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- Celestia Malvina, daughter of Stillman and Clarissa COON,
was born in
- Independence, N.Y., May 29, 1839, and died of internal cancer
at the home of her son, E. D. BLISS, Milton, Wis., Oct.
9 [Oct. 4], 1914.
- The family came west when she was a year old. Her father
was the pastor of the
- Milton S.D.B. Church. A sturdy man with strong convictions,
he left a deep impress upon the community life. His first year's
salary was the deed of thirty acres of land purchased for him
by the church at $1.25 an acre. The church first met in private
houses or in some new barn. In such a pioneer atmosphere she
grew to womanhood.
- She was married to Charles James BLISS Aug. 7, 1859.
Their children were: Elferd
- D. BLISS of Milton; Florence BLISS of Mt. Vernon,
Mo.; and Mrs. Bertha SPAFFORD of Boynton, Fla. There are
nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
- Mrs. BLISS was a deeply religous woman. She was devoted
to the church of which
- her father was pastor and of which she was a life long menber.
She brought up her children "in the nurture and admonition
of the Lord." They and most of the grandchildren are members
of the same church. She was conscientious in the performance
of duty and faithful to the trust committed to her. In the words
of one who has known her since they were playmates together seventy
years ago "she was a good woman."
- Like many of the pioneer people, she was of a very serious
cast of mind. The sunshine
- seemed to grow brighter upon her face as the shadows of the
evening drew across her life. She found something to be glad
about even when the pain was severest. Grateful for the loving
mercy of God, the tender care of loved ones, and the kindness
of friends, she fell into the last peacefull sleep.
- Funeral services were held at the home of E. D. BLISS,
Wednesday afternoon,
- October 7, conducted by Pastor Randolph. Text, Ps. 116:15.
Prof. A. E. WHITFORD sang "The Plains of Peace."
and "Face to Face." A large number of old time friends
came to pay their tribute of love. The burial was at Milton Junction.
[Thursday edition, p. 1]
- The death of Charles H[enry] GRAY of Luverne, Minn.,
which was noted in our
- columns last week, occurred suddenly and without warning
to the family. Mr. GRAY was at his farm, which is occupied
by a tenant, to make some repairs on a building. While passing
through the hog pasture he fell unconscious and died soon after.
The following we clip from "The Rock County Herald"
of Luverne:
- "Charles Henry GRAY was born on February 11th,
1847, in Oneida county, New
- York, and when two years old accompanied his parents to Rock
county, Wis., where he lived until 1877. In 1875 Mr. GRAY
was married to Miss Ada VINCENT, and to this union was
born one son, Clarence, who died a year ago last June. Besides
Mrs. GRAY the only immediate relatives who survive are
two brothers, Chauncey and Frank GRAY, of Milton Junction,
Wis.
- "Upon leaving Rock county, Wis., Mr. and Mrs. GRAY
settled near Austin, this state,
- where they remained for six years, and then returned to Milton
Junction. They continued to make their home in that vicinity
until about seventeen years ago, when they came to this county.
The first year of Mr. GRAY's residence here he operated
the Jay LaDUE farm, and the next two years were spent
in Magnolia. In 1900 he purchased the LaDUE farm which
he has since owned, and operated. Following the death of their
son Mr. and Mrs. GRAY came to Luverne to reside, but Mr.
GRAY continued to operate his farm.
- "During all of his residence in Rock county Mr. GRAY
was a very extensive stock
- raiser and feeder, but a short time ago he decided to retire
from active farm work and accordingly leased the place for the
coming year. In preparation for this move he had been busily
engaged in making extensive repairs and improvements on the farm,
and was getting his work in shape to take a well earned rest.
- "The deceased was a good citizen in every sense of the
term, and enjoyed to a marked
- degree the respect and confidence of all who knew him. His
untimely death occasions general and deep-felt regret as was
clearly shown by the large number of friends and acquaintances
who attended the funeral." [Thursday edition, p. 8]
-
- Courtesy of Jon Saunders
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- Melissa [Edselle] CLARKE was born at Lorraine, N.Y.,
July 4, 1838, and entered
- into rest October 13, 1914, aged 76 years, 3 month and 9
days.
- She was the fifth daughter in the family of Elnathan and
Maria SPENCER CLARKE.
- In this family were four sons and seven daughters. One brother
was the Rev. Joshua CLARKE so well known as a preacher
and pastor. Of that large family of children only one remains,
the oldest daughter, Mrs. Mary LANGWORTHY of Milton Junction.
- In 1856 when Melissa was about eighteen years of age she
and her sister Louise,
- afterwards Mrs. Hamilton HULL, came from Brookfield,
N.Y., alone to Wisconsin. Previous to her western trip she attended
De Ruyter Institute at De Ruyter, N.Y. After her arrival in Wisconsin
she took up further study in Milton Academy in preparation for
teaching.
- In 1861, Oct. 9, she was married at Dakota, Wis., to John
EGGLESTON, who
- shortly after their marriage enlisted in the Union Army in
the Civil War. He came home from the War broken in health and
lived only a short time. Besides his wife he left a little daughter
Nellie who died at the age of thirteen.
- On August 26, 1868, Melissa was married to George N. COON.
They began their
- home-making on Rock River road where they resided until they
removed to Milton Junction in 1881. To this happy union was born
one son, Dr. George F. COON of Milton Junction. Mr. COON
passed into the life beyond in 1886.
- In September of 1890 Mrs. COON was married to Amos
S. CRANDALL who
- now almost in sight of his ninety second birthday mourns
the departure of his devoted companion and is only waiting till
God bids him "come home."
- Mrs. CRANDALL early in life, possibly at twelve years
of age, in a revival meeting
- gave her heart to the Saviour and became a baptized believer
in her Lord. While she and Mr. COON lived on Rock River
they became constituent members of the Milton Junction S.D.B.
church in whose fellowship they lived and worked until their
death.
- Mrs. CRANDALL was deeply interested and an earnest
worker in the Christian work
- of the church. She will be missed by her co-workers in the
Ladies Aid Society of which she was president for a time. Her
genial life will be missed by a large circle of friends. Her
happy earnest Christian spirit will remain as a benediction in
the lives of her bereaved companion, her son and his family and
many relatives and friends.
- The farewell service was held at the late home of the deceased
October 16 and were
- conducted by her pastor Rev. Henry N. Jordan. Burial was
in the cemetery in Milton Junction. [Thursday edition, p.
1]
-
- Courtesy of Jon Saunders
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