Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-03-13
WIFE OF OIL KING
DIES In NEW YORK
Mrs. John D. Rockefeller Passes
Away at 1920 A. M. at Home
at Pocantico Hills.
HER HUSBAND Is IN FLORIDA


Teller country home at Pocantico
Hills, just outside OF Tarrytown.
where she has been i'll for some time.
While Mrs. Rockefeller has been an in
valid for many months, 1t is understood
that her death came unexpectedly. Her
husband. John d. Rockefeller. and her
son were at Ormond, Fla. and were ad-
vised early today that Mrs. Rockefeller
had taken a critical turn for the worse.
Mr.. Rockefeller and his son Immediately
engaged a special train, which left Jack
sonville early today II was learned, and
is due here some time tomorrow. Mrs.
e. Parmelee Prentice. Mrs. Rockefeller's
daughter. was the only immediate relst-
i've present when she died.
Native OF Ohio.
Laura Celestia Spelman Rockefeller was
born in Wadsworth. O., of well-to-do
New England parents, on September 8,
1899. She was her husbands junior by
two months. As child she lived in
Wadsworth, in Burlington. Ia In Akron,
O., where her father. Harvey r. Spell
man, achieved a competence in the dry
goods business. and later in Cleveland.
In the grammar school at Cleveland she
met John Rockefeller when they were
Is years old.
Rockefeller was a country boy. She
was the daughter OF one of Clevelands
leading citizens. His home was a little
farm house; hers, one OF Cleveland's
handsomest residences His associates,
outside of school. were mostly farm
hands and country boys; hers we're tai
ented folk of affairs drawn to her faith
er's handsome home for her father then
was a member of the Ohio legislature, a
public spirited citizen interested In phil
anthropies and a man OF many activities
Notwithstanding other differences, the
awkward youth and the city girl had IN
common a love of study and simple
tastes, and they became fast friends
Quiet, StudiOus Girl.
Laura Spelman's schoolmates knew her
as quiet. ctudIous girl who would rather
read a good book than go to the theater;
as a devout church-goer and as a girl
who was always well dressed in good
taste, avoiding extremes and seeking sim
plicity. She was intensely practical and
home-loving. At high school she caused
some surprise by taking not only the
prescribed course, but bookkeeping and
young women in those days.
There seems to have been little SEN
timentality in the friendship between
Miss Spelman and young Rockefeller.
but for ten years each was the others
best friend. During the days of Rookie
feller's carly manhood. when he saw his
hopes of college education fade away.
and soon thereafter when he tramped
the streets of Cleveland for weeks in a
seemingly hopeless search for work, she
encouraged and cheered him. Soon after
he had established himself in his first
place-as bookkeeper at $500 a year-she
left Cleveland TO complete her education
at Worcester, Mass. She returned when
she was 20 years old and taught in Cleve-
lands public schools. Her first class
was the "a grammar grade in the
Brownell Street school. know known as
the East Fourteenth Street school. And
she renewed her friendship with young
Rockefeller.
Aids Lover on His Books.
In 1852 Miss Spelman. described by her
superiors as a splendid discipiinarian and
a perfect teacher, became assistant prin-
cipal of the school. Rockefeller, alb
sorbed In business, took the books of his
nrm to her OF an evening and together
they would go over his affairs. Both of
them were interested together in church
work too; she as a Congregationalist
he as Baptist, and neither ever at
tended a dance or tho theater.
Young Rockefeller prospered beyond
his fai est hopes. As soon as he felt that
he could ask her TO become his wife he
did so. They we're married on September
8, 1864, the eve of her twenty-flfth birth
day, and started to keep house in a little
tWo-story brick residence on one of Cleve-
lands side streets. Upon her marriage
she became a Baptist and to her religion
and her home she devoted her entire
time.
TO be good wife and mother n the
hignest and hardest privilege Of a
woman" was one of the sayings ac-
crecited to her by the little circle of
friends she knew at this time. The bor-
ders OF her world were her home. Her
whole life was wrapped up in her hus-
band and children She avoided all social
functions and Joined no clubs.
Spartan Training for CbtIarer
When Mr.. RockefelIer's wealth was
mentioned In seven figures they left their
first home for residence remarka BILE
only for its unpretentiousness on Euclud
avenue. Cleveland's mile OF millions -
Here Mrs. Rockefeller reared her four
children: fifth died in infancy.
The training given the Rockefeller
children by their mother is declared TO
have been almost Spartan. Although the
Rockefeller wealth increased in leans and
bounds there was only one carriage and
horse cared for by a man, who acted
as both coachman and hostler. These
were used mostly Sunday on the trim
to church. Mrs. Rockefeller employed two
maids, but still insisted on doing much of
the work herself, She also surperyiSed
every detail OF the care and training OF
her children. particularly seeking % IN
stu in their minds the lesson Of thrift.
or her children, three are living. She
Was the mother of four daughters and
one son. the last named John d. Rookie
| Teller, jr., being the youngest. Her cid
est daughter. Bessie. who married Prof.
Charles A. Strong, died in France in 1906,
at the age of 40. Tho second daughter.
Alice. died in infancy.
The surviving children are Alta, wife
Of E Parmalee Prentice; Edith, who mar
| ried HaTod Fowler Mccormick and Iohv