The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-07-02
MRS. STOWE DEAD.
The Author Of "Uncle Toms Cabin" and
Othr Noted Works, Passes
Away at Hartford.

Hartford. Conn. July 1.-Nlrs. Har-
riet Beecher Stowe. the gifted author
Of Uncle Toms Cabin" "Dred" and
other works OF wide reputation, died at
her home, 73 Forest street, at noon to-
day without regaining consciousness.
She passed peacefully away as though
into a deep sleep.
Mrs. Stoves body will be taken to
Andover. Mass. Friday. The burial
will be in the cemetery connected with
the Andover Theological seminary,
where Mrs. Stoves husband, Professor
Calvin E. Stowe, and her son. Henry,
are buried.
Funeral services for Mrs. Stowe will
be held at her late home at S o'clock
tomorrow afternoon. The body will be
taken to Andover, Mass, for interment
on Friday morning.
Harriet (Beecher Stowe was the dau2h-
ter of Lyman and Roxana ((Foote) Beech
er. and was born in Litchficld, Conn.,, June
II. 1871. She was the seventh in q family Of
children of whom the eldest was but Il
years older than herself. Her father was
a Congregational clergyman. living upon
salary OF $500, and her mother eked out
lnSlT SleI1ucT lHCUlne ny NceIiHs podtu-
Ing school and personally teaching Eng
lish, French, painting, and embroidery.
II is no wonder that this overworked
mother should have died when her 6augh-
ter, Harriet, was but years old. leaving
the child to be brought up by an aunt,
a grandmother, and a stepmOther. At IL
she was sent to the Hartford City Female
seminary, which her elder sister Gather
inc had established Her father afterward
removed successfully to Boston and to
Cincinnati o.. and at or near the latter
city the sisters opened another school.
Four years later, in 1885, she was married
to Professor Calvin r.. stowe. who taught
Biblical criticism and Oriental literature
in Lane Theological seminary, of which
DR. Beecher was president. The rise Of
the anti-slayery agitation practically
broke up the institution. the trustees taxi
ing one side, the students the other. The
Reechers and Stoves finally left 1t, and
Mr.. Stowe became IL professor in Bowdoin
college, at Brunswick, Me. The family
took few bosrders and Mrs. Stowe oc-
casionally wrote for the newspapers, hav-
ing obtained a prize of $50 for story
Already lin lsi0 she had published a lit.
tie collection Of sketches, called The May
Flower" The stories were very much IN
the style OF Miss Sedgwick:s, which were
tnen very popular, nut MIS-. StOWeS nhu
a more distinctly religious element. 1t is
a little curious that although the writer
was then over 30. it was thought best to
have the book introduced by a long pre-
face from her elder sister, Miss Catherine
Z. Beecher. giving an argument in favor
of judicious fiction, instancing Scott and
Edgeworth as an example. but decidedly
condemning Dickens. and deprecating the
enthusiasm lately called forth by his visit
to America.
Mrs Stoves greatest work. Uncle
Toms Cabin" appeared on March -, lSJ2,
and had the very greatest success from the
| first moment. Ii took but a few days TO
sell 10000 copies, and over 100000 were sold
within year, eight power-presses barely
| keeping pace with the demand. This IL
Mrs. Stoves own statement in the Cen
| tennial Edition. but ii can hardly be rec
onc!ed with the fact that the publishers
| in 1855 announced only the three hundred
! and fourteenth thousand. Such a sale.
| however, even in sixteen years, was a
! thing probably unexampled In history for
! purely literary work. Its success in
Engia nd. and then in Europe generally,
was as startling.