The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1910-07-01
IN HONOR OF
THOMAS PAINE
New Rochelle Home to Be DedI.
Gated as a Museum.
TO CONTAIN MANY RELICS.
life sized Wax Figure of the Ameri-
can Revolutionary Patriot Will 30
Placed In House Given Him by the
State of New York.

State of New York.
A century after the death Of Thorn
as Paine, the Revolutionary patriot,
the honors so long denied him are be-
Ing paid. The process is somewhat
slow, but four or five years ago an Or
ganization was perfected of those who
| wish to bring Paine into his true place
among the founders Of American lib
erty, and 1t is making progress.
1t is planned to open a Thomas
Paine National museum at New Ro-
chelle, N. Y, on Memorial day in the
old house presented to Paine by the
state of New York in 1884 In recogni-
ton Of his services in the Revolution.
There will be appropriate exercises, in
Guiding addresses by well known men
representing different societies, and
admirers of Paine from all parts Of
the United States will be present.
This house, which is now owned by
the Huguenot Society Of New Rochelle,
stands on the Paine farm, which was
presented to him with the house, a
farm Of PIT acres, confscated by the
state from a Tory named Frederick
Devoe. The Thomas Paine National
Historical association, which was in
corporated In 1905, is In charge of the
arrangements.
The museum is to contain relics Of
Paine, and the association has a great
number of cartoons and caricatures of
the patriot, mostly of English origin
and provoked by the publication Of his
Rights of Man" 1t has many Paine
portraits and first or early editions Of
his works, Common Sense" THE
Rights of Man." 1.-The Crisis" and
1.-THE Age of Reason"
Life Sized Figure of Paine.
One Of the most interesting things
In the museum will be a life sized
wax figure of Paine in sitting pos
ture, with quill in hand. This figure
was made In New York city at a cost
Of 5000 1t will be seated in the very
chair Paine used In his library at the
New Rochelle house. This chair has
been presented to the museum by the
Badeau family of New Rochelle. in
whose possession it has remained for
century or more.
The wax figure Is a remarkably fine
portrait of Paine. carefully modelled
from the best pictures extant. 1t shows
him at the height Of his career. when
he was about thirty-eight or forty
years old. The costuming is exactly
correct. On this wax figure James f.
Morton, Jr., New York lawyer. wrote
the following sonnet:
This is no image. but the very man
Who lived and labored for the rights OF
all.
Unheedful of the calumnies that fall
On him who serves his kind. Since time
began
No greater prophet faced the savage ban
OF priest and king and raised the
mighty call
Which shattered the foundations of that
wall
Upreared by greed on its own evil plan.
He sits before us, calmly as in life.
Holding the pen which made the tyrant
quail
And thinking lofty thoughts of liberty,
Still cheerful in the darkest hours OF
strife
And hearing through the roaring of the
gale
The still small voice that bids all men be
free.
The house stands about fifty feet
from the monument erected by Gilbert
Vale, one of Paine's early biographers,
half century ago. On North avenue,
directly behind the house. is the spot
where Paine's body was originally
buried. He died in New York city, at
q location now known as 80 Grove
street, although the house was long
ago replaced by another
One of His Great Admirers.
He wished to be buried in the Quak-
err burial grounds. but the Friends re-
fused to allow it. and three days after
his death little company Of his faith
full friends walked all the way from
New York to New Rochelle and inter-
red 1t on North avenue. Ten years
after the burial William Goblet, the
noted English radical. came to Amer
lea and removed the body to England.
He was a great admirer of Paine and
believed that America had neglected
him.
Cobbett's intention was to have q
fine monument erected over Paine's
English burial place. but England was
In the throes of great political events.
and Goblet was unable to get far
with his project. When he died Paine's
body was still in his home in an attic
room. 1t disappeared. and unavailing
efforts have since been made to trace
il. All that has ever been recovered
Is a small portion of the brain. which
Or. Moncure ID. Conway secured four
Or five years ago and brought to Amer
ca.
DR.. Conway was the first president
If the Paine Historical association. and
le turned the relic over to that organ
cation. On Oct. II, 1905, with appro-
pirate ceremonies, 1t was inferred I'M
Ter the monument in its original rest
ng place. With 1t DR.. Conway secur-
ID a lock Of Paine's haS2. and this will |
De one Of the relics that will be on ex- |
libition in the museum.
The monument raised to his memory |
It New Rochelle was often mutilated
~ fanatics, but has been restored.