New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-18
GEORGE BANCROFT DEAD.
THE HISTORIANS NINETY YEARS OF LIFE
CLOSED
HE PASSES AWAY AT WASHINGTON CAREER
AS A STUDENT, HISTORIAN AND


40 oICDi4 AMI
DIPLOMATIST
Washington. Jan. 11.-George Bancroft. the
historian, is dead.
George Bancroft was born at Worcester Mass,
October 3, 1900, and had, therefore, reached
the advanced age of ninety years and three months
presenting a remarkable instance Of intellectual
and physical VlgOr il old age. lbs father was
the Rev. Aaron Bancroft, for more than half
a century pastor of Congregational church in
Worcester and author of many published sermons,
and also of a " Lite of Washington which passed
through many editions. George Bancroft was an
example of early maturity well as Of prolonged
force. When he cicyea years ola he was
visited al school at Exeter. :. l.. by Dr. Nathan
Parker who wrote TO his father: " was 'surpTised
at the intelligence with which he convcrsed and
the maturity Of mind which he discovered" His
teacher said he appeared to have the stamina Of
q distinguished man." lie was graduated at llar-
ward a little under seventeen years of age, and
then went to Germany, where he was pupil at
Gottingen, of Hccrcp Eichhorn and Blumenbach
Here, as at college his bent was toward meta
physics, and he was close student of Plato lie
then intended TO enter the ministry, and besides
giving attention to the modern European Ian
euages and literature, lie studied the Oriental
languages Scriptural Interpretation and church
history He received the degree of philosophy in
1920, and went to Dcrlin, studying there.
HIS STUDENT LIFE IN GERMANY.
During all his residence and travels abroad
Mr.. Bancroft enjoyed an acquaintance with dis
tinguished men remarkable for young a
man. In Berlin he close terms
with Hegel Schleermachcr. Wolf. the
celebrated editor of T0mer; Wilhelm Won
Humboldt, famous as scholar and brother of
Alexander; Varnhagen Won Ensc and Savigny
Tie made GOCthc's Acquaintance at jena. and
studied at Heidelberg with SchosScr. Cousin
Alexander Won Humboldt. Benjamin Constant in
Paris, Manzoni at Milan and Niebuhr and Bunscn
at Rome were among his associates. The years
he spent abroad had much to do with his in
tellcctual development, and the German influence
especially, is to he clearly traced in the pages
of his history. Coming back to America in 1922
lie held the post of Greek tutor IN Harvard College
for wear, rcsigning il then To establish school
al northampton. in which ne hoped 10 introduce
some German educational methods But thc time
was not pIopitious. The German language WIS
little taught then, and German literature was
almost unknown. Tie school failed and he went
back to literature. During this period he had
occasionally preached, hut soon definitely gave
up the idea of entering the ministry. He pub
hshed about this time a translation of Iccrcn s
Reflections on he Politics of Ancient Greece"
and another of HceIcn's. Histories of the States
of Antiquity" and also a volume of poems This
last was a literary diversion, in which he re-
corded his impressions of European scenery.
EARLY WORK on HIS HISTORY
He decided to undertake a history of the United
States at about twenty-five years of age and to
this great work he devoted most of his time and
energy during the next fifty years-a singular and
interesting episode in literature II is said that
his project not much encouraged by the
literary men whom he consulted. and who did
not see the opportunity he had discerned of a
complete. harmonious and philosophical narration
of the important events in American history, be-
ginning with the discovery. The first volume was
published in s34, and at once took the rank
which the history as whole has held at all
times. Soon after the issue Of the FIRST volume he
was drawn into active politics to extent which
il seems almost difficult TO reconcile with the
character Of grave and philosophical historian.
In 1926 he delivered a Fourth of July grafton,
which regarded his first essay in politics
1t took strong ground for democracy and uni
versal suffrage. In $50 he had been elected
without his knowledge to the Massachusetts Legis-
lature. but he declined to take his seat and the
year after he refused nomination for the Senate
In 1885 he took an active part in the campaign
as a Democrat. speaking often and drafting rcsou-
tons and addresses. In the same year lie
moved to Springfield, living there for three years
while he completed and published the second vol
ume Of his history. He delivered and published
second Fourth of July Grafton in $50.
APPOINTED COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS.
In 1888 President Van Buren, recognized Mr.
Bancrofts political services by making him Col
lector of Customs at Boston This was the he
ginning of career Of considerable prominence
in politics Indeed, the ambition of many a man
A. i'll.
by Mr. Bancroft either in politics or in diplomacy
while with him these cmplOyments were hardly
more than incidental to his career historian
He showed marked efliciency as Collector. Duties
were paid at that time by bonds, and although
many of these bonds had. IL prior years, accumu-
lated unpaid, every one taken by Collector Ban
croft was paid when lie resigned the Office. and
his collections had amounted To several millions
of dollars. During this period he found time also
to sneak often and effectively at Democratic meet
ings to continue his studies and writings and II
take an interest in the transccndental movement
which was then agitatin9 New-England. The
third volume Of his history was published in 1870
while he was still Collector. After the victory OF
the Wings under General Harrison, he retired
giving his whole attention 10 his book In s44
he was nominated by tie Democrats for Governor
of Massachusetts and received very large vote
The statement often made that it was The largest
Democratic vote ever cast in the State Is an error
Morton, famous as the Governor elected ny one
majority had 50. 900 votes in 1912, while Mr.
Rancroft's vote was under "a 900. He per.
sonal friend of President Polk, and because Of the
fact that be had led the party in Massachusetts,
taking an active share in the campaign he was
offered place in the Cabinet rs Secretary of the
Navy The chief event OF his administration was
the esta blishment of the Naval Academy at An
napolis. the credit of which is claimed for him
The school was organized under his supervision
Congress granting all the appropriations he asked
nersnnol interest the Naval