Evening star., 1928-10-13

1t was In 1895 that Anna Symmes
met William Henry Harrison. Little
did she imagine that through him she
would become the wife of one President
of the United States and the grand
mother of another.
Miss Symmes had gone down from
North Bend, near what is now Cln-
cinnti, on the Ohio River, to visit her
sister Mrs. Peyton Short, in Lexing-
ton, KY. There Capt. Harrison, OF
whom she already had heard much,
was presented to her
He was the son of Benjamin Har-
rison, the noted Virginian, signer OF
the Declaration of Independence and
associate of Washington and other
founders Of the Republic. Benjamin
Harrison had designed his son for
medicine, but his dying before the sons
education was complete. with his for
tune considerably reduced, had left the
son free to follow his bent. That bent
had led William Henry Harrison to
Ohio to help first st. Clair and then
Mad Anthony Wayne battle the Brit
ish and Indians. He now was COM
mander of Fort Washington at Gin
cinnati, although scarcely %.
Capt. Harrison was feet tall and
athletic. He not only was brave
soldier. He was impetuous and de-
termined He could recite poetry and
quote from the classics with facility
Little wonder that Anna Symmes.
petite, graceful, with black hair and
eyes, should fall in love with him as
he with her, and commit her beauti-
full little person to his care, She was
still 20 and not long out OF semi
nary. He was figure to stir her sense
Of the romantic. And among the crude
pioneers she had met few men born
like herself in high station in the East
She had only recently come West
She had been born at Morristown. N.
j., the daughter of John Cleves
SymmeS. an officer in the Continental
Army. When she was her mother
died, and she was placed with her
grandparents at Southold. Long Island,
to be raised and educated.
With the close of the Revolution Col.
Symmes went West. He bought grant
of land stretching north from the
Ohio River between the Great and
Little Miami Rivers. He put up three
log cabins at North Bend, intending
them to be the nucleus of a great COM
mercial center AS Judge of the North
west territory he was one Of the most
influential men on the frontier.
However, Fort Washington, upon
which the settlers depended for pro-
lection, was at Cincinnati. That set
tlement grew. North Bend never was
more than vision.
Anna Symmes came to North Bend
January l. 1795. She met Capt Har-
rison during the Summer of the same
year. On November % they were man
and wife.
Judge Symmes at first accepted Har-
rison as prospective Son-in-law. But
later he heard unfavorable reports of
the captain and forbade the wedding.
His dictum was of no avail While he
was away from home on business a
wedding day was set, guests were In
Vited and the marriage was celebrated
SymmeS' second wife. who had been
Miss Susan Livingston. a daughter OF
Gov. Livingston of New York, aided
The conSpirators.
Capt Harrison went back to Fort
Washington. He met his father law
in Cincinnati
WELL said Symmes, Il understand
you have married Anna"
Eyes, SIR"
"HoW do you expect to support her?"
by my sword and my own right
arm"
Symmes relented.~ He gave his bless
ing to the young couple and they went
happily to settle in a house Harrison
built near Fort Washington. Later they
moved to North Bend
Anna Harrison was a woman of fine
physique, hale and hearty She needed
to be. She gave her husband nine
| children. and since he was away from
home a great deal of the time. most of
their raising deVolVed on her,