Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1907-08-23
1ONT PHG7NIx BRATTLEBORO, FRIDAY AUGUST %, 1907.
OBITUARY
MRS. FRANCES BELLE HORTON.

In the death of Mrs. Frances Belle
Horton Sunday night the community
loses one whose influence will be lasting
and far wider than the limits of the
village where she had made her home
the greater part of her life. Her love for
the outdoor world and her Intimate
knowledge Of the ways of wild creatures
and the haunts of plants found ex-
preston In an earnest desire to give to
others similar appreciation of the
world about them. Many men and
women have had their lives enriched by
the insight which she gave to them as
children in the schools into what was
going on all about them in the woods
and fields by her talks on birds and !
flowers and the excursions which she |
took with them She felt that life was
more worth living because of her friend |
ship for the outdoor creatures and |
gave to others some small portion of her |
appreciation and pleasure. Probably no |
one In the state has done more to spread !
a knowledge of nature and her ways |
than Mrs. Horton.
Not only was she foremost I'm popular |
izing the study of birds and flowers but |
she was keen student in strict science |
and had contributed much to the scen-
tihc knowledge of the state.
Although she was "A thorough student
In all departments of botany she special
lied on ferns and had gathered the most
complete collection of them in the state
This collection is In the museum of the
University of Vermont and there Is a
duplicate collection in her home The
collection contains every fern known to
grow in the state and as far as known
is the most complete one in existence
Besides the collections of pressed ferns
she had each Of the many species grow
ing in the rear Of her home having stud
led the wants of each so closely that she
was able to provide conditions in that
restricted area which suited ferns grow
| ing under widely varying conditions
| in different parts of the state Her most
notable contribution to the knowledge
| of ferns was a variety of the ebony
| spleenwort which she found In 1900,
which was named after her. Aspenium
| ebeneum Hortonae. 1t has since been
| found In other parts of the state.
Mrs. Horizons interest in birds has been
! hardly less active than that In ferns. As
| teacher in the West Brattleboro academy
she interested large number of children
| in bird study and many dead birds were
| brought in for Identification At first
| she sent these away to be mounted but
| afterward learned the taXidermist's art
| herself. Her collection of birds is the
| largest and most complete in southern
| Vermont and about half OF them she pre-
served herself Her greater interest
was in live birds and for many years she
! had had a large number Of feathered
| visitors at the bird houses and feeding
boxes which she and Mr.. Horton put up
to attract them. The houses ana feeding
boxes are close to the house and the
birds become very tame and friendly in
the cold winter weather.
Some years ago Mrs. Horton decided
! to become a teacher and began a course
Of study TO fit her for the work BY
hard and persistent work she was able
| To pass the teachers examination giving
| the highest certificate in the state al
| lowing her to teach in any position, and
| a special certificate for teaching nature
! study. She first taught in district Is
and more recently had had charge Of
| grades eight and nine in the academy
building as well as teaching sciences and
gymnastics in the academy itself She
was largely instrumental in establishing
the graded system in the academy bull
| ding. She taught there until last Easter
vacation, when her failing health made
| 1t imperative that she give up the work
Since then she had failed steadily
While teaching she organized bird
classes among the teachers and pupils and
gave lectures on birds here and in other
towns. In 1900 the first bird club in
Bratueboro was organized under her
leadership and she was chosen its first
president. About year later the bird
club was re-organized into a branch of
the Audubon society and she served as
Its president several years, during which
an effective work was done in organized
bird protection. She also organized and
was president Of an effective Junior An
dubon society. This club was re-organ-
lied two years ago into the Vermont Bird
club to include all the bird students
throughout the state She had been a
member Of both the state bird club and
the state botanical club and a member Of
the American Ornithologists' union the
largest and most effective organization
! of its kind in the world She had been
"A frequent contributor to bird magazines
where her articles were welcomed by the
editors.
Mrs Horton had taken an active part
in the social life Of the town and had
been Identified with many organizations,
She had been a member and staunch
supporter of the First Baptist church
and a teacher Of the Bible school until
her health began to fail. She mad been
"A member Of the Woman's. club Bingham
chapter, Order of the Eastern Star and
of Dennis Rebekah lodge. serving the
last two organizations in several offices
Mrs. Horton was born Feb. II, 1856
in Williamsville ard was the daughter
of Alexander and Sylvia CTimson) Davis
When she was about eight years old her
parents moved 10 Bratteboro and she
was married TO William c. Horton March
10, 1874, in Brattleboro. Mr.. Horton sur
wives her with one daughter. Mrs Harold
Smith of this town. She also leaves her
mother and brother, John A. Davis OF
The friends and neighbors had kept her
room bright with flowers through her
Illness and their loving remembrance was
shown in the profusion of them at the
funeral Wednesday afternoon at o'clock
All the organizations to which she be-
longed sent floral tributes as well as
being represented and the school chill
dren showed their feeling by sending
quantities of the flowers she loved SO
well. Rev, L. NJ Keneston of West Brat
, tleboro spoke feelingly of the relation she
had held toward the schools and Rev
G. b. Lawson spoke of her place In the
, church. The bearers were her nephews
, Dr. Ernest L. Davis of Springfield Mass.
and Myron p. Davis of this town; D. G
Horton of Orange and w. G.. Horton of
this town. The burial was in Prospect
Hill cemetery.
. Among those from out of town who at
tended the funeral We're Mr. and Mrs
> ID. G. Horton of Orange, Mass, and
their daughter, Mrs. Harold Haus OF
Athol, Mr.. and Mrs. Milo j. Horton and
their daughter of Bristol. Conn, William
T. Adkins of New Haven, Conn. Dr.
f. l.. Davis of Springfield, Mass. and
r. l.. Timson of Boston.