Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1902-03-15
BENJAMIN-F. STEVENS DEAD
\ NATIVE OF VERMONT,

| ~
| LONDON. March =.
| Benjamin F. Stevens the photographer,
died last evening at his residence. The
| Sheaves. Surbiton, after an illness which
had lasted several years.
The name and address, "B. F. Stevens,
/ No, 4, Trafalgar Square, London" is i'll
delibly implanted in the memoly of every
| man who has served in the United States
Navy on the European and South Atlantic
! Stations in the last thirty years, and
| through him unnumbered hundreds Of
homesick naval exiles from America have
received loving words from home. for to
| him, ns the American despatch agent, was
sent all the mail for the United States
| fleets on the Atlantic. 1t is through this
service that!his name lihas become familiar
to the greatest number of Americans. but
he was also purchasing agent for many
American libraries, and was photographer
of note.
Benjamin Franklin Stevens was born in
Barnet. VT, in 1888 In 1860 he went to
London and joined his brother Henry in
the bookselling business. He remained in
it to the end hut found time for Il great
deal OF work in the field of bibliogl Apply,
and was member of many foreign histor-
ical societies rs well rs numerous similar
societies in the United States He had
been engaged for thirty years in making
Il manuscript chronological index of Ameri-
can documents i'll England, France, Hol-
and a I'd Spain from 1863 to 1884. He
made facsimilies of over 1000 historical
manuscripts in European archives relating
books on historical subjects
Mr.. Stevens cnlendered for the Royal
Commission on Historical Manuscripts the
American portion of the Earl OF Dart
mouths papers, and was recently engaged
IN calender!ng the headquarters papers of
ton, and Sir Guy Carleton. He was mar.
ried in 1865 to Charlotte Whttinghnm the
artist.
The subject Of foregoing clipping
from New York Times was for
two years 4 school and classmate of
mine at Newhurv Seminary, w.,
'5l-'52, then the most flourishing
fitting school in the state. He was
an active member of all the debat-
ing clubs and Il helpful participant
of all commencement exercises, and
will doubtless be pleasantly remem-
bered by those Of his fellow stu
dents in and near W oodstock who
are now living. Those that | can
recall are Mary and Lucy Gushing,
-. Bridge, (Mrs. Henry Phil
ips), Mrs. James II. Murdoch,
Louise Porter, w. S. Dewey, Dan
iel l.. Gushing, and little Elan
Porter of Quechee, the pet of his
schooltellows, who lost his lite just
as he Logan to make use of it in the
terrible rail, oad disaster at Ashta-
bula, O.
Mr.. Stevens was an alumnus of
U. V. NJ, and the late Norman
Williams and James G. Henry were
his classmates.
A few years since met at Ben
nington, VT, the Rev. Dr.. Spad-
ing, who was also a classmate, and
he entertained me with several
amusing and interesting recitals OF
their college life.
Mr.. Stevens was widely known
by American tourists, and his store
and office in Trafalgar Square were
headquarters for Nermonters espec
tally. All government dispatches
passed through his hands, both
going and coming. saw him off
on his going to England, where he
went to visit an elder brother who
had been established there many
years in bookseling and as library
furnishel, and only expected to be
gone few months or possibly a
year, but on his arrival found his
brother much out of health, and as
slsting him somewhat in his bust
ness, soon found himself at the
head, and eventually succeeded to
it. We were occasional correspond
ents for many years, and his letters
always contained pleasant illusions
to his school and boyhood days and
the good old state of Vermont.
HENRY 5. Mower,
Wellesley Hills, Mass.