Nathan Ward Fitz-Gerald (1844-1924) was born in Indiana and died in Los Angeles, California. By the age of nineteen he was working as a schoolteacher and ordained as a Millerite minister. He served as a private during the American Civil War in Company A of the 132nd Regiment, Indiana Infantry. Fitz-Gerald received a law degree from Indiana University Bloomington and married Julia A. Fitz-Gerald (b. Leever) in Marion, Indiana, in 1869. He drifted away from religion and practiced law focusing on both military pensions and patents in Indianapolis, Indiana, from 1870 to 1875 and in Washington, D. C. from 1877 to 1887 (where he was also editor of The National Citizen Soldier) before moving to West Virginia, where he unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 1892 and for Governor in 1896. After losing the election Fitz-Gerald moved to Salt Lake City, Utah.
He first encountered Christian Science after being healed in 1893. Fitz-Gerald was a firm believer in having Eddy's Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures arranged and printed in a biblical style with chapters and verses. In addition to being easier to read and understand, he also argued that it would add to the life of the copyright, since it would become a new book. In 1897 Fitz-Gerald started doing this on his own without Eddy's approval, claiming that if she was not interested, he would be entitled to the book's fiscal benefits after her copyright expired. Eddy disapproved and requested that Fitz-Gerald destroy all copies of this work. During 1898 Fitz-Gerald was a patient of John F. Linscott, a student of Eddy. He joined The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts, on January 1, 1898, and withdrew that June, although he was still involved in Christian Science through 1900.
In 1902, Fitz-Gerald became a member of the Bahá'í faith, and he was the first Bahá'í in the Pacific Northwest when he moved to Tacoma, Washington, around 1905. That year he published a book on the faith titled The New Revelation: Its Marvelous Message. Fitz-Gerald seems to have left the Bahá'í faith not long after, and he rejoined The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts, on November 5, 1907. In 1908 he was also a member of First Church of Christ, Scientist, Los Angeles, California, and a student of Peter N. Trahn, a student of Eddy. Fitz-Gerald wrote poetry, most notably a volume titled Woman's Work, and Other Poems (1908) which he dedicated to Eddy. In 1921 Fitz-Gerald moved into the Sawtelle Veterans Home in Los Angeles, which was the Pacific Branch of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers.
See more letters.
Nathan Ward Fitz-Gerald (1844-1924) was born in Indiana and died in Los Angeles, California. By the age of nineteen he was working as a schoolteacher and ordained as a Millerite minister. He served as a private during the American Civil War in Company A of the 132nd Regiment, Indiana Infantry. Fitz-Gerald received a law degree from Indiana University Bloomington and married Julia A. Fitz-Gerald (b. Leever) in Marion, Indiana, in 1869. He drifted away from religion and practiced law focusing on both military pensions and patents in Indianapolis, Indiana, from 1870 to 1875 and in Washington, D. C. from 1877 to 1887 (where he was also editor of The National Citizen Soldier) before moving to West Virginia, where he unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 1892 and for Governor in 1896. After losing the election Fitz-Gerald moved to Salt Lake City, Utah.
He first encountered Christian Science after being healed in 1893. Fitz-Gerald was a firm believer in having Eddy's Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures arranged and printed in a biblical style with chapters and verses. In addition to being easier to read and understand, he also argued that it would add to the life of the copyright, since it would become a new book. In 1897 Fitz-Gerald started doing this on his own without Eddy's approval, claiming that if she was not interested, he would be entitled to the book's fiscal benefits after her copyright expired. Eddy disapproved and requested that Fitz-Gerald destroy all copies of this work. During 1898 Fitz-Gerald was a patient of John F. Linscott, a student of Eddy. He joined The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts, on January 1, 1898, and withdrew that June, although he was still involved in Christian Science through 1900.
In 1902, Fitz-Gerald became a member of the Bahá'í faith, and he was the first Bahá'í in the Pacific Northwest when he moved to Tacoma, Washington, around 1905. That year he published a book on the faith titled The New Revelation: Its Marvelous Message. Fitz-Gerald seems to have left the Bahá'í faith not long after, and he rejoined The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts, on November 5, 1907. In 1908 he was also a member of First Church of Christ, Scientist, Los Angeles, California, and a student of Peter N. Trahn, a student of Eddy. Fitz-Gerald wrote poetry, most notably a volume titled Woman's Work, and Other Poems (1908) which he dedicated to Eddy. In 1921 Fitz-Gerald moved into the Sawtelle Veterans Home in Los Angeles, which was the Pacific Branch of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers.
See more letters.