Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1943-01-07

| EngllSh barrlSter, possessed OF NOR,
money than good judgment, ''pull
ing the WOOL over the eyes OF thi
| eighteen-year-old school girl. How
! he would strut his stuff" tellint
how easily she might become thu
mistress of turreted castle, il
the midst OF vast estate with &
retinue of servants at their bidding
Under such an entrancing stor,
the giddy girl, like many another
today, would become enraptured ant
without due consideration woult
take the irrevocable step. Love ant
good common sense hardly evel
ride together in the same jaunting
car.
But something happened when the
erring couple returned home
Neither family would receive them
turned them away in contempt ant
scorn. WELL" says someone, :"
can't see anything so bad in theil
escapade, but just little difference
in ages" Well, you will see later
For this cold reception, Blanner
hassett ''got his Irish up" sold his
possessions, and with his youns
bride took passage on a ship fol
America. This was in the yeal
1896 or '97 After long voyage
they landed at New York, where
their wealth, rank, attainments ant
all that, gave them prestige ant
they were accorded high honors.
Bnt they were refugees from the
, Isle of Man and Manhattan Island
failed to retain them. From here
they pressed their way over the AL
leghenies to Pittsburgh. 1t seems
strange that these young aristocrats
would leave city like New York
and head for the Northwest Terri
tory, which at that time was the
wild and woolly west" But there
was a reason. At Pittsburgh they
took a keel-boat down the Ohio
river and landed at the new town
of Marietta. Here they enjoyed the
hospitality and society of the Ma
rietta folks so much that they re-
mained through the winter and be-
gan looking for spot to build for
themselves home. While the town
was less than ten years old it was
the nucleus of future seat of
learning, and Harman, having a
strong desire for scientific research.
chemistry and gifted in music, and
the beautiful Margaret, even more
than his equal in some respects, the
people of Marietta held them in the
highest esteem. Why shouldn't t
they like Marietta? But they
couldn't find house, or a spot to
build house that suited them.
They had in their mind what they
wanted.
With something like 100000 to
come and go on, their ideas of a
house was far beyond a two-story
hewed Lighthouse, such as is still
preserved in the town of New Con-
cord today. Top of Harmar Hill
looked good to them but the get
ting UP there was the bug-bear.
In casting about, their eyes
chance to fall on the island down
the Ohio river. opposite the stock
ade called Farmers Castle. This
island seemed to cap the climax Of
Blannerhassett's dream. He had
captured the beautiful Margaret
from off an island and here was an
other island where he could build
castle and have an Eden home
For $4,000 he purchased the upper
end of the island from Elijah Back
us and moved temporarily into
block-house and started the i'm
provement. A carpenter-architect
from Marietta was hired to do the
work. Since the island belonged
to Virginia, slaves were used to
clear the ground, make walks. etc.
The stately mansion was completed
at cost of upwards of $4,000 and
was the talk of the entire country.
Boatmen following the river We're
astonished to see such mansion,
set like jewel, in the midst of will
derness surroundings.
Margaret set the pace for the
whole country. Dressed in bright
colors, with high plumed hat, rid
ing fast horse up to Marietta with
a Negro groom trying to follow,
caused all heads to stare and mar
VEL
The Blannerhassett castle became
hn Nf snfv Uicifnrc
lore, and what royal entertainment,
the elite of Marietta.
They named their home the Fairy
Isle. Here, for a few years, they
seemed to live an ideal life. I'm
they had children. oh,
my. Why did we let that greasy
word unfortunately" slip out?
Now we've got to clear that up,
make an explanation.
We said that when the erring
couple returned from their elope-
ment as man and wife their folks re-
pudiated them. Was it any won
der? Margaret Agnew was the
daughter of one of Harman Blan-
nerhassett's older sisters. Know
ingly, or unknowingly, Margaret
was married to her uncle. This in
cestuous marriage probably was the
fatal step, the beginning of their
These children, a ply
siological blunder, the three that
let's throw the mantle
Of charity over their weaknesses
and conclude that perhaps it was
best that the family became extinct
We are skipping over much of
interest to get to the day when the
were surprised to