The San Francisco call., 1897-03-09
MRS. BEECHER'S CAREER.
Active In the Cause of Humanity to
the Very Close.

Active In the Cause of Humanity to
the Very Close.
Eunice White, wife of Henry Ward
Beecher, was born in West Sutton,
Worcester County, Mass, August 25, 1912.
She was educated at Hadley, Mass. When
Mr.. Beecher settled in his pastorate in
Lawrenceburgh, Ind, he returned to the
East to claim his bride, after an engage
ment extending over seven years. Mrs.
Beecher has been contributor, chiefly on
domestic subjects, to various periodicals,
and some of her articles have been pub
llsheu in book form. During long and
tedious illness in her earlier married life
she wrote series of "reminiscences of her
first years as ministers wife, afterward
published with the title From Dawn to
Daylight: A Simple Story of Western
Home" Qs59), under the pen name of "a
Minister Wife" She has also published
"Motherly Talks With Young House
keepers" New York, 1879. Letters From
Florida" uS78) "AlI Around the House,
or How 10 Make Homes Happy QS78)
and Home" Q8S3). OF recent years she
had contributed to Eastern periodicals,
.one of her latest articles being in the New
York World and on the subject of New
Women
When Mr.. Beecher died in 1887 he did
not leave a large estate, the estimated
amount of his wealth being a sum ranging
from $75, 900 to $150000. Mr.. Beecher's
salary Tor the fifty years that he was in
active work as a preacher averaged SIC, 600
year, and during the last twelve years
of his ministry of Plymouth Church his
salary was $4,000 year. His total in
come from lectures and addresses was
$1,000 and from his books and other
literary work $4,000 making in round
numbers the sum earned by voice and pen
fully 81 100000.
1t is well known that Mr.. Beecher did
no. place any value upon money, and he
got rid of it as fast as it came in by giving
it away in charity, buying precious stones
and works OF art, and in living ex xpenses.
Mrs. Beecher tried to run the business end
of the househould. and 1t was mainly
through her efforts that Mr.. Beecher left
any estate OF all.
Mr.. Beecher's life was insured for
$25, 900. and by his will he provided that it
be invested and the income paid TO Mrs.
Beecher during her lifetime. The rest of
the estate, which included a $50, 900 farm
at PeekskiIl, was lei: to Mrs. Harriet E..
ScovlIle, Henry B. Beecher, William C.
Beecher and Herbert +. Beecher, with IN
struction TO dispose OF tin any way that
the executors might see fit for the benefit
of the children, who were all of age.
Mrs. Beecher was one of the remarkable
women of the century. Her prominence
was not entirely due to the splendid posi-
ton won by the great divine whose wife
she was, though that in itself would
have given eminence to a common place
character. She had the force and strong
personality that would have given her
position in any society with which she
might be associated. Indeed, it may be
asserted with truth that her being the
wife of so great man tended to dwarf
her own strong indiv1d uality by its con-
trast. She showed her fidelity at time
when the clouds hung blacklist about her
husband, and proved that no matter who
might be skepiical. she, whose life and
happiness were most concerned, never en-
tertained doubt, never wavered in her
loving loyalty and wifely devotion.
Since 1S47 Mrs. Beecher has been resi-
dent of Brooklyn; that city was the scene
of her husbands greatest trials and tri-
umphs. In it nearly all her children were
born; there are the many friends who