On seeking for information in regard to General Pike's daughter and her children, I first wrote to ex-President Benjamin Harrison, by whom I was favored with prompt reply, in part as follows:
674 NORTH DELAWARE STREET, INDIANAPOLIS, IND., May 24, 1894.
I have your letter of May 21st. My uncle, Symmes Harrison, married the daughter of General Pike and left several children; but I do not think I know of but one who survives--William Henry Harrison, who lives in the neighborhood of the old Pike homestead on the Ohio River, about two and a half miles below my grandfather's old home at North Bend.... I cannot give you the names of General Pike's children; I was too young to have any knowledge of them. Possibly my eldest sister, Mrs. Bettie H. Eaton, who is now residing at El Paso, Texas, may be able to give you some information about the Pike family.
Very truly yours, [Signed] BENJAMIN HARRISON.
Mrs. Bettie Harrison Eaton was kind enough to reply to my further inquiries, in a letter dated El Paso, Tex., July 2d, 1894, from which I quote in substance:
My cousin's, William Henry Harrison's, mother was a daughter of General Pike, whose maiden name was Clarissa Harlowe Pike. She was married to my uncle, John Cleves Symmes Harrison, but in what year I do not know. Indeed, I know very little about the Pike family, as I always understood that my aunt was General Pike's only child; if he had others I never heard of them. I remember her very slightly, as I was quite a little girl when she died. Her mother, Mrs. General Pike, of whom I have a better memory, was a tall, dignified, rather austere looking woman, who always dressed in deep black, wearing always a large black Canton crape shawl and a black crape turban on her head, which to my childish eyes gave her a somewhat awe-inspiring appearance. She was a highly educated and accomplished woman, and a fine French scholar. She kept for many years a diary, which was written in French. My cousin, to whom I refer you, lives on the old Pike homestead, and could probably give you the dates you wish, as he no doubt has the family Bible, and the old graveyard where the family are buried is on the place.
On applying to William Henry Harrison of North Bend, O., I received a brief note dated Sept. 10th, 1894, in which the following information is given: "My house burned some years ago, when all General Pike's private papers were lost. He had but one child, my mother Clara. His wife's maiden name was Clara Brown; she was the daughter of Captain John Brown of Revolutionary fame."