Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-01-22
BANCROFT DEAD.
The Venerable Histo! an Passes
Away Quietly.
DEATH At Az EXTREME ACE.
Love For Outdoor Exercises Lcngthens Out
His Days-His Great History of the United
States Rcyised-IIis Course Of
StHdy i'm Germany.

WASHINGTON. Jan. 19-GeOrge Ban
croft, the venerable historian. died very
suddenly Saturday evening.
1t had been realized that Mr.. Ban
croft could hardly survive much longer
the increasing infirmitieS incident to
his extreme age, bpt he had been in
cheerful spirits and apparently better
health this year since his return from
Newport than for several seasons past,
so that his death was sudden and unex-
pected to all save the few intimate
friends who knew of the attack of ILL
ness which carried him off. The end
was quiet and peaceful and came after
period of uncOnsciouSnesS lasting
about tWenty-four hours.
Mr.. Bancroft for some years had been
in the habit of spending about five
months in Newport and passing the
winter and colder season of the year in
Washington. Two years ago he had a
severe attack of sickness which kept
him in bed for four or five weeks, and
as he was then in his eighty-ninth year
grave apprehensions were felt for his
life. He recovered. however, though
he was never after that as strong as he
had formerly been. lie came to this
city from Newport last October. He
was in fine health and spirits and had an
excellent appetite and Il good faculty
for sleep until last week when he
caught slight cold. lie had always
lived carefully but generously and had
said repeatedly within the last six
I, L. IL
nor had better appetite. NOtwith-
standing his cold he continued to seek
outdoor exercise every day until Thurs
day when he took to his bed as "A matter
of precautiOn.
Mr. Bancroft's illness was less than
ten days. He failed rapidly Friday and
became unconscious in the afternoon,
in which state he remained until the
end. His son. John c. bancroft, who,
with his wife, kept house for the his
torian, was with him in his last mo-
ments.
Mr.. Bancroft was always fond Of out
door exercise, to which in a large meas
ure he attributed his good health and pro-
longed life, and after he discontinued
horseback riding he regularly walked
about the city, attended by an old SER
want. lie lived here in a large, old
fashioned double house on II street in
fashionable neighborhood, and his
garden here, as at Newport, was
filed with choice roses, in which
flower he delighted. lie regarded
his life work as finished two years ago,
and of late had done no literary work.
During the last decade he had revised
his great work, The History of the
United States" going oyer it in a Sc
verely critical style and eliminating the
flowers of rhetoric in the early work.
His last production was history of the
formation of the Constitution lie IN
dertOok to write a history of President
Folks administration, in whose Cabinet
he served as Secretary of the Navy, but
was compelled to abandon it
George Bancroft was born in WOrces.
ter, Mass. October 3, $500. He was
a son of Rev. Aaron Bancroft He was
prepared for college at Exeter, n. H.,
graduated at Harvard when Il years Of
age and went TO Germany. At Got
tingen, where he resided for two years
he studied German literature under
Benecke, French and Italian literature
under Artaud and Bunsen, Arabic,
Hebrew and Scripture Interpretation
under Eichhorn, history under Planck
and Heeren, natural history under Blu
menback, Rome under Dissens with
whom he took a course of Greek philos-
ODhv.