The Portland daily press., 1889-09-07
OBITUARY.
MRS. Hannah Lane Usher.

The deceased, who died August 22nd, aged
"a years and months, was born in Buxton
and had been resident Of the town Of Hol-
lis for nearly century. Her grandfather,
Daniel Lane, was ca plain in the Reyolu-
tionary war, as were also his two brothers,
JabeZ and John.
At the age of II, her father. Isaac Lane.
ran away from home. joined his father In
camp, and served until December 81, 1888,
when he was honorably discharged by Major
General Knox, commanding the forces on
the Hudson. He was afterwards colonel In
the war of 1872, and 1t was interesting In the
later years Of Mrs. Usher's life to listen to
her animated recital of the events of this pc
riod of her fathers life, when patriots felt
their zeal inflamed rather than dampened by
the stern necessities of the times.
She remembered the encampment Of her
fathers regiment about their house the
night before his departure for the army, her
mother walking the floor all night in an ago
house, and the soldiers noisy and jovlal, and
the boiling Of whole fields crop of green
corn. and the sentineps bowling cry OF "Alps
well.'
In 1917 Mrs. Usher was visiting the house
of Judge Thatcher at Biddeford, when a
messenger arrived in the night to say that
President Monroe would breakfast with the
family; they all arose hastily, dressed and
commenced making preparations to receive
the honored guest.
The first move was to take down a bed
stead in the dining room. An ample and
substantial breakfast was duly prepared,
over which Deacon Chase, then % years old,
said grace, referring to the President as
"the sarvent of the people," and mapping
out his duty in accordance with that fact.
In 1924, when Lafayette made tour Of
this country, Mrs. Usher, who had then been
married but a few years, accompanied her
father, COL Lane, to SacO, where she was
presented to Lafayette at the house of James
Thornton, a leading citizen OF that town.
The reception was great event, and was In
after years recalled by Mrs. Usher as spe-
cially gratifying from the fact that Lafay-
ette greeted her as the daughter of her faith
er, his cO-patriOt.
Mrs. Usher was gifted with voice which
she used with much effect in the ballad sing
ing of those days OF no mean critics, when
the Cleayes, Thorntons. Cults, Falrfelds,
Thatchers, Kings and others were the peers
of any in New England in point Of taste, in
teliigence and wealth.
From these associations and generous,
hardy stock, came this rare product of our
New England hills, woman whose life was
warmed, as the years went by with deeper
and richer being even, than the young girl
had promised.
Happy in her marriage with a man capa-
bic OF influencing the minds OF others, and
endowed with large views of his duties to
the community as well as to his family. the
two, with their children, comprised aihouse-
hold which has been almost historic for its
wide hospitality. simplicity, freedom, intel
ligence and refinement, shrine where ar
lists like Ole Bull, Paul Akers, the sculptor,
Charlotte Cushman, Mrs Harriet Beeeher
Stowe, Mrs. Elizabeth Murray, and many
other brilliant, but later lights found their
lives made sweeter through the enthusiastic
recognition of, and full appreciation given
to their work by every member of the family.
Within these walls charity moved un-
stlnted." Seekers and doers of good were
not vexed with questions of theology or Of
policy; every wrong was listened &c, and
righted if possible. 1t was here that Charles
Lennox Rem0nd came, and was cordially re-
ceived in anti-slavery days, when to harbor a
black man was considered to be an insult to
almost any community.
Poor, Inherent preachers Of all denomina-
tions found a welcome here, and 1t is play
fully told of certain brother who in early
days had shared day and nights hospitali-
and hostess with profuse and earnest ex-
preston Of gratitude. that he "had never
been treated with such frugality" IN his life.
OF Mrs. Usher, 1t can be truly said that
her life was response to the needy. loyal
defense Of the right, genial greeting to hu-
manity, and perpetual incentive to honest
conviction, industry and right conduct.
She will be long missed by large and ad-
miring circle of friends who hung upon her
words and looks with an increasing delight
and satisfaction.
Who of us can forget the fine scorn with
which she regarded every evidence OF disloy-
atty in those dark periods Of our war-or the
story, or the joke touched with that quality
of humor so peculiarly her own? Or those
hours of pathetic and rapt delight when lis
tening in her serene old age to the echo Of
her own old time songs?
Verify she has passed to her reward and
her children's children rise up and call her
memory blessed.