Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-09
death OF GEN. EATON
TWAS FORMERLY U. s. COMMITS
sIoNER OF EDUCATION.
,erved During Civil War, Graduated
in Theology and Was an
Il Author of Note.

Gen. John Eaton "a veteran of the civil
war. and one of the most prominent edu-
Gators of the United States. who served for
several years as United States commission
I er OF education, died this morning at his
home in the Concord fats after an illness
of only one day. Although Gen. Eaton had
been in failing health for the past two or
three years. his condition was incidental t.
old age. he being in his seventy-sevensh
year. and was not thought to be serious
He was taken III Thursday night. and
though medical science exhausted its skill
in the endeavor to preserve his life, 1t was
unsuccessful.
Gen. Eaton is survived by his wife. who
was a Miss Shirley of Vicksburg. Miss,
and by three children-Joseph Shirley
Eaton of New York, John Quincy Eaton
of Itta Bena Miss. and Mrs. Elsie Newton,
who resided with her father.
in the death of Gen. Eaton the cause OF
public education meets with a severe loss,
fl is pointed out, and his death will be
regretted, not only by host of friends
in this city and elsewhere. but by many
educational institutions throughout the
country.
Funeral services will be held at Gunton
Temple Memorial Presbyterian Church, 14th
and II streets northwest, but the day and
b hour and other arrangements are yet TO
be made.
Organized Education System.
General Eaton was the organizer of the
American system of education in Porto
Rico. and at the time of his commission
there in 1898 was president of Westminster
College. Salt Lake City, where he had la
bored since 1895 The deceased born
in New Hampshire December ). 1929, and
was educated at Thatford Academy and
at Dartmouth College. From the latter
institution he was graduated with class of
1854. Later degrees were taken at Rutgers.
After teaching In Cleveland. Ohio, and
acting as superintendent of schools at To-
ledo from 1886 to 1859 Gen. Eaton took the
course al Andover Theological Seminary,
and upon being ordained was made chap
lain OF the 9th Ohio Volunteer Infantry
in 1862. He was appointed by Gen. Grant
in November, 1862, superintendent of freed
men and later given by the Secretary
of War supervision at all military posts
from Cairo to NatcheZ and Fort Smith.
For this work he was commended by Presi-
dent Lincoln. In 1863 he became colonel
of the GID United States Colored Infantry
and in March. 1866, brigadier general
Long With Freedmen's Bureau
Gen. Eaton was long associated with the
freedmen bureau, and when mustered out
OF the military service in 1866 became
editor of the Memphis Post. From 1867 to
1869 he was state superintendent of the
schools of Tennessee. For fifteen years he
was United States commissioner of educa-
ton. succeeding the first commissioner,
Henry Barnard, who served only three
years. Gen. Eaton is credited with having
made the bureau of education. which,
Cording to the present commissioner, DIR.
William T. Harris, is still on the gen
erals plans.
After leaving the bureau of education.
Gen. Eaton served as president of Marietta
College. as councillor of the American Pub
lie Health Association. as vice president of
the American Association for the Advance
ment OF Science and president of the
American Association of Social Science. He
acted as representative of the Interior De-
partment at the centennial exposition, and
was the organizer of the educational exhib-
1t at New Orleans. He was president of
The national congress OF education and also
of the American Society of Religious Ed
ucation.
Gen. Eaton was a voluminous writer, be-
ing the author of the History of Thetford
Academy" ''Mormons of Today" ''The
Freedmen In the War" Schools of Ten
nessee," Reports of the United states
Bureau of Education we'll of circu-
lars and bulletins and numerous addresses
and magazine articles.