Mrs. CHAS. G. (Comfort) DOW 1807-1888

HAWKINS, DOW, ELLIS

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 6/20/2005 at 15:38:57

The following obituary was read by Rev. W. H. SINGLELAND at the funeral of Mrs. DOW, held at the residence of her daughter, Mrs. J. ELLIS, last Tuesday afternoon:

Comfort HAWKINS was born in Holderness, N. H., Feb. 13, 1807 and died in Postville, Iowa, on the evening of May 26, 1888, at the residence of her son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan ELLIS. She was married to Chas. G. DOW in 1832, to whom she bore three children, two sons and one daughter; of whom one son and a daughter are still living. Mr. DOW died in 1858. For the last 24 years Mrs. DOW has made her home with her daughter, Mrs. ELLIS, of which the last 14 years have been spent in Postville. The infirmities of age and the first symptoms of paralysis which appeared a few weeks ago, led to the expectateion of her demise. Yet death finally came suddenly. She ate supper as usual Saturday night and for an hour or two afterward seemed as usual. During a brief absence of Mrs. ELLIS from the room a child noticed something strange about the old lady and Mrs. ELLIS returned hastily to the room just in time to see her mother breathe her last. So, at the ripe age of 81 she passed suddenly and with little pain, beyond the veil of the spirit world. She experienced religion in early life and with her husband joined the Methodist church in Sandwich, N. H. She retained her membership there till she came west 14 years ago, but since then has been afflicted most of the time with lameness, and being unable to attend service, has neglected to change and retain her church membership. She was a sister to Mrs. Calvin DRESSER, well known here. Her son, Eli S. DOW, is here from Ohio, where he resides, to assist in laying away the dust of his aged mother. So another of the old and weary has laid down to rest. Let us hope that in the bosom of the kind heavenly Father she has found peace, and in the mansions of the blessed an eternal home.

Postville Review, 6/2/1888 - contributed by Sheryl Ferrall