William T. Gage

William Tenney Gage, son of William and Eleanor (Kimball) Gage, was born March 16, 1843, at Le Roy, Genesee County, New York. He pursued his preparatory studies at the High School in Concord, New Hampshire, and entered college at the beginning of the Spring term in March, 1861. In June, 1862, he became a member of the College Cavaliers, and served in Company B, Seventh Squadron, Rhode Island Cavalry.  After a four months' campaign in Virginia, he returned to college and completed the course.
  

Very soon after graduating, in the Fall of 1864, he took charge of a graded school at Anamosa, Iowa, where he remained for nearly two years. In 1866 he went to Highland, Kansas, to take charge of Highland University, as it was then called, though it was in reality a very undeveloped University. He remained there for seven years, and succeeded in building it up to the grade of its pretensions, with a full College Faculty and regular course of study, with a successful financial management, and good prospects for the future. The University is under strict Presbyterian management.

In 1873 he resigned his position there and accepted a call to occupy the chair of Professor of English Literature and History in the University of Kansas, which was situated at Lawrence, Kansas. He remained there for two years, when the more promising financial prospects of an offer to assume charge of the Hartford Female Seminary at Hartford, Connecticut, induced him to resign his position at Lawrence. This change occurred in 1875. He continued in charge of the Seminary until March, 1883, with flattering success.

Having been desirous of making a change in his business, he went to Chicago, Illinois, in the Summer of 1882, spending his vacation during July and August as a solicitor of life insurance. He seemed especially fitted for this work, and was remarkably successful; so much so, that in March, 1883, he was appointed the General Agent of the Aetna Life Insurance Company, of Hartford, Connecticut, for the State of Michigan, with headquarters at Detroit, Michigan. He left the Seminary temporarily in charge of his wife, but during the past Winter he has disposed of his interest there, and at present resides with his family in Detroit, Michigan. He writes that business is good, and that he is winning his way. He also says: "if I continue in the business of life insurance, I shall be as ready to write up the class in my line as cheerfully as Web' will write us all up historically.'' He has been a member of a Presbyterian and is now a member of a Congregational church. In politics, he is a Republican.

He was married January 9, 1868, to Miss Elizabeth Godwin, of Gloversville, New York. They have had three children: Elizabeth Helena, born June 18, 1869; William Henry, born October 24, 1872, and Alexander Kimball, born May 17, 1874.

Elizabeth Helena died March 22, 1884, at Hartford, Connecticut. The Religious Herald, of Hartford, thus speaks of her: "We cannot refrain from giving expression to what may be called the public grief over the loss of one of the brightest, sweetest and most gifted girls whom death has claimed for a long time within the range of our acquaintance. Bessie Gage, the only daughter of Prof. W. T. Gage, recently the Principal of the Hartford Female Seminary, was snatched away within a week by fever. *  *  * There was so much blasted hope and blighted promise in her loss, that we can hardly give utterance to the depth of sorrow, not only in the hearts of the family, but of a very large circle of friends. Bessie was uncommonly beautiful, and in the graces of womanhood she was hardly surpassed by any. Radiant, exuberant, swiftly apprehensive of study, of a rare musical aptitude, bright in all social intercourse, she filled the horizon of observation in every circle in which she was present, and fascinated every eye. She was, of course, the darling of her home, and the hopes of a brilliant and beneficent career are cashed in a moment."

I know that every member of 64 will sincerely sympathize with our classmate in this his deep affection.
  

Source:  "Memorialia of the Class of '64 in Dartmouth College" complied by John C. Webster, Shepard & Johnston, Printers, 1884, Chicago