River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-10-10
GRACE FLETCHER WEBSTER,
Born January is, 1881,
Died january 81, 1928,
Blessed are the pure In heart for they
shah see God.

Mr.. Fletcher Webster was 40 years old
when he was killed at the battle of Bal
/ Run, and upon the stone which was erect
| ed by the officers OF his regiment, the
| Twelfth Massachusetts, are the following
| touching words taken from n speech
his father
"And if am too old myself, l hope
| here are those connected with me who
are young and willing TO defend their
country to the last drop of their own
blood .-Ddnid Webster.
The words upon his own gravestoGe
set at rest the charge of skepticism which
had been made against him, and though
somewhat lengthy, and the wind upon
the high, marshy ground blowing gal@,
! copied them, Miss Ward reading thea
| aloud for my benefit while Miss Phillips
kindly improvised writing desk. Tl:a
following is the inscription:
philosophical argument, especially
that drawn from the vast economy of the
universe, IN common with the apparent
injustice Of this globe, has sometime
shaken my reason for the faith which 4,
in me; bur my heart has always assured
and treasured nae that the God of Jesus
Christ must be a divine reality. Tl$
Sermon on the Mount cannot be merely
human production. This belief enter.
into the depaths ofmy consciousness, an.
the whole history of man proves it.-s
Daniel Webster
The present occupants OF the home oy
Daniel Wooster and resident members Of
his family consist of Mrs. Fletcher Webt
ster, the widow of his SOD, and her son
and daughter Ashburton and Mrs. Care
rie " ebster Day. Many offers of 81
freddy asylum were made when th%
great misfortune of the l1ss of theii:I
home occurred, but Mrs. Webster wisely
went to work to reconstruct as much a%I
possible their scattered household goods
and provide a temporary shelter which
they could call their own. She took the'I
old Winslow House, formerly owned and
occupied by Gov. Winslow and by his:I
son. General Winslow, though it had long.
been untenanted--w said to be haunted. u
anf altogether so dilapidatcd as to bel
considered unhabitablc. The plaster badi
all fallen from the ceilings, leaving the:
rafters exposed, the floors were eaten.
away, and the once famous scene Of
many gay lestiyity given over to the
dark, destructive hand Of time
and the ravages OF the whole
vampire tribe Out of this prom
isiue material Mrs. Fletcher Web /
ster, her son and daughter have, with
wonderful taste, industry and ingenuity,
created paradise, after Morriss own heart |
A rustic piazza has been added TO the !
plain, unsis htly exterior, which is covered /
with trailing vines. The lower ToOms aie /
filed with what are most precious relics !
of their former home and past history. |
There are some valuable old portraits, The /
full-length picture Of Danial Webster by /
Ames; fine Wouvermans showing his |
peculiar effects Of light and shadow some
rare old china and costly articles = fur
niture. and, what is treasured most, We IA I
vorite library chair Of Mr.. Webster. {
great, deep, capacious armchair, covered |;
with morocco, and with attaChm mt IN /.
'front.' for reading or writing. Fer the /
two most valuable pictures in the posses +
sion of the family the house is too small I
and they are, therefore. left in other Gus
tody. These are the celebrated portraits /
of Lord Ashburtou and Dsnisl Webster /.
by Healey. These pictures were painted I
for and given to each other, the artist I
painting Mr.. Webster's a second tiGe for I
his family. They are admirable liksnes I
ses. and, apart from their historic inter f
ests, are among the finest productions Of 4
the artist. TIE family are now, however, /
not able 10 keep them, and Mrs. Fletcher
Webster would gladly sell them, 50 that
they could forEa part of gallery, aud be-
properly kept aud cared for, while the
money would be applied 10 paying of
The remnant 0g mortgage which The
small insurance On the house did not
cover, ana which prevents The trustees
from rebuilding.
Mrs. Fletcher Webster shows The re
mains of great personal beauty ard has
! bright, accomplished and charming
daughter, who has already q atea the
misfortune Of her mother. for she is
widow. though atii very Young The sgn.
Aal,bufton. is also hspdsome.sha very in
selIigent end gsntianahlF, but Ne u uh
fortunately deprived % cafeef in this
county, ndt 1nly 81 he illnstFisus satas.
hsit bg tie necessity which chains him %
The SIDE Of his mother and sister.