The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1911-12-15
new NEWS OF YESTERDAY
Story About the Widow Of Alex
ander Hamilton.
How, Standing Before the Memorial
Tablet in Trinity Church Unrecoo-
nized, She Heard a Tribute to
Her Husbands Greatness.
BY e. J. EDWARDS.

Some seventy years & some Of
those who held in high esteem the
services and memory of Alexander
his memory to be set into one of the
panels of Trinity church, New York
city. The grave of Hamilton. and
the modest tombstone which sur
mounted it. which even to this day
draws many visitors to the world
famous churchyard at the head Of
Wall street, had in the late forties
displayed some signs of the ravages
OF time. and the admirers of Hamilton
of that day reasoned that If a modest
tablet to Hamilton's memory were
placed in a position upon the interior
wall of Trinity. there it would remain.
and his memory be preserved and
kept green in the hearts of his coun-
trymen. as long as the church build
ing itself stood. And eve since the
tablet has been in place a day never
passes without it's silent group before
the memorial.
One of the great admirers of Ham
Elton at the period of the erection Of
the tablet vas Henry r. Mygatt. from
about 1880 until 1870 n of the great
lawyers of New York state, and. in
fact, of the nation. He was associat-
ed either Is joint counsel or as oppos-
ling counsel at one time or another
with nearly all of the lawyers who in
the mid-years of the past century
maintained the high reputation which
the bar of New York had gained in
the days of Alexander Hamilton. Mr..
Mygatt was associated with United
States Senator Daniel S. Dickinson OF
New York. who was SO nearly nomi-
mated for vice-president upon the
ticket with Lincoln in 1864, and who
was one of the great orators Of his
day.
MI. Mygatt's home was upstate. in
Chenango county. Whenever business
called him tt New York city he al
ways made it a point to find time to
go to Trinity churchyard and stand
for a moment or two before the tomb
Of Alexander Hamilton. But when
uC uSo4u IAuS q loDAOl uCA OCOA CACSS-
ed in the church to the memory of his
political idol, he made a special trip
to the city to view the memorial.
AS he stood reading the inscription
on the tablet, which recalls the serv-
ices of Hamilton to the nation. Mr..
,Mygatt observed that he was not
alone before the memorial. One of
the persons standing near him was a
woman, apparently of venerable years,
who was with a companion. She
looked earnestly at the tablet for q
few moments. and then. turning to
her companion. said:
1T is too high. I think"-meaning
by that that, in her opinion. the tab
let had been placed at too great an
elevation from the floor Of the church.
Madam" said MI. Mygatt. earnest
ly. turning to her on the spur Of the
moment, "you will pardon me. l am
sure, but l cannot refrain from say
ing to you that nothing can be too
high or too remote for the memory Of
Alexander Hamilton"
The little old woman lifted her veil
and looked up into Mr.. Mygatt's face,
her own suffused with evidences Of
intense pleasure.
II thank you, sir" she said sweet
ly; II have a right to thank you, for
/ am Alexander Hamilton's widow"
1t was. indeed. Elizabeth Schuyler.
who had married Alexander Hamilton
In 1880. who was widowed by his
death in 1904, and who lived until aft
er the mid-year mark Of the nine
teenth century.
l(Copyright. 1911, by E. J. Edwards. AMI
Rights Reserved.)
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