The Republican journal., 1913-08-14
MRS, SARAH NICHOLS CLARKE.

Especial to The Republican Journal.
WEST WNTERPoRT. When Sarah
Nichols, wife of Augustus NJ. Clarke of
this place, passed over into the other
sphere of action on the seventh of last
month life of more than usual interest
was completed.
Mrs. Clarke, besides being woman of
fine personality, unflinching in her duties
to her home and family, was unquestion-
ably one of the greatest curio collectors
in the State of Maine. Practically all of
her leisure hours were devoted to the
study of natural history in all of its varied
forms, and the flora, fauna and geologi-
cal structure of every cline were as ia
miliar to her as were those of the region
in which she resided.
Besides the spacious cabinets filled with
ancient articles, she had obtained, large
ly through the gifts Of multitudinous
friends and relatives-many of whom
were sea captains or tourists specimens
of the animal, vegetable and mineral
kingdoms of almost every place of n,er-
est to the traveller or inhabited by man.
She had good collection of stuffed birds,
Indian relics, works of art, historical
articles and curiosities of every descrip-
ton, which many American college lab
oratories and museums can not equal or
surpass.
Mrs. Clarke was frequently visited by
people from far and near who We're de-
sirous of seeing her unique collection,
which she was always graciously willing
to exhibit, not without a bit of just pride;
moreover up to the last conscious hour of
her seventyseven years her memory of
the history of these articles and speci-
mems was marvellous in the highest de-
gree. No name, common or proper, no
matter how foreign, ever escaped her
wonderful memory, and the student could
get more practical insight of the history
and geography of the globe in couple
of hours under her tuition and guidance
than most people receive in an ordinary
lifetime.
Among the various collections is one
entirely of souvenir pitchers, over one
hundred and fifty in number, no two alike
and of almost every foreign and domestic
ware.
Mrs. Sarah Nichols Clarke passed to
the higher life on July Z, 1913. She was
the daughter of the late Thomas and Ju
dith (Jones) Nichols of Brooksville, Me-,
and one of a family of six: William, Thorn
as Charles, Jane, Abbie, and the subject
of the above sketch. She was born Nov.
q, 1885, in the little town of Brooksville,
where she spent the most of her girlhood
days.
She married Augustus NJ Clarke of
Wlnterport, prominent and well to do
farmer, and five children blessed their
union; two daughters, Laura and Mary
Abbie, who died in childhood, and three
sons, Bradford of Hampden, Fred D. of
Winterport and Edward A. of Levant,
all of whom, together with one brother
Charles Nichols of Brooksville, and the
aged husband. survive her.
Mrs. Clarke was woman of sterling
worth, a devoted wife and mother, a
loyal friend and an obligirg neighbor.
She was passionately fond offiowers and
profusons of them We're cultivated for
her at all seasons. Few women of her
years leave as large a circle Of acquainy-
ances, and the large gathering of people
who came to pay their last respects to
her earthly image, also the masses of
beautiful and costly flowers, bore testi-
mony to the love and respect with which
she was held. ADA DYER CURTIS.
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