JOHN C. COOVER

RYAN, COOVER

Posted By: Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert (email)
Date: 1/14/2002 at 19:10:14

Leon Reporter
October 24, l895

At the residence of his uncle THOS. RYAN, 4
l/2 miles north of Leon,
Oct. l6th, l895, occurred the death of JOHN
C. COOVER, aged 23 years, l
month and 25 days.

He was a native of this county being born
Aug. 2lst, l872, in Leon.
Just 4 months, 2 days previous, his mother
was laid at rest, whom he
loved and cherished beyond reproach. He died
of the same disease,
consumption, thought to have been contracted
by the vigilance in which
he watched over and helped care for his
mother. In the winter of l89l,
he began working in Leon and with but a very
few days vacation, worked
until last spring, when he had to quit on
account of his health and a
change was recommended which he did not
accept for sometime, knowing
that it would imply leaving his mother, but
finally he became so
exhausted in health and strength that he
thought obtaining his health
would be of vital importance in helping care
for his mother, so he went
to Jones County, this state, in company with
his grandfather but in
about a week, word came of his mother's
death.

He came back and stayed several days after
her funeral when he went away
again, but it availed nothing for the shock
of his mother's death added
to his own troubles proved to outweigh his
constitution and he gradually
grew worse. He came down here only about two
months before he died.
The patience with which he bore his suffering
was evidence of his
assurance of a crown of glory, if nothing
more, but other evidences were
not lacking, for he oftimes said that he felt
fully prepared to meet his
Savior. He loved his Bible which he called
to be placed beside his bed
a few days before his death; he took it in
his hands and when asked if
he could read, replied no, his eyes were too
weak. He was loved and
esteemed by all who knew him. Those who knew
him best loved him most.

Thou art gone from us,
Johnny,

To a better land we know.

And with a crown of glory,

Thy head shall ever glow.

Who would have thought that
thou so young

Right in the bloom of
life,

Should have been taken, but
we know

Thou art gone from a world
of strife.

But when life's work is
ended

And all have gone to rest,

May we meet with thee Johnny

On that shore forever
blest.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert
January 14, 2002