From the New York Times July 12, 1861

A sad accident,which proved fatal yesterday forenoon, befel Mrs. FANNY LONGFELLOW, wife of Prof. HENRY W. LONGFELLOW, at their residence in Cambridge, on Tuesday afternoon. While seated at her library table, making seals for the entertainment of her two youngest children, a match or piece of lighted paper caught her dress, and she was in a moment enveloped in flames. Prof. LONGFELLOW, who was in his study, ran to her assistance, and succeeded in extinguishingthe flames, with considerable injury to himself, but too late for the rescue of her life. Drs. WYMAN and JOHNSON, of Cambridge, and HENRY J. BIGELOW, of this city, were summoned, and did all that surgical skill could do. Both of the sufferers were under the influence of ether through the night, and yesterday morning Mrs. LONGFELLOW rallied a little, but at 11 o’clock she was forever released from suffering. Mrs. LONGFELLOW was a gifted and accomplished lady, the daughter of Hon. NATHAN APPLETON. She leaves five children to mourn, with their father, their common loss.