The Washington herald., 1910-12-05

Sir John Mcneil, OF Scotland. which ac-
counts for the coat-of-arms of the Nc
Neils embossed on Mrs. Eddy's note
paper.
Mother Was Abigail Ambrose.
According 10 the same Sanbornton his
tory Mrs. Eddy's mother was Abigail
Ambrose. of Pembroke, who was a sis
ter Of the grandmother Of Gov Hoke
Smith Of Georgia Gov. Smiths father
and Mrs. Eddy correspondent for years,
and the governors father also was a
companion and stanch admirer Of Mrs
Eddy's brother, Albert Baker. whom Mr.
Smith thought zone OF the ablest law
years In New Hampshire" and adds:
But Mrs Eddy was always deemed the
most scholarly member OF her family
Mrs. Eddy herself has written that mere
historic incidents and personal events
are frivolous and Of no moment. unless
they illustrate the ethics of truth" But
one more than enthusiastic admirer Of
the founder OF Christian Science has
traced her ancestry all the way back TO
the Prophet David
Mrs Eddy's mother was a descendant
OF a strict Congregationalist family, that
lived across the Merrlmac River from
mother divided her efforts between rear
ing her family of six and attending
church, The father, who lived at Bow
from l7s5. moved 10 Tilton in 1Sl6-he died
I'm 1S65-was known 20 his neighbors as
Squire Baker and Uncle" Baker. And.
as one old resident put Il. he feared
God and never cheated"
Other Children DO Well,
OF the six children. two. besides Mary.
were destined 10 make somewhat OF a
mark. The oldest girl, Abigail. married
Alexander Hamilton Tilton, a wealthy
wooden manufacturer. who was son OF
the family in whose honor the town OF
Triton was named. When her husband
died Abigail showed the family genius
for managing affairs by taking personal
charge OF the TliJon wooden mills and
running them even more successfully
than her husband had done. Albert
Baker. the second son. was the only one
Of the six who received a good educa-
ton. He was graduated from Harvard
in the class Of 1884. studied law in the
Office Of Franklin Pierce. served a term
as a State legislator, and a few weeks
before his death. in lS4l, was nominated
for Congress.
The Christian Scientists to-day believe
that Albert Baker. although he died at
the age OF thirty-One. was destined for
important things. and that he more than
any one else influenced the childhood and
girlhood OF Mary, his younger sister. II
is said that Mrs. Eddy told friends in
earlier days she had splritualstic COM
munication with the dead brother Of
whom she thought SO much.
Many Die of Cancer.
Mrs. Bakers other sister. Martha, was
married to Luther Pillsbury. a deputy
warden OF the New Hampshire State pen
itentiary. George Sullivan Baker. the
youngest son. was a workman in the
Tilt0n wooden mills. Mrs. Eddy was the
last of the family 10 die. With the ex-
ception OF Albert, all OF Mrs. Eddys
brothers and sisters and almost all of
their children died Of cancer.
The first fifteen years of Mrs. Eddy's
life were spent on the farm at Bow.
Mary, because OF being delicate, and be-
cause, too, she was the youngest. was
the pet Of the family. and did not have
10 do the back-breaking chores" that
farm children must do on New England
farm. But her personality, even though
the coddled child, was so striking that
even to-day there are aged people along
the Merrimac who remember the slim
girl with the big eyes and the pointed
chin. bits of beauty that even old age
never made unbeautiful
AS somebody has said. Mary not only
was the most beautiful OF a family noted
locally for its good looks, but she also
was different" a grade above the rest.
her own family thought. intellectually.
and the family therefore had a habit OF
looking UP to her.