Hannah Parsons 1800-1877

PARSONS

Posted By: Bobbie (email)
Date: 8/3/2010 at 21:32:13

Burlington Hawk-Eye
Burlington, Iowa
Thursday, Feb. 8, 1877

OBITUARY
The Late Mrs. Hannah Parsons

Thursday morning, after several days of severe suffering, Mrs. Hannah Parsons, in the fullness of years, passed peacefully and tranquilly from time into eternity.

Mrs. Parsons was one of the oldest residents of Burlington, having lived in the city twenty-three years. She was born in Royalton, Massachusetts, on the 8th day of January, 1800, and was consequently, at the time of her decease, over seventy-seven years of age; more than three score and ten allotted to human life.

In her youth she moved to East Parsonfield, a village in York county, Maine, where she was married to Mr. Thomas Parsons whose family name the village bears. With her husband, twenty-three years ago, she came west to Burlington, and the following year Mr. Parsons died, and alone she has troddened the pathway of life during the remainder of her days.

And not alone, for loving hearts and tender hands were ever with her, in the three sons who still survive her, and will lay away her mortal remains with the respectful and fifial sorrow that long years of consistent patient life worthily secure.

She was not alone in another sense, for during the last fifty years she has exhibited in her daily life the beautiful fruits of rich christian experience. She united upon professing christianity with the Free Will Baptist church, but upon coming to Burlington united with the First Baptist (regular) church of this city and there retained her membership until death. With her, christianity was to be lived rather than to be professed, and, though never afraid or ashamed to give oral expression to her faith in Christ and His work, it was in her quiet, patient, trustful life that the power of her faith was more richly displayed. She was, at the time of her death, the oldest member of the society in this city.

For many years she has been a sufferer, rarely being able to be out from home, and the last few days of her life were days of increased pain, yet when the hour of dissolution came like the gathering shadows of a summer twilight, or the silent influences of a peaceful slumber. With an unclouded mind and an unshaken faith, her feet trod the dark valley and went over the swelling river, whose waves inspired no fear in the heart of her who had for half a century believed and tried the promises of God's word.

The deceased had six children, three whom, sons, survive her. Two daughters and one son have preceded her. Her surviving sons are Mr. C.B. Parsons, one of the heaviest wholesale and retail merchants in the city, Mr. Albion Parsons and Mr. Oscar Parsons, who have charge of leading departments in the same house. Hon. A.W. Parsons, mayor of the city, Mr. Frank T. Parsons and Mr. T.L. Parsons were nephews of the deceased.