The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-07-19
WEB WILDER LETTER.
Commended Fred Vandegrift for His
Sketch in 1904.

While much has been printed in the
Kansas newspapers about Daniel Web
ster Wilder, VINO died last week it is
a pity that the F. L. Vandegrift sketch
of Wilder, written on the occasion of the
senicentennial of the states organlza-
ton on May 80. 1904, could not have
been used Fred Nandegrift was then
Kansas correspondent for the Kansas
City Star. and he wrote for that paper
a two page sketch covering the first 80
years of the states history. 1t was a
great deal of ground to cover in such
| a little space but Mr.. Vandegrift made
a notable success of it. He dealt main
" with the early Kansas period and
the men who made Kansas a free state
Among these was Daniel Webster VIII
der. whom Vandegrift knew personally
and was therefore able to appreciate his
scholarly attachments.
Wilder wrote Vandegrift at the time
to compliment him upon his historical
contribution, and also to modestly deny
any hand in the making of Bartlett S
Quotations as asserted by Nandegri1t-
Mr. Wilder was willing, he said, in his
letter that the facts might be made
known after his death.
The Vandegrift article about Wilder
and che Wilder letter to Nandegrift are
torical society. The following is a part
of the historical sketch that has ref
| erence to Wilder:
ID w. Wilder. a graduate of Har-
came a newspaper man. Although he
was not given credit for it for many
years afterward, while he was a stud
ent in Harvard, he proposed to Bartlett.
/ the bookseller of Cambridge, that he
compile ard publish book of quota
| tions. From this suggestion came
'Bartlett's Familiar Quotations. which
is found in SO many American homes
For all of the editions Mr.. Wilder has
/ furnished the law and the Shakesp erean
/ col
| lege he wrote from notes, and under
| subheads, one or more Of the text
books of Theophilus Parsons so famil-
lar to lawyers.
In his letter to Mr. Vandegrift, after
mentioning the sketch and its accuracy,
Mr. Wilder denied that he made Bart
/ let's Familiar Quotations or that he
wrote any of Parsons law books. He
said that he did not want the correc-
ton made at the time. but intimated
that correction be published after his
death. Mr.. Vandcgrift, in his reference
to MIR. Wilder, did not say that he made
'Bartletts Familiar Quotations, or that
| he wrote any of Parsons law books. He
said that he furnished some quotations,
and that he wrote under subheads and
from notes one or more of Parsons
law books. There was no intention in
| Mr. Vandegrift's story to give Mr.. Will
der credit for the book of quotations
! or Parsons law books. However, that
he shared in the production of Bart
| let's Familiar Quotations there is no
doubt Indeed, in the edition of 1888,
Bartlett specially mentioned Mr.. Wilder
as one of the contributors
The following is Mr.. Wilder's letter
to Mr.. Vandegrift:
Hiawatha. Nav 81, 1904.
My Dear Nandegrift: Your paper
in the Times is the most attractive in
style and the most comprehensive that
any journal has published. It is al
most incredible that no Kansas news
paper gave the great anniversary ade-
quate attention-eight or ten pages of
history, biography and special articles
by competent writers. They are all
loyal; there is no question about that;
loyal every day in the year. They con-
stantly say so much about the state
that they probably felt that there was
no need ofadding anything to the re-
marks of the previous speaker. The
editor of the Historical society, George
Martin, fills all the gaps. I received
lyour paper came, the real kansas
day" as you say for the first time. and
say in a way that will make a strong
and victorious impression; a Kansas
: day, as you also say. not for politi-
t clans or biennial campaign. but pure
> ly as an event of historic and ma
; tional import. The Louisiana pur-
} chase. with its flag now flying, began
the territorial one hundred years, but
: had marched only fifty years when
I Kansas territory seized The flag. wrote
2 Free on its folds and shot and sang
z to the century's end The accession
and the organization of the territory