Seaton - Harry E.
Source; Crawfordsville Daily Journal Saturday, 6 May 1893
The funeral of the late Harry E. Seaton occurred at the home of his parents in Richmond yesterday afternoon and was largely attended, many of his young friends coming a long distance to attend the services. The floral tributes were lavish and beautiful attesting the popularity of the promising young man. The pallbearers were his most intimate friends and a large concourse of friends followed the remains to their last resting place.
The close of this life of promise is universally lamented. He was widely known and a life of fame was just opening before him when death came. President Elliot, of Harvard University, stated to his parents and the press of Boston that Mr. Seaton’s death was a blow not only to the university, but to the science of botany as well. His genius was considered phenomenal and the college had made him most flattering offers for the future. Dr. Hughes, who officiated at the funeral yesterday, read the following memorial from Dr. B. L. Robinson, the head of the botanical department of Harvard College:
Henry E. Seaton, Assistant Curator of the Gray Herbarium of Harvard University, died at Cambridge, Mass., Sunday, April 30. Mr. Seaton was born at Indianapolis, April 15th, 1869. He entered Wabash College in 1886 and during his course there became deeply interested in the study of botany. On graduation in 1890 he was made first assistant of his teacher, Prof. John M. Coulter, one of the foremost systematic botanists of America. In 1892 Mr. Seaton received the degree of Master of Arts. In this year Prof. Coulter was called to the Presidency of the State University at Bloomington, to which at his desire Mr. Seaton was called in the double capacity of instructor in botany and curator of the herbarium.
In the summer of 1891 he accompanied as botanist a scientific expedition to southern Mexico, where he made extensive and valuable collections of plants, especially upon Mt. Orizaba. Before publishing the results of his work upon this expedition he found it necessary to visit the collections at Harvard for the purpose of comparing note worthy specimens. His work showed such care and good judgment that at the end of his visit he was offered the position at Harvard which he has held since last September. During his connection with the Gray Herbarium he has been chiefly occupied with Mexican plants and has made a critical study of a considerable number of new and rare species. The results of his works are embodied in two very valuable papers in the “Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Science,” in press at the time of his death. He was remarkably skillful in scientific investigation and although his connection with Harvard was a brief one, he was recognized by those associated with him as a botanist of exceptional promise, and his loss is felt by them to be irreparable.
In the midst of his suffering he wrote the following note of farewell which was delivered to his parents after his death:
”MY LOVING MOTHER AND ALL—I go through an operation this afternoon as the best relief for my illness. I am very weak and if I don’t live through it, good-bye dearest ones, till we meet in Heaven. With devoted love,
Harry.”
Source: Crawfordsville Daily Journal Tuesday, 2 May 1893
Rev. Alexander Gilchrist received a telegram this morning from Cambridge, Mass., which announced that Prof. Harry Seaton died at 10 o’clock Sunday night of typhilitis. The duration of his illness was but a few days and the operation which was performed upon him last Thursday gave evidence at first of being successful and the young man’s recovery was confidently expected by the attending physician. Yesterday, however, a change for the worse occurred and he died with both his father and mother at his bedside.
Prof. Harry Seaton was about 24 years of age, unusually developed mentally and held a high position for one so young, being the assistance professor of botany of Harvard University. He spent his early school days in this city, and then received advance learning at Wabash College, where he graduated two or three years ago. Since then he has made botany a special study and traveled extensively in the southern states and Mexico, collecting some rare and fine specimens. He soon became to be regarded as one of the best botanists in the state, and was last summer offered the assistant professorship of Harvard; whither he went and entered upon his duties last fall. The bright future that lay before him has suddenly been cut short, and the hundreds of friends both in Richmond and other towns throughout the state are grief stricken at his death.
This is the third son Mr. and Mrs. Seaton have lost within a few years, and the second within three months.—Richmond Item
The news of the death of Harry Seaton comes to this city in the nature of a profound shock. He was four years here as a student of Wabash College, graduating with honor in the class of ’90. The next year he remained as the assistant of Dr. Coulter, accompanying him to Bloomington, where he spent last year. He spent commencement here and left at once for Harvard, where he spent the summer. In September he was elected curator of the great Harvard Herbarium, and occupied that position at the time of his death. Summer before last he was the Government’s official botanist on the expedition to the Mexican mountains and his work there commanded national attention in scientific circles. It is safe to say that no young man in the country had brighter or more flattering prospects. His genius was not of an ordinary nature and he occupied a place in his chosen specialty which was enviable indeed.
He was but 25 years old but had already made a magnificent record and was rising rapidly. He occupied, what Dr. Coulter states is the finest opening in the country for a young scientist and was held in high esteem by the faculty and students at Harvard. Mr. Seaton’s residence in Crawfordsville was a most pleasant one for him and since leaving he has been a frequent visitor here. In the college he led in classroom work and was one of the best athletes in college as well. He was a great favorite in society and his charm of manner and magnificent bearing made him extremely popular. He was a brilliant young man, a delightful companion and a true friend, a fitting one for respect, admiration and love.
A private note to one of the editors of this paper from Rev. Alexander Gilchrist at Richmond, received this afternoon, states that he was taken suddenly and critically ill a few days before his death, and on last Wednesday an operation was performed for removal of the vermiform appendix, the last and only hope of saving his life. It was, however, not successful and the end came on Sunday night at 10 o’clock. His parents left for Cambridge on receipt of the telegram announcing his illness and reached there last Thursday night. They will leave with the body Tuesday evening and will arrive at Richmond Wednesday night, the 3rd. the funeral will be held Friday afternoon.