Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-04-29

There are very Few or the ROOu llleI-
ature-loving people hereabout' but
what have heard of this great novelist,
who. since the death OF James Russell
Lowell, is recognized as the foremost
man of letters in the United States.
This being fact, | will venture to say
that one out Of every ten OF these peo-
pie do not know that this self-same In
dividual first saw the light OF day right
I'm our midst. Some OF the Old WISE
heads and grey-beards that knew him
when a boy say: "Surely he cannot be
the same person." However, such a
remark Is bnt natural, as "a prophet is
invariably -ithout honor In his own ma
tivity."
William Dean was the second child OF
William C. Howells. who, at the time OF
young Williams birth March l, 1897,
lived in little brick cottage in what
was at that time picturesque coal
smoky hamlet called Martinsviile NOW
Martins Ferry, on Hickory street.
His birthplace still stands. but not on
the spot where IL was first built. Song
years ago IL was removed and rebuilt
with the same material and style OF
architecture, on First street. a
stones throw below the Buck
eye glass works, the premises on
which IL originally stood, having been
converted for manufacturing purposes.
The picture shown in this article will
at once be recognized by those acquaint-
ed thereabouts as the Warwood home
stead, but nevertheless IL is the birth
place Of the leading literary headlight,
William Dean Howells.
Ii was here that the Howelles lived
until William was eight or nine years OF
age. As a child he was very much like
other children Of good parentage. He
was bright, somewhat ludicrons and
mischievous. When his mother, pro-
voked at some piece OF mischief
of which he had been guilty,
complained TO his father and
demanded stern measures, he would
call the novelist TO him and say solemn
" and drolly, William, consider your
self ,hrashed." Nor was this always
the case with William, but often so
Of his brothers.
The noveist's mother, whose maiden
name was Dean, was OF mixed Irish and
German parentage. Her father was OF
Irish and Catholic extraction, but her
mother was Pennsylvania German and
Protestant She had q fairly good edu-
cation, as It was In those days. and Der
famous son verify believes that 1t Is
from her he has inherited his sense oil
style. She died In 1868.
The Howels family consisted OF
eight children. One Of these. son,
died when just entering manhood.
and one, the eldest daughter,
Victoria, died in 1856. Like all the
HoweIls she had considerable literary
gift, and wrote two plays, which were
fayorabIy received by a manager. but
have never yet been brought on the
stage. Joseph A. Howells, the eldest
brother, lives yet in Jefferson, Ashta-
buIa county, Ohio, where he edits and
publishes the county paper. Samuel
Howelis. the third 10 order. Is a
PRINTER. Miss Aurelia is staying with
her father, who Is yet living at the age
OF eighty-six. 10 Jefferson, Ohio. and
Annie, the youngest, Is married TO a
brother OF the Canadian poet, Frech-
cite. Her name Is familiar TO some as
the author OF a serial novel, "Rsuben
Dale" published in the GALAXY Magzine.
william Dean HoweIls did not leap, at
one bound, into fame, but grew slow
and sure into his present position.
From Martins Ferry, or Martinsyille,
as it was then called, William c. How
ellis moved With his family to Hamilton.
Ohio. where be published the Wing
newspaper. Later he moved
10 Jefferson, Ohio. where Will
lam Dean spent some profitable
wears in his fathers printing ofics. Al
the age OF nineteen he went 10 Co.
lumbus, where he became reporter
and later AN editorial writer on the
Ohio state Journal 1861 BE- r"a'