Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-06-29
RECENT DEATH.
Mrs. Homer Eaton.

MIS-. j" M bingham mas received
from Herbert A. SAKE a copy of the
Madison, ~ j., Eagle containing an
obituary notice of his aunt. Mrs. Ho-
mer Eaton, formerly Of this city. 1t
was written by the Rev. Robert w.
Rogers of Drew Seminary, an intimate
friend both of the Rev. and Mrs.
Eaton.
at daybrrak on Wednesday morn
ing the last day of May. Hannah Sake,
relict of the late Rev Dr. Homer
Eaton, died. SO passed a woman of
rare quality, distinction and force of
character. She was born in Sheldon.
VT, by the waters of Black Creek, on
It's way to the great deeps of Lake
Champlain. and far in the north near
to the great spaces of Canada. That
was on March 10, 1894, that the little
girl came into the household of Jacob
SAKE and Rowena Keith. 1t was good,
rugged, independent American stock.
If there be such a thing, and it repre-
scented a minglng of blood. one strain
of which was Saxon, and the other
was Scots. She was always justly
proud Of the Keith lineage, for one of
the family had been a founder of
learning in the University of Aber-
deem and two others rose to fame as
generals in foreign service. ono even
securing the marshal's baton under
Frederick the Great in the carly days
of Prussan military Development 1t
was not strange that the arms of
Keith were conspicuously displayed
above her family fireplace and that
her eyes often rose to their illuminat-
ed field.
In her family there were thirteen
children Of whom there remains now
but one brother, DR.. Homan A. SAKE
of san Jose. California. all others of
the plaYmates of a happy childhood
having preceded her into wider and
better country.
ION April %. 1855. Hannah SAKE was
welded to the Reverend Homer Eaton
ia member of the Troy conference of
the Methodist Episcopal Church. and
with him she set out upon the normal
life of an itinerant preacher. For
thirty years these two went from
church to church everywhere building
and lettering churches and communi-
ties. first in small parishes. and ther
! In larger until Saratoga Springs. Now
York, and later Burlington, Vermont
received the Inspiration of their life
and work
In 1855 Homer Eaton was chosen
publishing agent of the Methodist
Book Concern in New York city. ant
they must needs leave their familiar
home ground in the north and come
brother of Mrs. Eaton, the Rev. George
So 1i,raI to, IL
and upon land bought of him. Or
Eaton built a house and here set III
n home. In the new post he displayed
ability Of such uncommon order, as
sociated with driving force in its ex.
ecution. that the whole method anc
Issue of the oldest publishing hous,
In Am erica was transformed. OWNS
more, let 1t now be said, to mir, .Iar
TO any of his associates or collea cues
Men from the whole field Of hi.
church recognized his capacity anC
either worshipped or feared. A MN,
man he always was, and it was o
good fortune that every evening h,
came home to a wife who revered hin
above the whole world and made n,
attempt to conceal her pride in him
ION February Q, 1913, he answereC
quietly the great summons. and Madi
son has not since seen his like. SOM
wondered then how she could liv
without him. but she was equal ever
to this, as to every other testing o
life, and in dignity and courage ha
kept her lonely hearth fire lighted
Hannah Sake Eaton was no ordi
nary woman. In her youth clever a
school, and skilled with the pencil an,
pen in artistic drawing, and in he
mature years endowed with a memor
which stored readily the aCcumula
tons of wide reading. maintained il
season and out until the very end $
keen was her sense of humor, and s
wide the fields o;er which it ranged
that the casual visitor might conf
IDENTITY expect to hear her merry laug
or see her brilliant and mobile eye
, dance as memory suggested some ap
: quotation or furnished some happ
smile, In the carly days of her lif
here she was active in the work c
the Methodist Church, and founded it
local branch of the Womans HON
Missionary society. but in the late
years the public saw little of her, an
only her intimates knew that the fir
still burned brightly, and her wit ful
i filled its wonted ways. The man /
= the street who glanced toward tn
. door might have known that a woma
dwell there who loved flowers an
4 knew how to charm them to her will
q bat they who crossed the threshol
y found that skillful hands knew how
a initiate the florists skill and summo
bright color or beautiful form frol
v scores of plants, which seemed alway
; to rejoice in their mistress.
r What a noble and worthy and II
@ teresting and delightsome life of Il
d Dor and care and anxiety and usefu
$ ness ii has been"
r Tho body of Mrs. Eaton was take
d to Albany. y. Y, for burial in the bea,
tiful rural cemetery beside the bod
= % her late husband.
!: Alto Turns : S0MFRSA||I 7