Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1900-03-30
MRS. oATHAR1NE BROOKS YALE
Death of "A Remarkable Woman Who
Was a Native OF DummeratOn.

Death of Remarkable Woman Who
Was Native OF DummerstOn.
The last earthly honors were paid to
Mrs. Catharne Brooks Yale Saturday
morning in the old Manse of Deerfed,
Mass, which for the last II years had been
her real home, although she had spent her
winters elsewhere. Rev. G. w. Solley,
pastor of the Brick church, conducted the
brief and simple services, reading passages
from the Christian Scriptures, and one of
John White Chadwick's admirable spirit.
ual hymns; and in his few words of direct
speech concerning the departed friend
evincing a grateful and beautiful sympa-
thy with her character. He read from
Emerson's essays some of his most wonder.
full sayings as to the essential quality of
the soul, such things as Mrs. Yale her
self was ever quoting, and which had be-
come the natural voice of her rare and fine
personality. The burial was at Shelburne
Falls.
Mrs. Yale was the daughter OF DR.. John
Brooks and Nancy Reddington, and was
born at Dummerston, VT, August q,
ISIS. DR.. Brooks was second cousin to the
father of Bishop Phillips Brooks and Rev.
John Cotton Brooks of Springfield, Mass:
he was for many years physician of high
standing in Bernardston; and was also for
many terms member Of the legislature, and
not only a useful servant of the public, but
won special reputation for eloquence. In
1874, when 20 years old, Catharine Brooks
married Linus Yale, a very remarkable
man, not merely as inventor Of the Yale
lock and other ingenious matters, nor even
as portrait painter but in himself as
clear-sighted and humane thinker. Be-
tween 1855 and 1858 Mr.. and Mrs. Yale
dwelt in Philadelphia, where they were en-
gagged heart and soul in the abolitionist
gospel, close friends of Lucretia Mott, the
Hallowells and Davses, and Robert Coll
yer, who was at that time practicing his
craft of blacksmithing and preaching as an
itnerant Methodist eXhorter. Later they
were associated with Oliver johnson and
Horace Greeley in the same cause. Through
Mr.. Yale's early profession as portrait
painter they were connected with the Hud-
son River school, the first effort of truly
American art, having close friendship es-
pecially with the Harris, Huntington, j. Q
A. Ward, II. X. Browne and Hiram Pow
ers-for the latter Mr.. Yale wrote the first
newspaper notice ever printed about his
work. At the outbreak of the war in 1861,
tablished his lock factory. Mr.. Yale's in
ventive faculty was of extraordinary fer
tility, and the popularity known "Yale
lock" is but one of many devices of value.
Mrs. Yale had an excellent literary fac
ulty, and beautiful and delicate magma
ton. She wrote much for the Home Jour
nal of New York, when Nathaniel p. Will
lis was the editor, and from this there
grew a personal friendship and protracted
correspondence. Mrs. Yale, few years
ago, burned all of Willis's brilliant letters,
lest at some time they might be brought
into public notice. With her unusual tai
ents, Mrs. Yale might easily have been
a figure in American literature as it is,
aside from her "Story of the Old Willard
House, the Manse which was her last
homeland very charming wonder-book
published two or three years ago,-she had
sent out to the reading world no evidence
of her ability. She lived truly spiritual
life, dwelling habitually on higher plane
than 1--WE mortals who delve on this trade
ridden planet" and so becoming an inspi-
ration and glory of humanity to those
who knew her. Emerson was her favorite
teacher, and she had perfectly absorbed
and constantly gave forth his wisdom of
the spheres. She met death as a friend,
and in truth, no human being ever entered
the life of the spirit more naturally; she
passed out of the gateway of the earth into
the new mode of existence as one would
open the gate and find oneself on the other
side.