Obituaries (February 13)

Asa Augustus Canfield

Northern Christian Advocate, Auburn, NY, January 26, 1853

Br. Asa Augustus Canfield, eldest son of Aba B. and Ann Canfield, died of scarlet fever, in Almond, Allegany Co., N.Y., Nov. 1852, aged 15 years 9 months and 24 days.  He experienced the saving grace of God some two years since and joined the M.E. Church and continued an acceptable member until transferred to the Church triumphant.  His death was sudden and unexpected.  May the young lay it to heart, and "Remember their Creator in the days of their youth."  John H. Day. 

Canisteo

 

Lucretia Nettleton

Northern Christian Advocate,  Auburn, NY, January 26, 1853

Lucretia Nettleton departed this life Jan. 11th, 1853, in full hope of a glorious immortality beyond the grave. She was born in 1797, in Saratoga co., and was converted to God in 1817, in the town of Pompey, Onondaga Co.  One year ago, at a meeting held by Dr. Paddock in Onondaga Hollow, she professed to experience the blessing of entire sanctification, which blessing she retained until death signed her release.  Her distress during the last days of her illness was unexampled, yet she proved the grace of God sufficient.  O that her bereaved friends may imitate her example. that they may die the same  glorious death.   R.H. Clark, Onondaga Hollow

 

Obry Beach

Northern Christian Advocate, Auburn, NY, January 26, 1853

Obry [Beach], second wife of Chauncey Beach, died in Augusta, Oneida Co., N.Y., Dec. 18, 1852, aged about 60 years.  Sister Beach was married to a former husband by the name of Charles Devotee.  He was a sea-faring man, was wrecked at sea, was taken from the wreck with a ruined constitution and died soon after.  Sister Beach was married the second time to Br. Chauncey Beach about twenty years since, by whom she has had and left two daughters, both of whom profess religion, as also their father, who has long been a member of the M.E. Church. At the time of her death, and for a long time before, sister Beach had been a member of our Church. She was an affectionate wife, a kind mother, an exemplary Christian.  May we all follow her as she followed Christ.  Her death was occasioned by a fit of the numb-palsy.   L. Beach

Martha (Race) June

Chenango Union, Norwich, NY, June 16, 1887

Many friends in Chenango county will grieve at the announcement of the death of Mrs. Ira W. June, which occurred on Saturday last.  She had been in ill health for a number of years, much of the time confined to her bed, and suffering severely, but had borne it all with patient Christian resignation.  When death finally claimed her for his own, she sank to rest in the blessed assurance of a happy immortality.  Mrs. June, whose maiden name was Race, was a native of the town of Greene [Chenango Co., NY], and had reached the age of fifty-five.  She was married to Mr. June in 1850, and they resided for many years in Oxford [Chenango Co., NY].  In 1882, when Mr. June was elected sheriff, they removed to Norwich [Chenango Co., NY], where they have since resided.  her delicate health prevented her from forming a large acquaintance, but she was known to be a devoted Christian woman and received the respect and sympathy of the entire community.  One married daughter in Oxford and the bereaved husband are the only immediate members of the family. Their affliction can only be assuaged by the remembrance that she has gone to her reward.

"There is no flock, however watched and tended

But one dead lamb is there!

There is no fireside, howsoe'er defended,

but has one vacant chair."

The funeral services were held at the residence of Mr. June on South Broad street, Tuesday afternoon, and the remains were taken to Oxford for interment, where services were also held in St. Paul's Episcopal church.

Elizabeth Packer (Pendleton) Stanton

Chenango Union, Norwich, NY, June 16, 1887

"Tis over now, the door has opened this last time for her.

More wide than was its wont; no longer side by side

With us she passed from thence.  We followed,

Weeping at the pomp which was not pride, and which she did not seek.

We cannot speak because we loved her so."

 

June 9th, 1887, after a distressing illness of three months, died Elizabeth Packer Stanton, wife of the late Capt. Robert A. Stanton, and only daughter of Nathan and Elizabeth Pendleton, in the 42d year of her age.  Born at Oxford, N.Y. [Chenango Co., NY], she received her earlier education at the Academy at that place, afterward taking a special course of study at Vassar college.  August 27th, 1868, she married Capt. Robert A. Stanton, and soon thereafter the young couple took up their residence in this village [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY], where they have since resided and where four children have been born to them.

Peculiarly fitted for each other, Mr. and Mrs. Stanton, during their married life ever maintained the character of lovers.  Their greatest enjoyment was to share each others' society, and their greatest desire to rear their children for spheres of usefulness in the world.  Thus passed the happy years--though a considerable portion of them were passed by her in physical suffering and ill health--yet she called them happy years.  But all too soon the bright visions faded, and the happiness went out from her heart like the glow from evening skies.  Less than one year ago her companion was stricken down by her side, and she learned that love was powerless to wrest from the usurer, death his bonded debtor.  She buried him, and with him, for a time, seemed to bury every hope and desire of living.  He had been her support and strength during all the sweet years, and round him she had twined all the tendrils of her affections, and now, bereft of him, all joys for her had faded.

But the devoted wife was the self-sacrificing mother, and from the grave of her dead she rose with heroic determination to take up again the burden of life, and for her children to work, to plan, and to live, as it seemed pleasing to the Lord.  Then it was that the Master, having taught her the lesson of obedience and love, said "It is enough, come up higher."  She heard the call and commending her loved ones to the care of Him who tempereth the blasts to the shorn lamb, she entered into His rest.  During the few weeks immediately preceding her death she sent loving farewell messages to distant friends, and spent hours in planning the future of her children.

The funeral services were held from the home Sunday afternoon.  Lovely looked the casket and that which it contained as it lay in state in the long parlor waiting to be borne to its last resting place.  Over the casket, with wings expanded in an upward flight, hovered an exquisite butterfly of rare flowers, beautifully representing the freed spirit winging its way to its other, ultimate home, while around and above the still form, in the most perfect arrangement which loving ingenuity could devise, were other floral tributes equally beautiful, and seeming to take from death its sternness and its sting. The wasted features wore a look of ineffable peace for "the former things had passed away." and you knew, as you looked upon the closed and quiet eyes, that God had indeed wiped away all tears from them forever.

"All was ended now, the hope, and the fear, and the sorrow.

All the aching of heart, the restless, unsatisfied longing

All the dull, deep pain, and constant anguish of patience."

No pen of ours can do justice to her character.  A devoted wife, a loving mother, a steadfast friend, these are the titles she earned on earth, and which shine as stars in her crown of immortality.  Why God called her when she seemed most necessary to her loved ones, is a question that will remain unanswered until we, too, shall stand in His presence, and hear all mysteries explained.

In the quiet cemetery, near the highway which she traversed when she left her Oxford home--a happy wife,--by the side of him who loved her better than his own life, and whose faithful wife she was, Elizabeth Stanton sleeps until the resurrection morning.