Anne Newport Royall

Anne Newport Royall. . Born 11 June 1769, in Maryland and married 18 Nov 1797, Anne Royall became a wealthy widow upon her Revolutionary War Veteran husband's death in 1813. However, her husband's family filed an ultimately successful suit for his estate. While she waited for the trial results, Anne traveled North Alabama and lived near this site (1819), Huntsville and Melton's Bluff where she appeared on the 1820 Census. Royall wrote 'Letters From Alabama 1817-1822' about her early travels here. While living at Melton's Bluff, Anne visited with Cherokees and described in detail their dress and styles. There she also met John Coffee, Gideon Blackburn, and Andrew Jackson. After writing other books, Royall began a weekly newspaper in Washington, DC on 3 Dec 1831, named the 'Paul Pry,’ noted for its strong satire and biting personal attacks. She was the first person to conduct a presidential press conference and the first woman convicted of being a common scold in America. Upon learning the verdict of the contested will in 1823 and for the rest of her life, Royall lived in virtual poverty, though presidents and powerful men learned to fear her writings. Upon her death 1 Oct 1854, her estate was thirty-one cents. Anne Newport Royall was buried in the Congressional Cemetery in Washington, DC.