The St. Louis Republic., 1900-07-01
Mrs. Stetson. who takes a second hus-
band.

Mrs. Stetson. who takes a second hus-
band.
son. who for ten years has made her home
In this State. have been much surprised at
the receipt OF cards announcing her mar
riage. June II. in Detroit. Mich. to her cous-
IN. George Houghton Gilman. a lawyer OF
New York City. Although Mrs. Stetson vis
tied California this spring. her most intl-
mate friends had no idea OF her intention
of making a second matrimonial venture.
The newly-msrried couple will make their
home in New York.
Mrs Stetscn is eloquent platform
speaker and writer of some notable phil
osophicai verse. which is included in her
little volume. in This, Our World" She
comes naturally by her talent. her father,
the late Frederick Beecher Perkins. con-
nected as librarian with the free public Il
braries Of Boston and San Francisco. and
himself writer of repute. having been a
grandson OF Lyman Beecher, that she
is a gran3niece Of Henry Ward Beecher and
Harriet Beecher Stowe, and d niece OF Mrs.
Edward Everett Hale. No member OF the
family has ever been a more emphatic
poaen, of the Beecher character than Mrs.
StetsOn, radical. dauntltsS. impressed with
the conviction that she has a mission to
MD i'll righting the worlds wrongs and Allied
with a passionate desire 70 do her part.
eccentric. but winning. diSdain.ul of the
minor conveationalities of life, and fearless
ly airing convictions opposed TO the worlds
usages.
The story Of Mrs. Stetsons first ruatri-
morial experience is as unique as her per-
sonality.,. Although it is not probable that
the public will ever be admitted to full
knowledge of the circumstances, certain
facts stand forth frankly upon which Diff
ferent constructions have been placed. Al
though by her own confession never fitted
for domestic life. she was married. in
lSe2. 10 Walter S.etson. an artist Of Provi-
dence. r. i. In 1855 Mrs. Stetson, with her
little child Katharine. went TO Pasadena TO
live Here they had fcr their close neigh
bors Doctor Claiming and mis- daughter.
Grace Ellery Claiming, Mrs Stetsons most
both OF them writer's. afterward lived and
worked together In little vine-covered
cottage.
In 1882 Mr.. Stetson. through Providence
court. applied for divorce from his wife.
making various charges against her chief
among which We're her addiction to hyCIenic
dress and her devotion to literary pursuits.
Some affcctionate letters which had passed
between the two were read in court. and
the Judge. satisfied that there was collu-
sion between them. refused TO grant the
decree. \ year and half later Mrs Stet-
son, while living in Oakland, Instituted d.
vorce proceedings. alleging desertion and
nonsupport on her husbands part. and the
decree was granted. Soon afterward Stet-
son married Grace E.llery Charming, whom
Mrs. Stetson then later declared to be "the
sweetest woman ard loveliest character she
had ever known" The newly married pair
established their home at Pasadena and
there Mrs. StetsOn has paid them repeated
visits. Her child. Katharine she has
placed in the care Of the second Mrs. Stet-
son and her father.
Upon the platform and In her writings
Mrs. Stetson has constantly taken such an
aggressive attitude against men and has so
dispsraged marriage as cruel yoke weigh
ing women to the earth that no one who
knew her was prepared for the present ap-
parent apostasy to her own creed.