The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-11-02
THOMAS NELSON PAGE
FATALLY STRICKEN
Former Ambassador to Italy and Fam.
Gus Actor Dies at Ancestral
Home,

Richmond, Va, Nov. 2.-Thomas
Nelson Page, former ambassador to
Italy and noted author, died OF heart
disease yesterday afternoon at his
ancestral home, Oakland, where he
was born near Beaver Dam in Han.
over county. He was walking in the
garden with his sister-in-law, Mrs.
Roswell Page. when he suddenly col.
lapsed. He was carried into the
house and medical aid was summoned
but he died within few minutes. lie
was So years OF age
Page had apparently been in excel.
lent health and only last week had
been in Washington and through
Maryland, where he participated in
the political campaign, speaking in
advocacy OF the candidacy for the
United States Senate OF his COUSIN.
William Cabell Bruce.
Page was appointed ambassador to
Italy in June. 1913, and continued in
that capacity until August, 1918, his
service covering critical period In
American-European relations. Mora
than one of the important diplomatic
notes passing between the United
States and the allied governments
went through his hands.
Much or his time since was spent
in study and occasional writing. He
made his home at Washington, bur
recently sold his house with the in.
tention of spending most OF his time
in Virginia.
Although the services he performed
as ambassador at Rome in the trying
war years were of great value TO the
government, Page was perhaps best
known for his literary productions.
which had won for him name both
at home and abroad long before he
accepted the diplomatic appointment
from President Wilson. II was In
fact this literary talent which espe.
cially endeared him to the Italian
people, sat ~
He was the author OF n number
of books on southern life and as
result of his experience in Italy wrote
two which won for him the especial
attention of that country, one being
Italy and the World War and the
other life of Thomas jefferson
N Italian.
In his books on southern life he
selected eastern Virginia as his espe.
cial field and in a number OF short
stories and tales faithfully portrayed
southern life before during and after
the Civil war. His dialect stories OF
the Negro of ante-belum days are
regarded as among his best Those
which attracted much attention, in
cluded "Marse Chan, Two Little
Confederates" and George Keith"
Page was born at Oakland" April
23, 1853, both his mother and father
being descendants of Gem. Thomas
Nelson, one of the signers of the Dec
laration of Independence He was
educated at Washington and Lee uni.
versity, from which he was gradu.
ated in 1874, and at the University
of Virginia, which, conferred upon
him law degree. After leaving col.
lege he practiced law for a time in
this city but then devoted himself TO
writing and lecturing. He was q
member of the National Academy OF
Arts and Letters and of several clubs
in this city, Washington. New York
and Boston.
He was twice married--in 1886 to
Miss Anne keddon Bruce, who diei
In 1883, and in 1898 to Mrs. Florence
Lathrop Field, widow of Henry Field
of Chicago. Her death occurred last
year. Two step-daughters, the chill
dren of Mrs. Field, are Mrs. A,sernon
Burnaby of England and Mrs. Thom.
as Lindsay of Boston.