White, Clara P. (Drake) 1827 - 1915

WHITE, DRAKE

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 7/18/2022 at 19:20:22

Register and Argus, 04 Feb. 1915.

Mrs. Clara P. White, the eldest child of Chauncey and Orpha Drake, was born in South Hero, Vermont, Sept. 26th, 1827, and died at her home in Volga City, Iowa, Jan. 29th, 1915.

Miss Drake was united in marriage to Henry White on Feb. 23rd, 1852, at her home in West Milton, Vt. The young couple lived for eight years on a farm in Colchester and in the spring of 1860 moved to their permanent home in Volga City. To Mr. and Mrs. White were born three sons: Wyllys, Warner and Frank. Frank died in May, 1899.

Mrs. White is survived by four brothers, George, Leon, Julian and Forrest, two sons, four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

For fifty years Mrs. White was engaged in Sabbath School and other forms of Christian work. She was a reverential student of the scriptures and spent much time in prayer. Thirty-six years ago she joined the Womens' Christian Temperance Union, at a time when temperance was an unpopular subject and the Union was quite generally disliked. The needs of men, women and children crushed and neglected because of the awful traffic stirred to action the deepest impulses of her nature.

Mrs. White was president for fifteen years of the twenty-third district of the Iowa branch of the W.C.T.U. and gave unstinted service for its progress and upbuilding. She was one of the prominent women of the state and valued in national councils by leaders like Frances E. Willard, Anna A. Gordon and other distinguished women. For twenty years she was state reporter for the Union Signal but after the death of her husband in 1899 Mrs. White gave the work into other hands. As a recognition of her excellent service in the great cause of temperance, she was elected honorary president for life.

The funeral services were held in the Presbyterian church, of which she was a long member, on Jan. 30th, 1915, the Rev. Richard Roberts preaching from Rev. 14:13, very impressively, on eternity and eternal conditions, which, with the hymns that were sung, "Rock of Ages," "Oh, that will be glory for me" and "All hail the power of Jesus' name" filled the service with strains of triumph.

A memorial service, conducted under the auspices of the district W.C.T.U., will be held at a date to be selected later.