Obituaries of Days Gone By

Thank you all for watching the beautiful video Gina made; every time I watch it I end up crying...for all the dreams that came to fruition, for all those good and bad times and for all those dreams that will never be now that Dave is dead. But, believing God has a plan Plan, I continue to trust Him.

Richard Lee, my cousin (and yes, we always use first and middle names in our family) sent me a very dear collection of photos, genealogy and papers on our family. The Hamrick's came to this country in 1654, landing at Fredericksburg, VA and making their way west until they arrived in what is now West Virginia. We have a fair amount of information on the family but what I wanted to write about is Abigail Hamrick's, my Great Grand Mother, obituary.

What follows is her obituary, her "spiritual" obituary which was very common back in the day but, for the most part, has unfortunately fallen into disuse. [As an aside my Great Grand Father's name was Sampson and his mother's name was Delilah...truly.]

"Mrs. Abigail C. Hamrick

Wife of Mr. S. B. Hamrick of Bernardstown, died last Wednesday morning of complication of diseases at her home there. She was born on Dec. 19, 1866, in Nicholas county; the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Townsend and moved to Webster Springs with her parents when a small girl and was reared there. She was married to Mr. S. B. Hamrick in 1884 and lived all of her married life at Bernardstown; was the mother of twelve children, seven of whom are dead and five living. Four boys and eight girls. Three boys and four girls are dead. The children living are: Clarence Hamrick, Mrs. Grace Hamrick, Mrs. Gay Bennett, Mrs. Effie Gregory, and Mrs. Ruth Sakales, all of the Bernardstown community.

She has four sisters and one brother living: Mrs. Nellie Watson, Chicago, Ill, Mrs. Maggie Curry, St. Petersburg, Fla.; Mrs. Mae Skidmore, Webster Spgs, Miss Lyde Townsend, Valley Bend, Charley Townsend, Bolair. She has twenty living grand children.

She was converted after her marriage and joined the {difficult to read but her husband was a Methodist minister) Church and for forty years or more lived a devoted Christian life. She had been in poor health for some years. She was an old-fashioned mother  who always considered her first and best place was ever at the  home. The funeral was held Thursday afternoon by her pastor, Rev. A. F. Gregory at the home in the presence of hundreds of relatives, neighbors and friends. Interment was made in the family cemetery on the home place.

In the passing of Mrs. Hamrick her neighbors, friends and kinspeople sustain an irreparable loss. She possessed a loveable disposition which endeared her to all who were lucky enough to know her. She has joined friends who have gone before and is free from the ill of this life and her friends know where to find her.
To our good friends, her husband and children, we join the hundreds of others in extending condolences in their dark hour of distress but to the husband and father whom we know as a genuine Christian gentleman, we can only say, keep the faith and all will be well. May peace be your lot until you follow your loved one to the other shore, where death does not enter."

What a lovely woman she must have been, don't you think? I mourn the loss of such gentility; such a way with words. It gives comfort to those left behind, leaves a legacy and, for future generations, these are the ties that bind.

"Keep the faith and all will be well. May peace be your lot until you follow your loved one to the other shore, where death does not enter." Words to live and die by; wise words then and wise words now.

Blessings ~ family ~ spiritual obituaries ~ the faith of our fathers and mothers  ~ may peace be your lot ~