Edward Page Gaston (November 19, 1868 – 1956), FRGS, was an American

journalist A journalist is an individual that collects/gathers information in form of text, audio, or pictures, processes them into a news-worthy form, and disseminates it to the public. The act or process mainly done by the journalist is called journalism ...

lecturer Lecturer is an List of academic ranks, academic rank within many universities, though the meaning of the term varies somewhat from country to country. It generally denotes an academic expert who is hired to teach on a full- or part-time basis. T ...

, and

temperance Temperance may refer to: Moderation *Temperance movement, movement to reduce the amount of alcohol consumed *Temperance (virtue), habitual moderation in the indulgence of a natural appetite or passion Culture *Temperance (group), Canadian danc ...

activist Activism (or Advocacy) consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society toward a perceived greater good. Forms of activism range fro ...

from Harvey, Illinois. He was also a proponent for the repatriation of the remains of Pocahontas.

Early life

Gaston was born in

Henry, Illinois Henry is a city in Marshall County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,464 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. History Henry is named after General James D. Henry, and was initially ...

, in 1868. He was the son of Alexander H. Gaston and Henrietta (née Page) Gaston; he was the brother of anti-tobacco crusader

Lucy Page Gaston Lucy Page Gaston (May 19, 1860 – August 20, 1924) was an anti-tobacco activist of the late 19th and early 20th century. She was the founder of the Anti-Cigarette League of America, which had as its goal the abolition of cigarettes. Early life ...

Career

While serving as the European manager for

Funk & Wagnalls Funk & Wagnalls was an American publisher known for its reference works, including ''A Standard Dictionary of the English Language'' (1st ed. 1893–5), and the ''Funk & Wagnalls Standard Encyclopedia'' (25 volumes, 1st ed. 1912).Funk & Wagnalls N ...

, he lived in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

. He was attached for a time to the American Legation in

Mexico City Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...

and founded the PanAmerican news agency in the same city; Gaston also climbed the Popocatépetl volcano in Mexico. Gaston excavated and surveyed prehistoric ruins and cliff-dwellings in

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

and

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...

with the Hemenway Southwestern Archaeological Expedition (1888), living among Zuni (1893). Gaston was involved with social issues. He was founder and the U.S. director of the World Prohibition Federation; founder and honorary secretary of the International Prohibition Confederation, London, 1909; as well as a spokesman for approximately 100 temperance societies, including the

Woman's Christian Temperance Union The Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) is an international temperance organization, originating among women in the United States Prohibition movement. It was among the first organizations of women devoted to social reform with a program th ...

and the Anti-Saloon League. He also formed and led an organization known as the New Vigilantes whose purpose was to "challenge the power of the gangsters of New York and throughout the country ... and to place hundreds of them, as well as corrupt public and police officials, behind the bars." In 1923, in search of the remains of Pocahontas, Gaston received permission from St George's Church to dig on the site of the burned down

Gravesend Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, situated 21 miles (35 km) east-southeast of Charing Cross (central London) on the Bank (geography), south bank of the River Thames and opposite Tilbury in Essex. Located in the diocese of Ro ...

church. Gaston received the Turkish decoration of the Lya'kat (Order of Merit). He was a

fellow A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...

of the

Royal Geographical Society The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers), often shortened to RGS, is a learned society and professional body for geography based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical scien ...

; as well as the founder and honorary secretary of the International Prohibition Confederation, London, 1909.

Personal life

He married Lilian Craske in 1901.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gaston, Edward Page 1868 births 1956 deaths American activist journalists Journalists from Illinois People from Henry, Illinois Temperance activists from Illinois People from Harvey, Illinois Fellows of the Royal Geographical Society