Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-22
EDISON'S OLD FATHER.
He Used to Regard His Son Thomas
as,a Stupid Lad.

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From the New York Commercial Advertiser.
1 called upon Samuel Edison, the vener-
able father Of Thomas A. Edison. the in
yentor. today. He resides about three
quarters of a mile from Fort Gratiot,
Mich. Near the old home passes the Port
Huron and Fort Gratiot electric railroad
a constant reminder of his famous son.
Mr.. Edisor's house stands we'll back from
the road, almost hidden from view from
the road by the splendid trees which sur
round it. Lake, Huron can be seen from
the rear of the house-"at times as calm
as a sea of glass, beautiful and blue and
sunlit, and again dashing and roaring in
wild fury against the pebbled shore, rising
up in sublime majesty, and throwing the
white spray from it's foam-crested waves
far inland" When one looks upon this
view and walks about among the great
forest, with it's pines, beeches, naples and
oaks, with the delicious perfume of the
wild rose filling your nostrils. you cannot
help but pause and think Of the hoy VINO
had once known these scenes so well:
Having reached the door of the old man
sion, l was escorted into a small, narrow
hall, the floor of which is covered with a
bright oilcloth. FrolI there l was ushered
into the sitting room, where l met the ven
cradle father of the inventor-a broad
SHouiueTtu, Out SHSntly DOWou ciuSiiS SCI
tleman. clothed in good, Violating coat
and trousers.
An elderly lady, past sixty, then came
into the room and was introduced to me as
Mrs. Edison-not Thomas Edison's mother
but his stepmother. The second Mrs. Ed
son Is well-buit woman of medium
height straight an arrow, with dark
eyes and brows, and cheeks as rosy as
hair, one would think she was woman
under forty. There is not a wrinkle on her
face Mrs Edison is a most cordial and
agreeable person.
She showed me over the house very kind
ly, all the rooms of which are neatly COW
cred with rag carpet, except the kitchen,
whose pine floor was white and clean. Mr.
Edison has three children by his second
wife, all girls.
Samuel Edison is now in his ninety first
year. He is of Holland extraction, but was
born in Digby, Nova Scotia. lie Ian ded in
New York in 1911, and removed to Fort
Gratiot. Mich, I'm 1880. Thomas Edison has
been exceedingly kind to his father-who
has been all ever Europe. and has made
frequent trips to Florida in the winter.
Tom is good boy, said the old man.
He sends me around to have a good
time" He said his son had a beautiful
place in Florida, but too many people
came around to see him, and the distance
was so great to New York, that he finally
made Orange, n. j., his home. Around
Fort Gratiot everybody calls the old gen.
tleman affectionately Uncle Sam" as he
walks about, dressed in faded black
clothes, with an old silk hat on his mead
and a clay pipe in his mouth.
One of the oldest settlers OF Fort Gratot
said that Edison pere' was a queer old
chap" and as for Tom Edison, why. as
remember him-wel, no one thought he
was very smart: he used to be called 'Edi-
sons fool l remember how he used to
sit about the store with his head In his
hands. always moping and always in the
way. His folks anyone else had to
speak to him half dozen times before he
would seem to hear or pay attention: and
remember one day. when asked II he was
deaf, and l told him l didn't believe he
could hear 1t thunder, he throwed up his
head and scowled and said: II wish l was
so deaf l couldn't hear 1t thunder, nor see
il tighten"
In a lovely spot in beautiful Lakeside
cemetery. near Huronia, found the grave
of Tom Edison'S mother. The low marble
headstone bore this simple inscription:
Harriet T."