Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1907-11-15
In Memoriam.

The CHrtSttna Register, of Oct 3lst,
has this to say of that cstimable
woman, Gertrude Maude Stevens,
daughter of the late Major-General
Isaac |. Stevens, the first Governor
of this State. who died at DorcheS-
ter. Mass, Oct. l4th:
Gertrude Maude Stevens, daughter OF
the late Major-tieneral Issue l. Stevens,
whose sudden death occurred on the
18th of October, 1907, at her home in
Dorchester, was one OF those noble and
lovely characters who bless all with
whom they come in contact, and leave
behind them 4 memory fragrant with
kindness, gentleness and good deeds.
She was born in Bucksport, Me, April
%, 1870, her father, an engineer officer of
the army. being stationed there, build
ing Fort Knox at the narrOws of the
Penobscot. In 1854, when he took his
family ca the lsthmus OF Panama To the
newly authorized Territory of Washing
ton, e which he was the first Governor,
she C. ntracted so severe an attack of the
deadly Panama fever that her life was
1espared of by the physicians in San
Francisco. but was saved by the minis
trations and care of her father, who
took hold after the doctors had given up
all hope. At Olympia, on Puget Sound.
she al length recovered from the attack,
and became well, strong and active
child After her fathers death i'll 1862
she passed her girlhood in Roxburv,
Mass, with her mother and family, at
tended schools, took music lessons and
Al. 4. Hawaii
Young lady's education. She had a
bright, active mind. and pursued her
studies with even too great zeal, at one
time being quite run down Ill conse-
quencc.
In 1867 she again went to the Pacific
Coast with her mother and family, her
brother, Gen. Hazard Stevens, having
gone there after the Civil War. and re-
sided in Portland Ogn., and Olympia,
Wash, until 1914. She was an unusual
~ attractive young girl and woman,
beautiful in form ami feature. with long,
siken, light hair, sunny and buoyant
disposition, full of life and energy, de-
lighting in horseback riding, boating
and walking, vet ever kind, gentle and
thoughtful of others. In 1874 she re-
turned with her family to Boston, where
she has since resited-in the Dorches-
ter District since 1889. Fer seven years,
from 1873 to 1880, she suffered from
nervous prostration. but bore her trials
with unfailing patience and cheerfulness :;
and although she recovered her health
In a measure, she was subjected to sew
eral severe illnesses afterwards. These
sicknesses undermined her naturally
fine constitution, and were undoubtedly
the cause of the apoplectic stroke which
terminated her life so suddenly.
She never spoke an unkind word of
any one, had an instructive aversion TO
gossip or criticism of others of a CEN
serious nature She was full of sympa-
nv and human kindness for the al
tlicted and distressed. She had great
benevolence. She took great interest
in religious work, and always Taught in
the Sunday schools until the last few
years of her life. She was Unitarian,
but her sympathies were not restricted
by creed or church. She had fine
intellectual mind, was IA great reader,
and had studied French and German
much. She had also studied music
much in her earlier years, and was
fine performer upon the piano. Despite
her wearing trials of illness she was al
ways cheerful. Her watchful and assid-
uous care of and attention to her aged
mother was the chief object of her later
years. She WAS fond of flowers and ami
mails and all the works OF nature, which
ever appeared beautiful to her eyes.
Every year she took great interest and
pleasure in planting seeds and bulbs
and having profusion OF plants and
flowers. She was buried next to her !
father in the beautiful island Cemetery !
in Newport, X. |.
- Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall |
t,nu.