Hamlin Margaret Terrill Poage (1824-1906)

POAGE AND HAMLIN

Posted By: Nancy Hamlin Offield (email)
Date: 6/16/2010 at 18:24:42

OBITUARY: Audubon County Journal, Exira, Iowa
Thursday, September 20, 1906.

Written by H. F. Andrews, Exira, Audubon Co., Iowa
Mrs. Hamlin at Rest
Wife of Audubon County's First Settler Passed Away Thursday, September 13.
Mrs. Hamlin was born in Greenup county, Kentucky, August 12, 1824, but when she was two years old her parents removed to Vermilion county IL.

Nathaniel and Margaret Hamlin were the parents of 12 children- Mary M., wife of Isaac Thomas; Hannah M., wife of C. C. Hawk; Sarah R., wife of B. F. Thomas; Malinda C., wife of William Radcliff; William Allen married Florence A. Lewis; Martha J., wife of E. S. Calph; Eliza (deceased); Susan P., wife of John V. Plantz; Clarinda H., wife of John M. Allen; Nathaniel D., married Elva Crane; Fernando B., married Emma E. Killworth; Robert E. married Sarah Wheeler.

Mrs. Hamlin's grandfather, Robert Poage, was a native of Scotland, and her grandmother, Rebecca Poage, was born in Ireland. After their marriage, Nov. 9, 1840, Mr. and Mrs. Hamlin settled in Vermilion county, IL., and there resided until 1844. They then removed to Mahaska county Iowa, and lived there seven years.

September 10, 1851, they became the first actual settler's in Audubon county. Mr. Hamlin first entered 160 acres of land, selecting that on the waters of Troublesome creek, in section 45, Exira township, which is skirted by a beautiful natural grove. To the south stretches a rich and fertile prairie, making an ideal farm land. Here the pioneers settled and planned their future home.

Their first house was a double log cabin of two rooms, but these two rooms had the capacity of accommodating a good many persons. This house was for many years the traveler's home, and numbers of people today remember the generous hospitality extended by the worthy host and his faithful wife. The first barn was erected the following fall. It and a corn crib, erected at the same time, still stand as monuments to those early times. Mr. Hamlin went to work in earnest, broke out a part of is new farm, and proceeded to place it under cultivation. He found a ready market for most of his produce, especially corn, among the emigrants who were journeying still further westward. During the years when the tide was at it's height, often forty or fifty teams would camp in his grove on account of the high waters of Troublesome creek. Mr. Hamlin was elected the first county treasurer, and office he held for eight years. During a part of that time he acted as recorder. He was first postmaster appointed at Hamlin's Grove post office, and held the position until the election of Abraham Lincoln. Mr. Hamlin built the first schoolhouse in the county, and he and one of his neighbors furnished eleven children and paid the teacher.

On April 17, 1897, Mr. Hamlin died, and after residing for about two years upon the homestead, his widow moved to Exira where she could be near her children, purchased a residence property, which was destroyed by fire, and she built a new one upon the same site; here she resided until her death on Thursday, September 13, 1906.

Last fall Grandma had a severe ill spell, but recovered and her relatives and friends hoped that she might be spared for many years to come; but last March she was again attacked by disease from which she was a great sufferer until the final summons came and her spirit passed beyond the grave to her home on high. Grandma had a kind word for everyone and was greatly beloved by all the people in the south part of the county.

She was a member of Exodus Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, at Exira, and the members of that order brought beautiful flowers as tokens of their love, as did many others, and the beautiful casket was a veritable bower of roses, carnations and lilies.
The following gentlemen, who are the oldest settlers in this vicinity, acted as honorary pall bearers: I. P. Hallock and John T. Jenkins, of Brayton; Charles Van Gorder and D E. Soar, of Audubon; Bryant Milliman and P. I Whitted, of Exira. The active pall bearers were sons of old settlers in the county, and were Messrs William Thiefen, Sam Mc Gaffin, Boy Herrick, Hugh Bowen, Nate Turner, Boy Beers.

About ten years ago Mrs. Hamlin confessed her faith in the Savior and united with the Christian church in a meeting held by Evangelist Charles Lockhart, of Des Moines, and ever since continued to be an earnest, steadfast, devoted follower of the Master.
Having been in failing health for some time, about six months ago she was seized with serious illness and compelled to take her bed. Everything was done for her that affection and medical skill could suggest, but gradually she grew weaker and weaker until at length death came to relieve her of her sufferings.

The funeral services, which were largely attended, both the audience room and the lecture room being crowded, were held at the Christian church on Sunday morning at 11:00 o'clock, the pastor, H. A. Pallister, delivering an appropriate sermon from the 13th verse of the 14th chapter of the Book of Revelation: " I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me: Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth; Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them." After which the remains were conveyed to the Bowen cemetery, six miles south of Exira, and laid beside those of the husband. The Journal extends it's sincerest sympathy to the bereaved family.