Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1867-01-29

After long and painful illness, Nathaniel
(. Willis died at idewild, bis residence on
the Hudson river, on the Goth instant, his
sxue,h birthday. lie was enc Of the old
est, and most widely known in his day. Of
American hte~afeurs and JOUR- alists, and
bis death authors career Of but
littie less u ccntury's duration
The literary labor performed by him was
immense IN amour, and productions Of bu,
lew writers, either preceding or cotempo-
rary, have been equally volumnous. Mr..
Willis was hereditary journalist. his
ggaudiatheF having been fellow apprentice
II Benjamin F.analp, and his father the
founder o The Boston Recorder, the FIRST
purely T. rs paper ever established upon
this continent, both men throughout their
lives continuing prominently identified With
various publishing and Newspaper enters
priscs. Mr.. Willis himself was born in
Portland, Me-, on January goth, 1907, re-
ceived classical education in the Boston
Latin School, the Phillips Academy AZ
Andover, Mass. and Yale College, sradu
ating from the latter institution in the class
in 1927.
His talents were precocious in the de-
velopement, and during his collegiate life a
number OF poems from his pen attracted
general attention, and one gained . 500
prize, offered by the publisher Of IN illus
tratcd annual. The impression produced
by his unusual gifts ia literary circles was
so decided that immediately after graduation
he was employed by the late Samue! q.
Goodrich. (Pee r Parley) to edit the lie,
geniary and the Token. The following year
he established . monthly which was named
the american Monthly Magazine, whose
pages were opened to the contributions oil
the younger and less-noted authors Of the
day, and contained the first productions oil
many men who have since become widely
aud descrvedly famous. Mr.. Willis literary
success in this undertaking was marked
and in short time no merged his magazine
in the New York Mirror, forming . part
ncrship with tho proprietor Of the latter, the
late George r. Morris, with whom he con
tinued associated in literary enterprises fe'
the greater portion Of his subsequent life
Mr.. Willis soon visited Europe, and con
tributed 10 the Mirror sketches Of Cont,
mental travel and society, whose graphic
pic,uring ard sprightly tone speedily gained
for their author . wide repute. lie remain
ed in the Old World number Of years, be
came an atfachc Of our Embassy at Paris
travelled extensively in Europe, Asia and
Africa, and ultimately married an Englisf
lady, the daughter Of Gen. STAGE, command
ing at The Woolwch Arsenal. His letters
home were Of the most enter tanning charac,
tor, and, having been published in book
form, were extensively circulated in Europe
where their freedom Of personal C iticism
resulted in the most bitter denunciation by
some Of the Reviews, aud also in hostile
meeting Of their writer with Marryatt
the novelist In 1897 he returned tt
America, and during tho subsequent ter
years was engaged in large number O
literary enterprises, revising Europe
twice in this period. In 1876 ne was mar
ried second time, his second wife berg
the daughter OF Hon. Joseph Grinnell, o
New Bedford, Mass. In 1877, with Mr.
Morris, he established the Home Journal
aud continued to be il editor to the day o.
his death, this publication lattsrly employ
ing all the time and attention his cnfeeblcd
health would allow him TO devote thereto.
Mr.. Willis numerous works are common
IN all our households, aud his name is Il
nil ar 10 all IL the past ard present genera
ton, who have been readers Of the current
literature Of the day. IN fact, he wrote al
most exclusively for the present and not for
'hc future, and tie sprightly articles on SO.
cial topics, IN which he specially delighted
aud xrclled, were a. e,ancsccnt in III, il
nature rs tie fs1uiision If modern j urnal-
isin. Ills d.>sirti. rs Of foreign scenes
ami peope. 80 / csh in their day, have be
come hat kney,d while men Low visit IL,
sputs IT which III those days they were con
tut to be told Tn most durable Ct Mr.
Wills will he lis sacred poems, which hay,
rarely been surpassed in either sci elton O
| topics, appropriateness Of treatment, Il
s,lcmn beauty of style. 1t is ty these thai
postcfity viii chiefly remember him. ant
such ceren,n will well preserve the fra
| gfnncc OF his m,morY.