The New York herald., 1877-11-03
Appearance Of the Biography of
the Dead Statesman.
AN INTERESTING RESUME.
From BoWdoin to the Bar
and the Senate.
HIS ADVENTURES ABROAD.


Piorcos long expected memoir Of Charles Sumner
lies before US, and alter careful reading We pro-
nounce OF tho entertaining books OF biog-
raphy It has ever been our good fortune 10 read.
BY the authority or Mr. Summers will Mr. Pierce
put In possession Of all tho deceased statesman's
papors, manuscript and letter books to do with them
~ no thought best Tho only thing 70 be done WAS
TO give such not Of private nature to tho
world which done and the result 10 the two good
sized volumes that stil damp from tho press The
bulk Of both volumes mado up letters written by
Mr. Sumner when abroad 70 his friends ut home, and
whom homo to his friends abroad. The letters
never intended for publication consequently thorc
opinions In thom OF men and things that very
plain spoken. Mr.. Pierce has shown his wisdom In
giving IN lheso letters 10 read rather than
filing his book with dry facts concerning tho
iic OF its subject for got at tho character oil nn
better by mis- ietors than could in any way except
by intimate acquaintance. Part Of tho rst volume is
occupied with tho and paronago or Sumner
and tho second volume closes with the event which
marked the beginning OF his pubic caroer-thc ora
tion The Truo Grandeur OF Nations" delivered In
Boston the 4th Of July, 1S4a s44
The sumner family Is OF English origin. The name
at first Sommoner Somner, tho tttlo OF officers
whose duty IL was TO summon parties into courts.
William Sumner, from whom descended Charles IN tho
seventh generation, to this country In 1885 and
jacobs iamily-the maternal sncestou OF Charles
Sumnor-bcg,ns with Nicholas Jacob, who to
this country from Hingbam. England In 1888. Both
the Summers and Jacobs iarmers and were noted
for thcir integrity and good common Job Sum-
ner the grandfather OF Charles student At Har-
ward at the breaking out OF tho Revolutionary War;
when he lott his books, shouldered his muskct and
joined the army OF Washington. In l7s5, two
years after the war. he was made o master OF
arts by Harvard College. Ho died at the age OF
thirty-thrco and his tombstone may bo scen
any day IN the centre Of St Pauis church.
yard, on Broadway Charles Pinckney sumner, tho
fathor OF Charles, was born In Milton, a suburb OF
Boston. HIS name was ut first JOB. but was sftcr-
ward changed to Charles Pinckney. alter the South
Carolina statesman. He entered Harvard College IN
1902 and graduated in 1706. He . good studcnt
and clever at versi1cation. After leaving college ho
studied law became Interested In politics and held
number Of public Offices. While mot participating
publicly in the abolition movement he was always
antisavcry man. His forecast discerned the conac.
In which his son TO bear his great part Tradition
and his papers give abundant evidence OF his opinions
on this subject Mr.. Sumner was married April 25,
lSl0 20 Rsiief Jacob, OF Hanover. They had iorped
an acquaintance while both wero boarding with Cap
tain Adams Bailey, on South Russell street Miss
Jacob, at the time Of her marriage, living with
Shepard Simonds, the corner OF Auy tReversl and
South Russell streets. She had, since leaving Ham,
over earning hcr livelihood with her noodle, upon
work received her Crossing tho strcct from
tho sImonds house. they married by Justice
Robert Gardner, IN their now home, ffamc house
which thoy had hired situated At the West End
tho southeast corner OF May (Rovere) and Buttolph
tIrvngl streets, occupying part Of what 10 tho
site OF tho Bowdon schoolhouse Hero otght OF tncir
children all but the youngest Julia wero born. Mrs
Sumner . woman Of excellent sense and Of un
usual skill in domestic economies. BY her own toll
and tho prudent management OF the household she
succeeded before he became SneriG. In keeping
tho family expenses within tho Income OF her nus-
band In tho Of tho estate and tho nurture OF the
children alter deceaso she justified tho confidence
which his Will placed in per. She equabe evon
imperiurbabic, IN her temperament She survived hcr
husband twenty-seven years. and all her children
save Charles ana Julia She was the constant nurse
night well MS day, Of three daughters, during
wasting disease which ended In death, and OF her son
Charles during illness In lSA4 Her early co.
ucation that Of tho common school only Shc
found little timo liberal studies during tho
when maternal cares pressed heavily upon her, al
though encouraging shom In her ehiidrenI but her
good and native understanding always insured
her tho respect OF the best people I.ul NfgM
BoYHooD.
Charles and Matilda the eldest ard twin children,
wcrc born January 0, 1911, and tho neighDors. VINO
took kindly interest IN tho event. romembcr that
they weighed only throe pounds and half each
at tho time OF birth, and not dressed Tor
days Al first thought that they would not live,
but surviving the first struggle Tor existence thcy
began to thrive The boy retained BY his mother
and tho girl provided with nurse. Charles hrst
taught In private school kept by his maternal aunt
The father intended TO give him but common school
education. The boy, however, with kind OF for
classical culture bought with some coppcrs ho had
saved, q Latin grammar aud .Lbcr Primus" Of
older boy who had further for them. He stud
led them privately out oi school, and morning sur
prsed his father by appearing with tho books, and
showing his ability TO recite from them His father,
impressed perhaps by this incident decided 10 put
him IN the classical course provided by tho pubic
schools Hc thoughtful, studious youth. always
fond OF reading not IN easy. careless way, but
like o student when fourteen years Of ago he
piled compendium Of English history, from Cmsar's
conquest TO 1901, which nIled manuscript book Of
| cighty.six pagca As q boy he ttle given to
sports. II 10 remem bercd that ho rarely
playing with his malea Ho was not addicted TO
games Once no was sent with his twin sister and his
brother Albert 10 dancing school, but, whiIo ENJOY
ing well enough the sight Of others engaged In tho
pastime, hc had fancy Tor sharing In himself and
ceased TO attend Other boys Of tho same school
met out OF school hours on play grounds or at their
fathcrs' houses, but he chiefly NJ school.
swimming was tho sport which heruJoyed most
while thoughtful and somewhat reserved he was In
no respect severe or unsympathstic He was liked by
mis- fellows, rclished fun in quiet way and laughed
heartily at good story. He was never vulgar or pro-
fame HIS nsthctic as we'll hts moral nature 70.
pcllod indccenoy and irrevcrenca
coLLBoE LIva.
sumner began his studies as freshman Al Harvard
College. September l, 1870 Its undergraduates,
now increased to moro than eight hundred numbered
at that period not quito hundred. Rev. John 7.
Kirkland the president Among the professors
were Edward 7. Charming In rhetoric, George T,cknor
In French and Spanish literature, John Popkin In
Creek George Ots in Latin, Low Hedge In logic and
| metaphysics, and John Farrar In mathematics and
natural philosophy Francis Sales was tho instructor
In French and spanish, and Charles FoIcn in German
apd tho civil law or tho corps OF teachers then In