McKINNON, Mrs. William

MCKINNON

Posted By: Lynette Edsall (email)
Date: 7/9/2006 at 18:13:26

Cherokee Democrat, April 3, 1895

Death of Mrs. Wm. McKinnon

Aurelia Sentinel: The death of Mrs. Wm. McKinnon of Afton township which occurred on Saturday of last week cast a gloom of sadness over the entire community. While death always brings its sorrows and its tears, and while we all mourn the loss of loved ones, few of the departed leave behind such a wide circle of relatives and sympathizing friends as did this aged and highly esteemed lady. A remarkable feature of this sad parting was the uncommon and interesting fact that this is the first the hand of death has ever entered the home of this family.

Mrs. McKinnon was the mother of eight children, all of whom survive her and all were present at her death. Had she lived until the 12th of next January she would have completed the fiftieth year of her married life. She was born at Bonehill, Scotland, on July 19, 1820, lacking only a few months of being 75 years of age. She and her husband after moving to this country, first settled in Linn country this state. After three years they removed to the adjoining country of Benton, where they remained for twenty-four years, the first half of the which time they experienced all of the privations of pioneer life. She has been a resident of this country for sixteen years, coming here in 1879. Grandma McKinnon (the name by which she was familiarly known) will be deeply mourned by all who knew her, and to those who knew her best her noble and general nature and loving disposition will never be forgotten.

She was a great reader, and of late years was a great admirer of Dr. Talmage’s sermons. For years before her death her family and neighbors often found her engaged in studying the bible in search of many favorite texts which she often quoted. She was a woman of very retired disposition, seldom going out, but while attending patiently to her household duties, she would make daily inquires regarding the health and welfare of all relatives and acquaintances. She was always generous and charitable and never failed to acknowledge and appreciate a kindness. Even to those who administered medicine during her last hours, she would express her thanks in a clear and audible voice, accompanied with a pleasant smile. Her death seemed to be the result of a failure to retain nourishment, brought n by the lack of vitality on account of old age. Her husband with seven sons and one daughter were constantly at her bedside for several days previous to her death. With hearts nearly crushed with grief they watched the last spark of life take its flight and silently listened for the last word that might be uttered by a kind and cherished mother. In her death our vicinity has lost a noble, affectionate and christian woman.