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A LONELY LIFE.Miss Elizabeth L. Van Lew, the Noted federal Spy.Brief Sliflfh of Her Kv hatful I.Ifo - A. Koil-iluiil of lUvhuiuiut mul' nil Kuemy uf llm Soul hero Cdiifotlot nvy.The Richmond Leader published the following; sketch of ex-P'oi’tmlsircss Van Lew, who died In that city lust Tuesday morning:Kib-.uheth Van Lew was *.*e oldest dnugliter of John Van Lew. a native of New York, « man of sterling qualities, and of good old Dutch descent, tier mother, .Miss Eliza linker. of I’hll.vdel-phiu, was a daughter of Hllilory Buher,mayor of that city, who died of yellow fever during the terrible epidemic of 170X.John Van Lew was one of the leading hardware merchants of Richmond for many years. He accumulated largo and valuable property In and around the city, which has since been «ohl and divided among his heirs. The only remaining piece Is the Old homestead thatIn Its ntugn I licence and stateliness curries a reminder of its former luxury and sumptuiuigncsB. To this couple wore born three children—Miss KIP/u-beth Van Lew, Mr. John N. Van Lew and Mrs. Louisa Klapp. wife uf Dr.Joseph Klapp, of Philadelphia. Mias Klizuboth Van Lew is the* only surviving member of the family.The story of her life reads like ■« ro-mnifo. Itemed In the lap of lu:ur her early life wns that of toe favored child of u merchant prince. In the grand old mansion, noted far and wide for tb** lavish mow of Its hospitality and for Its own grandeur, Kllxuhclh Van Lew lived her lifetime. She mw in lb events I hat mud1- epochs In lit** history of the nation. The nlloled three score yew h unit ten were hers, and added was a decade and a half again. Those who knew her In the days when the vxtiavn-gnnco of the Soul hern aristocracy war-nuiril u{N*nk yet «.»t the loveliness and eclat that chamclerP/ed all her mnv’c-111. ntK. They tell to .lay how the nelgh-l.*orM era lied llieir it*** kit when a chaise drawn by six whit** horses drove in the door, and the little princess with her father and mother, started ii their Jeurtmy to the Whit** Sulphur Sprint*.-1.Mi s ''an Lew was a. young woman v ith a strong personality, and an I * •* n will that dominated all v.lm came within her ken.Nt ‘KTIIKUN SYMFAT111 ICS.She r**cel ved her educat Ion at Phlla-•1*■ 11’11in. and with II Imhito-d much of ill** sentlnvnt ilnit canned lid to cast)u r sympathies with the Nmlh.The mansion, at which before lie* wm were oiitcrtnined tnany not oil tncn and women, among whom were Fred* riku Itiriner, the distinguished Swedish authoress, became during those dread ml years that rollowed the Mecca f**r Northern sold lent.The late John Minor Letts. Franklin Stearns and ox-Hcnutm- John 1**. Lewis
Newspaper Details
Norfolk Virginian Pilot
Norfolk, Virginia, US
Fri, Oct 12, 1900
Page 12
Full Page
Clipped by
Dorothy B.
PA, USA 19 Jan 2019
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