alden, was principal
She showed q school book of her moth
er's, published in 1889. bound in rea
boards or wood with paper pasted Over
it, and bearing the title, IAN American
Selection of Lessons in Reading END
Speaking Calculated to Improve the
Minds and Refine the Tastes OF Youth,
its author being one Noah Webster.
Mrs. Cleveland was married in 1910
to Mr.. r. NJ. Cleveland, of Greenville
S. C she having met him during visit
to her sister in Augusta They lived
in Lawrenceville, Ga, until after the
Civil war. when, having lost their home
and property, they went to Wartrace
Tenn, for Il time, afterwards removing
to Marietta. Mrs. Cleveland, though
born at the North, was q most devoted
Confederate, sending two sons to the
front in Hampton's Legion. She said
she made many clothes for the soldiers
ripping up all of her wooden comforts
to get the wool for making cloth fol
them. She told with animation of an
incident of her sons army life in Vir.
ginia, how one day when he was wear.
ing an Overcoat which she had made
for him, terrible storm came up. Her
son seeing lady pass by unprotected
from the rain, unbuttoned the long
detachable cape from his coat, and Of
fered it to her. She accepted it, and
asking his name, said she would return
it. The next morning it WAS returned
with courteous note from Miss Lee,
one of Gen. Lees daaghters.
| Mrs Cleveland has always been a
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