Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 February 1894 — An Extinct Russian Family. [ARTICLE]

An Extinct Russian Family.

Marquis de Fontenoy in Chicago Kecord. One of the most celebrated Russian families has recently become extinct by the death, at Baden, of Prince Mentchikoff. The founder of the house was a pastry cook’s assistant. who hawked pies in the Muscovite capital. By some means or other he obtained an inkling of a projected revolt of the czar’s body-guard and informed Peter the Great of the fact. Peter showed his gratitude in the most generous manner, raising the young fellow by degrees to the rank of a general in the army, and a prince of the empire. On the death of the emperor Mentchikoff secured the succession to Catharine, who, in return, caused Peter 11. to marry the prince’s daughter. This seemed to turn his head, as he became so arrogant thSft the emperor ended by disgracing him and sending him to Siberia, where he died in exile. His great grandson commanr’el the Russian army ui chief during the Crimean war, of which he was one of the principal originators. After his disastrous defeat at the battle of Alma was deprived of his command. whi( h was intrusted to Prince Gortchakoff, and he died some time after in obscurity and partial disgrace. Hi 3 son, the last of the race, lived almost entirely abroad, keeping aloof from politics and devoting nis energies to the turf. Like the remainder of his family, he belonged to the rigorously conservative school of the Russian nobility, and made no pretense of disguising his contempt for the efforts made of late years tc bring the institutions of his country into conformity with western civilization. The mother-iu-law of the Mikadr of Japan has recently been 111. She was attended by 423 phrsicians, but has rallied.