The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1918-03-05
FAMOUS HISTORIAN
ENDS HIS LABORS
Hubert Howe Bancroft Passed
Away of Old Age At His
San Francisco Home

san FRANCISCO, March d Asso-
ciatCd Pr"ss)-liuLert Howe Bancroft,
the famous historian, who has been
failing during tn" past several months,
died at his home here yesterday morn
ing from old age. He was eighty six
years old
Although one of the most prolific
writer's Of history which America ever
has produced, at the age of forty Mr.
Bancroft had never written book,
nor, by his own statement, made many
years later, did he know how to write
even the simplest manuscript. From
early manhood he had been q book
seller and business man in San Fran
cisco, and previous to that clerk in a
bookstore at Buffalo. Earlier still, he
was a farm hand and tannery boy near
Grandvillr. Ohio, where he was born
May 5, 1872 1t was in the bookstores
that he obtained has education, his at.
tendance at public schools being very
limited.
Inspired to Write
Following his opening Of a bookshop
at San Francisco in 1856, Bancroft con
ceivrd the idea Of writing a cOmprehen'
sive history Of California, and to that
end began collecting books. manu-
scripts and newspapers. SO absorbed
did he become in this search for ma
teTiaL that ten or twelve years later ht
had collected thousands of Volumes Of
books and stacks Of manuscripts and
newspaper files. Still he had writer
nothing and could not, for he did not
know what was in the books and manu-
scripts.
Finally. in 1871, the passion to write
40 consumed Bancroft that he gave thu
conduct Of his business over to Otherl
and set himself in earnest to the task
Long since the plan to write only OF
California had enlarged until 1t in
Guided the Pacific Coast regions of thu
whole North and South American con
tinents.
Stupendous Undertaking
Soon despair seized upon Bancroft
for he discovered by tests that thu
mere work of reading, digesting anC
notating his material unaided woulC
require Mt least four hundred years
| For q time his dependency amounted
almost to insanity. Then he consid
cred the cxpcdient of employing as
sstants and made many experiments
failure generally resulting. On one Oc
casion he threw into the furnace n
| worthless twenty five reams of manu-
script, representing the work of six "
eight men for months. A noted me
liarvul scholar, employed at a hlg
wage, was unable to help him.
INnrSiStipT cha yannln no h qf n "a
finally perfected a system of card in
drxinG which proved successful There
after, he trained and employed hun
dreds of assistants, the services o
some of whom amounted to collab"I
atOrs. From the vast notes thus &C
rumulated, Bancroft finally apprOachP
has real task, he having learned, pair
fully, in the meantime, something o
the art Of writing.
Made Two Starts
More difficulties arose Bancrcf
had selected Peru az the subject Of hi
'mst enheavor and had decided that it
history should begin with the SPANS
conquest. Suddenly, when the wOr
was half complete. he rejected it, hole
NJ to the theory that all history shoul
begin with the beginning of thing
Starting anew, he delved into tn
myths and legends of the mysteri0l
peoples Of the American continent
running back into the Middle Age
mnrshaling therPfrOm the facts M
theories of his "Native Races of tn
! Pacific States.' This work in fiV
volumes, was issued in 1874, it bein
necessary, at the last, for the author
organize Il publishing company t" II
sure it's printing.
Bancroft estimated that the work {
writing and research expended uPo
Native Races" represented tn" w"r
of one man, tOiling every day, Sunday
.>r"nted. for fifty years.
Following this great effort, Bancroft
now widely recognized as an nuthorrt
ON history, plunged into other wor
continuing necessarily ut his desk unit
he had produced thirty four volume
comprising the history Of the Pacif
Coast States and countries from Ala X
to Argentina. His life ambition r"n
ilrd he devoted himself to occasions
writing, producing Retrospection
after Passing his cightieth hirthda
In 1883, accompanied by native assis
ants. he visited Mexico and sp"r
months in searching the ancient "A
rhivrs of that country for historic
data The result was new history
Mexico, recently issued His Hbrar
housed in u specially constructed bull
ing, consists of over sixty thousal
volumes.
During the evening of his life Ba
croft lived quietly at his home in 81
Francisco.