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Harriet Augusta Edgerton, daughter of John Leffingwell and Delia (Doud) Edgerton.

Jesse Eugene Tenney, son of Jesse and Harriet (Sanderson) Tenney.

The following obituary and memorial for Mrs. Harriet (Edgerton) Tenney was printed in The State Republican (Lansing, Michigan) on Saturday, January 21, 1899:

“LAID DOWN THE LABOR OF LIFE

DEATH OF HARRIET AUGUSTA TENNEY YESTERDAY

Was Former State Librarian and One of Michigan’s Prominent Women – Indefatigable in Her Efforts For Good – Her Late Illness, Etc.

At 4 o’clock yesterday afternoon, Mrs. Harriet Augusta Tenney, former state librarian and one of Michigan’s most prominent women, passed away at her home, 211 Capitol ave. north.  She had been in somewhat failing health the past six months, but her last and fatal illness began only two weeks ago, when she was stricken with grip.  She had nearly recovered, however, but Thursday, one week ago, suffered a relapse, which had a fatal tendency from the beginning.

Human life is not generally crowned with such complete success as was that of Mrs. Tenney, and it may be truly said that she was a wonderful woman.  Her resources seemed unlimited, and there was no cessation to her ambitions. Her whole life was one worthy of emulation.  She was a loving and devoted friend and her counsel in all matters was eagerly sought.  Mrs. Tenney was a woman of exceptional intelligence and education and well deserving of the prominence and honor bestowed upon her by her state, city and friends.

The funeral will be held at the late home at 1:30 and at 2 o’clock tomorrow afternoon at Plymouth Congregational Church and according to a last wish of the deceased will be conducted by Arbutus chapter, O. E. S.

Mrs. Tenney, whose maiden name was Harriet Edgerton, was the eldest daughter of John Leffingwell and Delia Doud Edgerton.  She was born April 1, 1834, at Essex, Vt.  On her mother's side she was a direct descendant of Henry Doude, who came from England in 1639 with a colony under Rev. Henry Whitefield and settled at Guilford, Conn.  She was a great granddaughter of Capt. Giles Doude, who was in the expedition to Canada, at the battle of Quebec.  Mrs. Tenney was also a direct descendant of Richard Edgerton, who settled in Saybrook, Conn, in 1653, and was one of the 35 original proprietors of Norwich, Conn., in 1659.  Her great grandfather and her grandfather on her father’s side served as captains in the revolutionary war.  Her father was in the war of 1812 and her eldest brother served with much honor and credit in the civil war.  Mrs. Tenney received an academic education at Franklin, Vt., and March 29, 1854, was married to Jesse Eugene Tenney of the same place, going immediately with her husband to Homer, this state, and afterward to Marshall, remaining there until April, 1859, when Mr. Tenney was appointed state librarian by Gov. Wisner, and they removed to Lansing.  During the ten years her husband held the position, Mrs. Tenney spent much of her time in the library and in 1869 Gov. Baldwin appointed her to the position of librarian, an office which she held for 22 years.

In 1891, one year after her husband’s death, Mrs. Tenney retired from the management of the state library and since that time has been enjoying a well-earned rest, surrounded by her friends and the books which have always been her dearly loved companions.

Mrs. Tenney remained in this city a year after her retirement and then went to Chillicothe, Mo., where she spent four and one-half years.  She returned to this city in November, 1896.

At the breaking out of the civil war in 1861, a number of Lansing ladies, including Mrs. Tenney, met and organized the Lansing Military Aid society, electing her its president after the first three months.  She served until the close of the war.  The society then merged into the Lansing Woman’s Monument association.  Mrs. Tenney was honored by being elected president of the Lansing Military Aid society during the late Spanish-American war.  She was one of the 22 original members of the Michigan State Pioneer association and at her death Warren Hopkins of Hillsdale is left as the only surviving one of the 22.  She was also a member of the National Association of Librarians, a corresponding member of the Chicago Historical society and also of the American Academy of Political and Social Science.  She was a member of the Foster W. R. C., serving four years as its president; also as counselor, treasurer and aide of the W. R. C. department of Michigan; Arbutus chapter, Order of the Eastern Star.

Mrs. Tenney was one of the organizers of the Lansing Library and Literary association.  She was also one of the organizers of the Lansing Woman's club in 1874 and served three years as its first president.  She was a member of the club at the time of her death.  Lansing chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, was the last society to claim her as a member and of which she was historian.  She was a devout member of Plymouth Congregational church.

Mrs. Tenney is survived by a sister, Mrs. A. J. Newton of Sparta, Wis., and two brothers, Dr. Edgerton and J. H. Edgerton of Chillicothe, Mo.”