Evening star., 1897-03-08

Passed Away just Ten Years After
Her Husband.

Her Husband.
STANFORD, Conn, March S.--Mrs. Hen
ry Ward Beecher died today, the tenth an
niversary of the death of her famous hus-
band. She was eighty-.ive years of age.
Mrs. Beecher had been sinking steadily
since Saturday noon, and during the twen-
ty-four hours preceding her demise had
been unconscious. VIM. Beecher, one of
her sons reached Stamford Saturday even
ing and remained until last night, when
ne left for New York. Her death was
feared. but her marvellous constitution had
SO frequently enabled her to rally from
sinking spells that her son deemed it safe
to leave his mothers bedside.
At the deathbed this morning we're gath
cred the family of Rev. Samuel scovlile,
including the clergyman. his wife. who is
the daughter of Mrs. Beeche". and Mrs.
Scoville's two children, daughter and son,
and Mrs Bullard of Massachusetts, a niece
of Mrs. BeeCner.
Mrs. Henry Ward Beechcr.
Eunice Beecher was born in August, 1872
at Sutton, Mass She was the daughter OF
DR.. Bullard. a physician, who, besides at
tending to an extensive practice. was the
owner of one of the largest farms in that
part of the country.
Only one of Mrs. Beecher's brothers is
living-Ebenezer -Bullard, a clergyman of
Pennsylvania, whose twin sister Is the
wife of DIR. Jones of New York.
Miss Billiards. marriage to Henry Ward
Beecher was not lacking in the elements of
romance. Mr. Beecher, though not Or
dained had received a call to the pastorate
of church at Lawrenceburg, Ind, and he
wrote to Miss Bullard, to whom he was
ahianced, suggesting that their marriage
| take place Immediately after his ordina-
ton. After mailing this letter Mr.. Beecher
argued. why wait for the ordination?
Why not have her present my wife to
witness it?' With this idea uppermost in
his mind, Mr.. Beecher started post-haste
for Sutton, where he arrived on the even
ing of the day on which his letter was re-
ceived. The young preacher succeeded in
winning Miss Billiards. consent to an
early marriage. All the preparations
Few of their friends lived near enough
to be present and the ceremony was
one which in these days would be
called a quiet home affair. Miss Bull
weather. She declared that the ceremony
in which she was contracting party must
take place while the sun shone. The hour
was set for o'clock Of August 3, 1897.
Just before that time a violent storm
| arose, with thunder and lightning. The
parson was in waiting, the guests had as
sembled, and Mr.. Beecher was impatient.
The bride was firm, however, and the GER
| emony was postponed one hour. At 4
| o'clock the sun appeared, and as the bride,
| leaning upon the arm of her husband to
| be, entered the parlor. a rainbow, one of
the most brilliant the members of the
party ever saw, appeared upon the horizon.
| Immediately after the marriage Mr.. and
| Mrs Beecher started for Lawrenceburg.
| Their experiences and trials the west
| ern frontier have been referred to in sew
| eral interesting sketches by Mrs. Beecher,
which have appeared in magazines
Mrs. Beecher was always devotedly at
| tached to her husband and children. OF the
latter four are living and four are dead.
| The eldest is the wife of the Rev. Samuel
| Scoville, pastor of the First Congregational
| Church at Stamford, Conn.,, with whom
Mrs. Beecher spent much time during her
| later years, although she had home in
Brooklyn. The others are Col. Henry Bar
| ton Beecher of Brooklyn; VIM. Beecher, a
| lawyer, with an Office in New York, and
| Herbert Beecher, Port Townsend, Wash
! ingtoR.
For some years Mrs. Beecher had been
| in feeble health. In November last, dur
ing the Thanksgiving season. she sus-
tanned bad fall. and about a month later
| she again fell, and sustained injuries
which. with her advanced years. brought
about complications from which she was
/ unable to rally.