East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1910-10-17

Famous Woman Succumbs to Disease
at Home of Daughter i'm South
Portsmouth, II. Had Limited
School Education But Possessed
! Exceptional Talent Husbands
Fame Hardly Less Than Her Own
Children Win Distinction.
Boston, Oct. 17.-Julia Ward Howe
famed author of 1.-The Battle Hymn of
the Republic" died today at the home
of her daughter, Mrs. Maude Elli-
OFT at South Portsmouth, Rhode Is
land. She had been seriously i'll for
many weeks, and death was not un-
expected.
| Her Life.
! Julia Ward Howe was born in New
York City on the 27th day of May.
1919. Her ancestry, on her fathers
side included such men as Roger Will
liams and Governor Samuel Ward of
Rhode Island, while she was distant
lily related to General Marion, famil-
fiarly known as the Swamp Fox"
Her father was a man of wealth and
was president and founder of the
New York Bank of Commerce
The educational facilities in her
time were not very great, so that she
was compelled to leave school at 16
years of age. All the knowledge she
acquired afterwards was by means of
private tutors and through her own
individual efforts.
| When Julia Ward was % years old
she spent the summer in Boston and
there met DIR. Samuel Gridley Howe,
whom she afterwards married A
week after she was married. in 1S43.
she and her husband went abroad in
company with another bridal couple,
DR.. ana Mrs. Horace Mann. They
visited different countries on the con-
tinent and it was while Mrs. Howe
was in Rome in March, 1874, that her
first child was born.
The same year they returned to
America and took up their residence
in Boston, where DR.. Howe was close
\ ly identified with the Perkins Insti-
tuition for the Blind. She and her
| husband conducted an anti-slavery
paper in Boston before the war. Az
ter the conflict she was deeply inter-
ested in such causes as woman's
suffrage, prison reform, peace. etc.,
and she was noted as a Unitarian
writer, preacher and lecturer.
Had Famous Husband.
At this time it seemed that the
fame of DR.. Howe would completely
overshadow that of his talented wife.
In his early career he had fought in
the war for Greek independence and
had also aided the Poles in their
struggle for liberty. After his mar
riage he devoted himself chiefly to
the work of educating the blind. His
fame is inseparably connected with
the story of Laura Bridgman, the un-
fortunate in whom II is scarcely an
exaggeration to say that he developed
an intellect and a soul AT the age
of 2 years the child lost sight and
hearing through scarlet fever, and
consequently soon forgot how to speak.
In this girl, to whom every avenue Of
knowledge save feeling was closed,
DIR. Howe discovered a keen intellect
He patiently experimental until he
had invented methods of communica-
ton and taught her to read, sew, play
the piano and communicate her ideas.
In this work DR.. Howe was greatly
aided by his wife.
During the course of her long life
Mrs. Howe was at the very forefront
of many movements which had to do
with American literature, philan-
thropy, and the emancipation of her
sex. From the early days of her wo-
manhood, she was a woman of conse-
quence, a woman of affairs. woman
who had a very high conception Of
the duties of life. Although of the
gentlest spirit. Mrs. Howe was for
years a most ardent woman suffra-
gist.
A Renowned Authoress.
Mrs Howe was a frequent contribu> |
tor to some of the best magazines of
the country. She was also q poetess |
who found a ready response in the |
hearts of the people and then, as an /
evidence Of her versatility. she turn |
ed her pen to play writing. at which |
she was also successful. Perhaps |
her most famous work was the BAT
tie Hymn Of the Republic" which is
taught to every school child in the
country today. This work was writ
ten by Mrs Howe after visit to the
camp of the Army Of the Potomac
during the war.
Mrs. Howe was one of the orga-
nizers of the New England Woman's
Club, which became one of the most
clubs of it's kind in AM
erica, and for many years was presi-
dent of the Massachusetts Federation
OF women's Clubs.
AS is natural with such a mother.
Mrs. Howe's children have all won
distinctive places in life. Her only