Perry County AlArchives News.....COL. SUMPTER LEA VISITS OLD HOME April 21, 1916 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Shirley Mellon Dewberry dewberry@cableone.net October 30, 2010, 2:58 pm Newspapter Article, Marion, Alabama April 21, 1916 Source: Newspaper Article Date: Friday, April 21st, 1916 Marion, Alabama COL. SUMTER LEA VISITS OLD HOME ------------------------------------------------- Is Writing Alabama History of Gen. Sam Houston of Texas Col. Sumpter Lea, of Birmingham, accompanied by his daughter, Mrs. Mintor, has been the guest of his niece, Mrs. W. L. Pitts at the Drummers Hotel several days this week. While Col. Lea’s visit at this time is of a personal nature he is taking occasion to gather data of the Alabama history of Gen. Sam Houston, of Texas, which he is writing to be incorporated in a history of Gen. Houston now being proposed by one of his close friends. Col. Lea is in his 81st year, and was born and reared in Marion. Gov. Houston married his aunt, Miss Margaret Moffett Lea, at his father home here when Col. Lea was only four years old. The old home is still standing and he has had several pictures taken of it and its surroundings. There was a romance connected with the marriage of Gen. Houston and Miss Lea which has been often told and re-told, but in many instances incorrect. Gen. Houston, according to Col. Lea, met Miss Lea who was visiting New Orleans when he arrived there en route to Washington to urge that Texas be admitted as a state, and was in the reception line that greeted him. He was struck with her beauty and asked permission to visit her. She told him her home was in Marion, Alabama, and if he wished to see more of her he would have to call at her home. Returning from Washington he did call at the Lea home and asked the hand of the young lady in marriage. He was referred to her sister, who told him she would not give her consent until he explained to her satisfaction the current story of his first marriage. This, the General refused to do, stating it was a sealed secret in his own bosom and would never be divulged. Mrs. Lea was obdurate, and said under these conditions she would not consent to the marriage. The General returned to his hotel and prepared to leave early the next morning. But just prior to the hour for his departure he again visited the Lea home and after meeting the fair Miss Lea called for her sister and told her he had never surrendered to any man or men, but this was one time he would surrender to a woman. He told her the story, which Col. Lea says he alone know, and it was told him by his mother, but what that story was he did not divulge to the writer. The General returned to Texas and within a few months returned and claimed his bride. Col. Lea says he made a splendid husband and their wedded life was a happy one. Col. Lea has been in a very happy mood since coming to Marion. Says it brings back the feelings of youth and his young manhood. That the laughter of the people, the singing of the birds, and the calm and stillness as compared to the bustle and roar of the city make him want to return and spend his last days here and have his body laid away in the old home cemetery. He gave full expression to these feelings in the following quotation from Goldsmith’s lovely poem: “Like the hare, the horns and hounds pursue, Pants to the place from whence it once flew, I still had hopes my long vexations past Here too return and die at home at last. How blessed is he, who, mid scenes like these, Crowns a life of labor with an age of ease.” Col. Lea has been blind now these many years. Her practiced law here after returning from college and for a short time edited The Commonwealth, afterwards consolidated with the Standard. His first editorial he says was a reply to what was know as “Yancey’s Scarlet Letter,” advocating secession, and in further discussion came near having a duel with Col. Reid, one of the editors at the time of the Montgomery Advertiser, also a former citizen of Marion, and which was only averted by his selecting hickory sticks to fight with instead of horse pistols. Col. Lea was opposed to secession, but when the state seceded he joined the 28th Alabama regiment at this place and made a noble soldier. After the war he moved to Selma where he practiced law until his removal to Birmingham some 25 years ago. He is a gifted lawyer and enjoyed a successful practice from the beginning of his profession, and old people say his genial disposition and quick wit made him many personal friends here, nearly all of whom have passed to their reward. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/perry/newspapers/colsumpt1829gnw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/alfiles/ File size: 5.0 Kb