Behind every great man ... is a mystery

March book signing for local historic biography, By Mina Samuels and Lori Strelecki MILFORD - The mystery surrounding Juliette Pierce has been the subject of much debate. As the second wife of the genius mathematician and philosopher Charles Saunders Pierce, she bore witness to the process by which a great mind struggles to express new ideas. Juliette’s unshakeable belief in her husband’s “beautiful mind” was put to the test time and again, as the cycles of Charles’ mental illness became more severe and physical illness overtook him. Some believe that Juliette came from Russia, a gypsy heritage. But almost nothing of her life before she met Charles is known. There are clues, of course. She owned a deck of Tarot cards said to have predicted the downfall of Napoleon. She later used these very cards in Milford to do readings for charity to benefit the community house. She spoke French. She had gynecological illnesses that prevented her from having children. She had the means to support herself. And then, for reasons we’ll never know, she was in New York, where she met Charles at the Hotel Brevoort’s New Year’s Eve costume ball. From that moment, Juliette never wavered in her support for Charles. Through good times and bad, she stood behind him, picked up the pieces, and believed in his imminent success, that the world would soon recognize his brilliance. In 1888, the Pierces bought a home in Milford, Pennsylvania. They dreamed of building a resort on their property that was to be a think tank of sorts, a place where the great minds of the time would gather and wrestle with the riddles of the universe. As with so many of their dreams, it never came to be. Instead, when Charles died in 1914, Juliette was left destitute and alone. She lived another twenty years, dedicated to bringing Charles and his ideas the recognition they deserved. An obituary in “Science” on her death described her as “a gracious ... lady” who “lived and passed away ... in the distinction of her devotion.” The story of Madame Peirce, as she was often known, one of mystery, survival and heartbreak, is beautifully imagined in a novel by Mina Samuels titled “The Queen of Cups,” released in January 2007. The title comes from the Tarot card, the Queen of Cups. Samuels will be at Mill Run Booksellers and the Water Wheel Cafe on March 4 from 1 to 3 p.m. for lunch and a book signing. The Water Wheel will offer a luncheon menu with specials and Samuels will be on hand to answer questions, chat, and sign copies of her book. This event is co-sponsored by the Columns Museum and the Pike County Historical Society.