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After remaining in the Grammar School for one year,
he was admitted to the High School. At this time, or on March 29, 1854, his mother was
married to Rev. Franklin W. Fisk, who was Professor of Rhetoric and English Literature
in Beloit College, Wisconsin, at that time, but removed to Chicago, Illinois, in July, 1859,
to accept the chair of Sacred Rhetoric in the Chicago Theological Seminary, where he
still remains.
Soon after Daniel's admission to the High School, he joined his mother at Beloit,
and attended the Preparatory School connected with Beloit College. His health breaking
down, he was obliged to leave school and go upon a farm for a year. By this means, he
regained his health sufficiently to resume his studies. In September, 1858, he joined the
class of 60 at Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts. He graduated with honor,
delivering the salutatory at the conclusion of his course. He then entered the Freshman
class of Beloit College. His health again failing, he was obliged to leave before the close
of the first term. Having partially regained his health, he expressed a preference for an
Eastern College, and finally chose Dartmouth, where he entered at the beginning of
Freshman Spring term, March 1, 1861. Hard study at Andover had broken down his
health, and an attack of inflammation of the bowels had left his system illy prepared for
the study necessary to attain a high scholarship. Indigestion and severe headache, from
which he was free scarcely a day, prevented his close application. He possessed rare
talents for the acquisition and retention of knowledge, but was forced by the condition of
his health to give up close study and content himself with what be was able to
accomplish. He thought of leaving college and entering upon a business life, but his
mother and friends desiring him to continue his course, he yielded to their wishes. He
left us at the end of Junior year, spending a few weeks among relatives in Connecticut,
then joined a party of friends on a hunting and fishing excursion to Lake George, New
York. They arrived at their destination on Friday, September 4, 1863, and encamped for
the night. On Saturday morning came a return of his former disease, inflammation of the
bowels. There being a physician in the party, everything was done for his comfort until
the next day, Sunday, when he was transported up the lake to Bolton, where additional
medical aid was summoned. On Monday he appeared better, and it was deemed safe and
prudent to remove him to Brooklyn. On Tuesday they started, and arrived at Caldwell in
the evening. He felt so much better that he insisted on walking unaided from the
steamer to the hotel. During the night following, he was taken much worse, became
delirious, and quietly expired on the morning of Wednesday, September 9, 1863. His
remains were taken to Brooklyn and interred in Greenwood Cemetery.
If there was any one quality for which he was distinguished, it was his love for his
mother. Being deprived of a father's care at such an early age, he was indebted almost
wholly to his mother for the training which made him what he was. To please her
seemed his highest ambition, her happiness was always his first consideration. She died in
Chicago, May 10, 1881, aged fifty-nine years.
Source: "Memorialia
of the Class of '64 in Dartmouth College" complied by
John C. Webster, Shepard & Johnston, Printers, 1884,
Chicago
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