The Portland daily press., 1895-09-16
WIEN DANA WAS A BOY.
buffalo Enquirer.

buffalo Enquirer
Charles Anderson Dana, the dean of
American journalism, was Buffalonian
in his youth, living here from 1888 to
1889 He left the city for the East and
education when Erie country was still a
forest and Lake Fire followed by few
keels Dana has said to old friends that
the best days of his life, as regards health
and happiness, were spent in Buffalo,
whence he went to fish in the Niagara,
to hunt in the American and Canadian
woods, to hobnob with the Indians on
their nearby reservation and to make
trips down the river to the falls.
Few men now alive remember Dana
when he lived in Buffalo. Diligent in
quiry has revealed but three. They are
S. S. Spaulding, William Ives, of the
Buffalo library, and Pascal T. Pratt.
OF the three M Ives has the clearest
recollections of the New England boy
who came to Buffalo in 1888 and worked
in White & Dams store on Main street,
near Swan, for six years. Dana OF White
& Dana, dealers in dry goods and notions
was an older brother of Charles, and
kindly helped him through his youth of
poverty here. Ives worked beside Dana
for several years and knew him we'll.
Dana was born in Hinsdale Vt. Au-
gust 8, 1919 He is descendant of
Jacob, eldest son of Richard Dana, pro-
genitor of those who bear the name in the
United States. Vermont offered poor
living for the family, which broke up
fast. The eldest son went to Buffalo and
opened store and another in Sardinia.
Charles was twelve years old when he
left home to join his brother in this city.
He came the long distance in numbering
CT oh nd
up that it was several weeks before he
began his work as clerk. Mr.. Ives who
worked with him for several years re-
member him as quiet, stud1ous youth
who loved nature and books and, while
a good salesman, was prone TO spend COO
much time in the only book store IN town
looking over volumes he could not buy.
He loved to make long excursions into
the woods, and fishing was particular
delight. When he first saw Niagara
Falls he composed a sonnet upon them
that is said to have had considerable
merit, but unfortunately has long been
lost.
Dana cared nothing for female society,
says Mr.. Ives, preferring to spend his
evenings at home reading of the Revo-
luton and early Presidents. He admired
Andrew jackson greatly, and was ever
sounding the praises of the great Ten
nessean. Tom Paine he dared to read
and admire, despite the ban upon his
works and name, and it was whispered
by the straight laced ones that young
Dana was an infdel. He was not, but
admired the virle English and mastery
ilogic of the author of "Common-Sense"
and "The Crisis. 1t was always fine
trait of Dana that he could appreciate the
good qualities of any man, no matter if
the mob decried him and public estima-
ton held him of lutte worth. Until he
was II Dana revealed in the treasures of
English literature and acquired a splen-
did mastery of the tongue. Then sud-
den thirst for Latin seized him, and,
borrowing a Latin grammar he mastered
it in a few months, and on his 18th birth
day told his brother that he was resolved
to have an education. His savings
amounted to little, and his brother gave
him 500 to help him through Harvard.
On June morning in 1926 he left
Buffalo and in September entered Har
ward, where he remained two years when
eye trouble forced him to leave. His
subsequent history is we'll known.
1t is remarkable how few men and
women in this city to whom Dana's
name and fame are familiar are cogniznnt
of the fact that his boyhood was spent in
Buffalo. 1t is an obscure period of his
life, and one of which he says little, for
the reason that clerking and study fur
nish few interesting topics. Neither Mr..
Pratt nor Mr.. Spauding remembers more
of Dana than the name and the fact that
he once lived here.