The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-11-04
GREAT
NOVELIST
PASSES
Thomas Nelson Page
Dies Suddenly a t
His Virginia Home

G1Ql2ldSS sSNG3SQ1l rIdSC,s ddSiio1', NIP
lonaat and lawyer, died suddenly
today in the garden of his boyhood
home, G Oakland, . in Hanover eoun-
ty. situated upon an original grant
from the crown of England to the
Colonial magnate, Thomas Nell
som. Nearby, at the Old Fork
church, where he was christened,
simple funeral ceremonies viii be
held at 10 O'Clock Friday morn
ing, the body will be put aboard
the northbeund train at Ashland
at noon and at 4 O'Clock OF the
same day the American ambassador
TO Italy during the atroablous days
of the World war Will be laid to
eternal rest beside his wife in
Washington ss
Mr.. Page died OF acute cardiac
aiiatien He returned to the an
eestral home Saturday, apparently
irs his normal health and had
spent his time I'm having it put in
order with the view to- spending
his remaining years there He
spent this morning IN directing
work in the garden. Between
times he would gosto the house to
indulge in his beloved literary
work. On his return from the last
of these trips, to the house his SIS
ter-in=laW, Mrs. Roosevelt Page, ac-
enmnanied hin. They stopped
where a. party Of workmen were
rearranging the aoWer beds and.
apparently has active spirit get
ring4.e better OF him, Mr. Page
to pick up spade. He
straightened up. turned to an old
employee of the household with the
remark: Here. take this, spade =
and collapsed Physicians said
death was almost Instantaneous.
3 Although NE. Page was regarded
as enjoying the hest OF health.
close relatives stated tonight that
he probably stin was feeling the
effects Of an attack Of pneumonia
last winter. His condition was
regarded as serious, at that tine
but his indonisabl spirit would
not let him give up and within a
few weeks he was back at work en-
Dante, biography Of the inn-
mortal poet. which ne reeeasly
completed It was only yesterlay
that Mr.. Page received lAtser
from former President Wilson COM
plimentalg him on his work r
{ ,Phomas Nelson Page. one Of the
best known of latter day. Virgin
ians, had a varied career as la9ver,
author and diplomat He was born
at Oakland. on April %, $50, the
son OF Maj John and Elizabeth
Burweil Nelson Page. Both his
father and mother were grandchi1-
dren OF Thomas Nelson, signer of
the Declaration of Independence.
one: Of the early governors OF Vir-
Iginia and cornmander OF the Vir-
ginia forces at yorktown. With
his brothers he sleaFned the re-
;sponsibilit of life within the
sound of the guns of the bloodtest
campaigns Of the Confederate war.
sThese experiences he later describ-
ed ar Tive Little Confederates. "
Until the breaking out OF the
war. however, the boys spent their
time after the manner OF happy
southern children OF that period,
playing about the fields with the
young negroes Of the plantation as
Their companions or listening to
the tales of their elders. around the
cabin fire When Sunday came
marbles, tops and strings were put
saways and, rain or shine" the
family carriage with four horses OF
as many mules attached was
brought out to take them to The
Forks church.
After attending school in Ham
over county. Or Page Went to
Hanover academy later to Washing
ton. college, now Washington and
Lee university, and in 1873 he at
tended the law school at the Tni-
yersity or Virginia just before
taking the iaw course, Mr.. Page
taught school in Kentucky. He
practiced law in Richmond until
1893 when he moved to Wash
ington.
DR.. Pages first attempt at au-
thorship was an acrostic, written
when he was a child and publish
ed in The Southern churchman,
the appearance of which in its
printed form was at once "a source
of pride and disappointment to
him. While at college he again
essayed to write, contributing to
The Collegian, a paper gotten out
by the students of Washington col
lege. He did little literary work
after graduating in law but in
1886, with his marriage to Miss
Anne Seddon Bruce of Charlotte
county, Virginia, came a renewal
of the 1itrary impulse. She cared
for stories and cherished for a
time lofty ambitions and he wrote
for her. At this period he added
to his profession as writer that
of public lecturer. Then his wife
died and shortly afterward he
went abroad. His second marriage
20 Mrs. Florence Lathrop Field,
widow Of Henry Field Of Chicago
and granddaughter Of Governor
Barbour of Virginia. was in 1893.
She died June s, 1921.
Mr.. Page is survived by two
daughters, Mrs. Algernon Barnaby