Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-01-22
BANCROFT DEAD.
Death of George Bancroft. the Historian,
at an Advanced Age-His Work.

Death of George Bancroft the Historian,
at an Advanced Age-His Work.
WASHINGTON. Jan I9--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 insirmities incident 70
his extreme age, but he had been in
cheerful spirits and apparently better
health this year since has return from
Newport than for several seasons past,
SO that his death was sudden and unex-
pected to ell save the few intimate
friends who knew OF the attack of i'll
ress which carried him off The end
was quiet and peaceful and came after
q 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
city from Newport last October. He
was in fine health and spirits and had an
excellent appetite and a good faculty
for sleep until last week when he
caught slight cold. He had always
lived carefully but generously and had
said repeatedly within the last six
weeks that he had never slept better
nor had a better appetite. Notwith-
standing his cold he continued 20 seek
outdoor exercise every day until Thurs
day when he took TO his bed as 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 God health and pro-
| longed life, and after he discontinued
| horseback riding he regularly walked
! about the ci Y, attended by an old ser
want He lived here in large, old
! fashioned double house on II street in a
fashionable neighborhood. and his
| garden here, as at Newport, was
| filed with choice roses. in which
| flower he delighted He 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 over it in a So
verely critical style and eliminating the
flowers of rhetoric in the early work.
| His last production was a history of the
formation of the Constitution TIE IN.
| dertook to write history of President
I 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 5, 1SGa. He was
| d son Of Rev. Aaron Bancroft He was
4 prepared for college at Exeter. n. H.,
| graduated at Harvard when Il years O!
| age and went to Germany. At Got
| tingen. where he resided for two Years,
&! he studied German literature undel
Benecl1e, French and Italian literature
| under Artaud and Bunsen, Ara bic,
/ Hebrew and Scripture Interpretation
! under Eichhorn. history under Planck
| and Heeren. natural history under HUI
| menback, Rome under Dissen. with
/ whom he took course OF Greek phiics-
| ODhv.