Evening star., 1922-08-23

Rev. Henry Noble Couden, D.. II.
aged seyenty-nine years. blind chap
lain of the United States House OF
Representatives for twenty five years
day at his residence at Fort Mycr.
Va. He had been i'll for nearly nine
| months. The immediate cause of Jhis
death was bronchial pneumonia: -
DR.. Couden was a native of lndi-
ana He was born on farm IN
Marshall county November !, 1872.
He was educated in the State School
for the Blind, at Columbus. Ohio, ard
the divinity school of St Lawren's
University of Canton, \. Y. and was
ordained Cniversalist clergyman ia
1878. He saw more than two years. "a:
active service in the Union army dur
ing the civil war and was discharged
from the service because of the wound
which caused his blindness. He first
became chaplain of the House of Rep
resentatives in 1895. Fif;yfourth Con-
gress. during the Cleveland admins
ration. =
DR.. Couden had been blind since he
was twentyfour years old When
President Lincoln issued his call for
volunteers to defend the Union at The
opening of the civil war young Cou@
services to his country. christening
\ in the 9Th Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
He was in the battles of Laurel Hills
| Elkwater, Shilo and Perryville, KY. and
! subsequently was transferred to the
marine service, at that time charged>s
/! with the duty of clearing the. Missis-
sippi river of the Confederate oh
structions and resistance. go
Undiscournged by Fate.
1t was at-th Battle: Of BeaversDan,
lake that Dr.. Coudin receivedyf the;
wound, a load of buckshot in the face;
that left him blind. This injury
forced his retirement, but did not dis
courage him in a purpose to become
useful citizen. After seven-year
course in the blind institution az
| Columbus. Ohio. he took up the study
of the ministry, receiving his final
orders in 1878. The ST. Lawrence
] University of Canton. y. Y, conferred
| upon him the honorary degree or
doctor of divinity when he was only
was at Madrid. n. Y. where he re-
| mained for three years.
Later he served the church at Will
! loughby. Ohio. and Chatham, Mass. for
! Mich. coming to the House of Rep
resentatives from that charge as the
chaplain. He was the personal friend
of Speakers Reed. Cannon, Hender-
son, Clark and, in fact. all Of the speak
ers of the House during the period OF
quarter of a century that he was the
chaplain Of that body. He was per-
sonally known to the long line OF
members of the House and Senate
, who have served in those bodies DUR
chaplain AS the blind chaplain OF
| the House he was known nationally.
The year that he was ordained as
clergyman of the Universalist Church,
| he married Miss Lydia Jane Dicker-
! son, who died shortly after the birth
] of their fourth child, a girl. In 1885
he married Miss Harriet Dunbar, who
! during the thirty-six years OF their
| married life was his ever faithful COM
panion. acting as his eyes" and ad-
wiser. She became as well known around
the Capitol, as his companion, as the
! clergyman himself. Five years ago
| Mrs. Couden suffered stroke of pa
ralyss which left her an invalid. con-
dition that was a great handicap to
the usefulness of DR.. Couden.
Active ms Lodgeman. )
! DR.. Couden was, one of the few, il
not the only man. to be admitted to
| the Masonic fraternity afflicted. as
! he was, with blindness. While pastor
| of the Chatham. Mass, church he
! was made a member of St. Martins
Lodge, F. A. A. l.. in that city. anu
! to the time of his death. He was
a member of Burnside Post. G. A. r.
! of this city, which organization. to.
| gether with the local Masonic lodges
| will have charge of. the funeral
Z
ment. -. ,.
| 1t was on February 2S, 1921, that
! DR. Couden rendered his resignation
as the chaplain of the House. III
! health caused him to resign. Since
4! January /, 1922. he had been confined
/ to his bed His wife and other mem
bers of the family were at his bed5
| side when he died. at 10 o'clock yes
| terday morning. -:
| He.is survived by his widow, Mrs.
Harriet D. Couden; two sons, TayettN
Id. Couden, lawyer OF Seattle, Wesh
| Rev. william Couden of Concord.
Mich, and a daughter, Mrs. w. c.
Marble of South Pasadena. Calf. OnS
son. Harry Couden. was killed in tho
Spanish American war. 1
| At the opening of the extraordinary
session of Congress called by Presi-
dent Wilson to consider war measures
Dr. Couden delivered a prayer at the
i opening OF the House that betame
l famous. "A
| No final arrangements for the fu-'
neral will be made until the arrival
! of Rev. William Couden, a son, OF
Seattle, Wash. who is en- route TO
this city. Burial will be in ArlfngtoA
national cemetery beside the body
| of his son. -.
! Tribute to the life and character
and humble disposition OF DR.. Couden
! was paid today at the opening Of tho
House session in the prayer by Rev.
! James S. Montgomery. DR.. Coucen's q
successor as chaplain. DR.. Coudeh
was chaplain emeritus at the time OF
hie deafh