Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1912-12-24

ls" (edited BY PhIness Garrett). 10 the
sbove-mentioned "The Household Bo0l
Of Poetry" and In the aforementioned
"A New Library ct Poetry and Song"
10 addition 10 bis poem entitled "Dirge,'
the original edition of the above
mentioned "Poets and Poetry Of Yer.
mont" contains his poems entitled my
Uncle jerry" "A Wife-Song" and ~
See Her Not" and, 10 addition to those
four poems, the "Revised Edition" oi
that work contains his poems entitled
"A Picture" "The Apple Blossom" p"
"Mary of the Glen" Scene in Vernon,
Winter" and "Hymn" written for and
sung at the dedication of Green Mount
Cemetery, Montpelier, September 10.
1850. In addition to bis poem entitled
"a PICTURE" the 10th and subsequent
editions Of the aforementioned "The
Poets and Poetry Of America" contain
his poems entitled "Mill May" and "Her
Grave is by Her Mothers" His poems
entitled "A Wife-Soug," "Sweetly She
Sleeps,", "The First Settler" "The
Battle OF Plattsburgh," "Of Love and
Wiue," "Purer than Snow" (all but the
| flnsl stapza), and "The Apple Blossom
are reproduced In the 4rh volume OF the
'tVermont Historical Gazetteer" and in
"The History Of Washington County In
the Vermont Historical Gazetteer" (both
edited by Abby Maria Hemenway.)
Though Mr.. Eastman enacted promi-
nent part as . politician, yet the role OF
la politician was never In accord with bis
1 kaokao uSa oulk,,,o oSv Wind nantaltkv nj
spirit, and nobility Of soul were utterly
out OF harmony with participation In
the political struggles In which It was
his. lot to bear . part. It was az q
litterateur and q devotee Of the Muse OF
Poetry that be found his greatest de-
light, and, however conspicuous the
position which 1t was his fortune to at
tain as q politician, yet 1t Is as q poet
that he is best known and that his fame
is made permanent and secure. As Q
lyric poet there are few IL any American
writer's who can be called bis superiors,
some OF bis lyrics being among the
sweetest and most beautiful ever written
10 this country. His fancy was tender,
delicate, and at times familiar and
sportive, and not q few Of his poems are
marked by touching pathos. He was
one of the first, II not the very first, Of
American poets to be spoken OF with
praise by the Edinburg Review. he has
been sptly styled the "Burns Of the
Green Mountains" and IA Picture"
my Uncle jerry" II See Her Not"
"The Town Pauper's Burial" "Come
Sing Ne the Song" and many other OF
his poems will keep his memory green.
At about the time OF Mr.. Esstman's
removal from Woodstock to Montpelier,
he married Mrs. Susan s. Havens
daughter of DR.. John D. Powers OF
Woodstock. and cousin OF Hiram Pow.
ers, the sculptor), In praise of whom he
wrote his aforementioned poem entitled
"A Wife-Song." The fruit Of that union
was q daughter and two sons. The
daughter, Mary Avery Eastman (who
as an infant inspired her fathers above
mentioned poem entitled "Sweetly She
Sleeps"), was born on February 1S,
1s49, at Montpelier, and died on Decem-
ber 26, 1885, at Emmetsburg, Ia, being
the wife of Hon. Eden John Hartshorn
of that town, q native OF Vermont,
whom she married In the latter State 10
1872; the older son, John Powers East
man, was born at Montpelier on October
4, 1851, and died there on May 81, 1870;
and the younger son, Edward Swan
Eastman, was born at Montpelier on
January 27, 1857, and died there on
October 2, 1875. Mrs. Eastman survived
all ber children, dying at the home at
Emmetsburg, Ia, of her abOve-mention-
ed sou-in-law, Hon. Elden John Harris
horn, on January 10, 1901. For the last
few years, Mr.. Hartshorn has been an
Assistant Attorney in the Interior De-
partment at Washington, with resi-
dence in the adjacent town OF Kensing-
ton, Nd, though he still retains bis
home and legal domicile at Emme,sburg.
The only living descendant of Mr.. and
Mrs. Eastman Ia Mr.. Hartshorn's son,
John Edward Hsrtshorn, Who was
graduated at Dartmouth College In
1902, and who for the last eight years
has been In China as an official In the
customs service Of that country, at
present, however, being at home on an
extended leave Of absence. Jeremiah
Eastman, Fryeburg's old-tims singing
master, was the poets great-uncle, being
a brother to the poets paternal grand
father, Benjamin Eastman.
A second edition Of Mr.. Eastman's
poems was published at Montpelier in
1880. The aforementioned original
(lS4S) edition OF bis poems is sexto.
dscimo of 2l6 pages, and the second
edition is q duodecimo of PSI pages. the
latter edition including biographical
sketch of the poet. In addition to the
poems embraced In the original edition,
the second edition contains % new
poems, besides some fragmentary pieces
which were deemed too beautiful to be
cast aside and lost.
Mr.. Eastman was the editor OF q
volume entitled "Sermons, Addresses q
Exhortations by Rev. Jedsdiah Bur-
chard; with an Appendix Containing
Some Account OF Proceedings during
Protracted Meetings Held under Hi.
Direction in Burlington, Wllliston and
Hinesburg, VT, December, 1885, and
January, 1886" That volume, which
was published at Burlington In 1885, Ia a
sextodecimo OF 1l9 pages, the last 4S OF
which constitute the Appendix, which
was written by Mr.. Eastman.