Gilbert, Eliza (Murdock) 1819-1885

GILBERT, MURDOCK

Posted By: Dan McDougall (email)
Date: 2/19/2006 at 02:32:04

Death of Mrs. E. M. Gilbert.

Sunday evening, July 26th, at the close of a perfect summer’s day Mrs. Gilbert breathed her last, surrounded by the entire family. Her life was a beautiful example of Christian faith and she entered as quietly into the dark waters of the river of death as though she was entering a sweet sleep.

Mrs. Eliza Murdock-Gilbert was born March 6, 1819 in Allegheny, Pennsylvania. The following year her parents removed to Cleveland, Ohio, in which city Mrs. Gilbert received her early education, and the careful motherly training that fitted her so well for the after duties fo life.

Oct. 2, 1843, she was married to her husband of choice, Mr. J. L. Gilbert, and removed with him to Wisconsin where they resided for three years. From Wisconsin they pushed farther west, and crossing the Mississippi in the fall of 1846 they settled near Garnavillo, in Clayton county, where they resided for twenty-one years. In 1867 they removed to Elkader and have resided in the city ever since.

Mrs. Gilbert was the mother of nine children, five of whom and her husband are still living. She was industrious and possessed an iron will and an indomitable perserverence in every good undertaking. She was kindhearted, charitable and believed in social harmony. Friends who have known her for years often say that they have never heard an unkind word fall from her lips concerning any one. She wanted to live but before her death she spoke of dying and said that she was prepared to go.

Husband nnd children did all in their power to ease the last moments of the sufferer. The quiet serenity of her life, however, was typified in her death, which was so calm and tranquil that it could hardly be known when she breathed her last. The funeral services, which were held Monday at 4 o’clock p.m., were conducted by Rev. L. U. McKee in a very able manner. Mrs. Gilbert having lived in this country for nearly forty years, had hosts of friends, who extend to the bereaved family a sympathy as deep as her life was pure and her death serene. She died like one who wraps,

“The drapery of his couch about him (illegible) lies down to pleasant dreams.”
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Notes:
1. I have typed this verbatim from the obituary, including a few typos.
2. The name and date of the newspaper is missing. Someone added the year of death as being 1885.
3. Someone corrected the year she moved to Elkader as being 1875.
4. There is a tear in the paper and there appears to be a sentence or a number of words missing before “Husband nnd children did all in their power…”
5. There is a tear at the bottom of the obituary and parts of the poem are missing. Most of it can be figured out, though.