KENYON, Orange 1869-1897

KENYON

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 3/2/2011 at 21:22:26

Orange Judd Kenyon was born in Felicity, Ohio, December 17, 1869, and died at Temple, Texas, June 8, 1897, aged 27 years, 5 months and 21 days.

Orange had been absent from home for six years except during three or four brief visits here. It was not my privilege to know him. But you his loved ones, and you sympathizing friends and neighbors knew him, and his life speaks to you, and if his life speaks earnest lessons to you how emphatically must his early death speak to you! What we might say would not make him one whit dearer to aged parents who weep today as they remember his boyish prattle and childlove which merged into strong manhood and under them prepared to go out into life's conflict. Neither could words make him dearer as a brother to those who have harried from so many different places to mingle their tears and their sorrow with those in the parental home. I am sure I speak for our entire community when I say that our sympathy and love go out to you in this your hour of sorrow. Yet we know that only those of us who have suffered and sorrowed can sympathize. While our words and sympathy may seem cold, I am glad I can point you to One thoroughly acquainted with grief far greater even than yours--One tried in all points like as we are, who knows how to weep with those that weep and delights to comfort all who mourn; so that we call Him the God of all comfort and the God of all consolation.

Orange received his schooling in Grundy Center. Some six years ago he went west and finally south to Texas where he spent some time and where dread disease marked him as its victim. It is a pleasure to know that though so far from home Orange had the kindest possible care in the well equipped railroad hospital, and while you waited anxiously the course and turn of the burning fever there was one who hovered near to minister as loving hands might--one who was pledged to merge her life with his in a few brief months. Her loving care and devotion were the foretokens of faithfulness to love, honor and cherish in sorrow, sickness and adversity, and while we sympathize with each other and are helped by each other's sympathy will we not remember one who sits in her distant southern home alone in her sorrow?

Orange was a member of the Knights of Pythias lodge at Wylie, Texas, and by direction of W. R. Scott, their Chancellor Commander, Spartacus Lodge, 236, of Grundy center, officiated with the beautiful services of the order.
Rev. W. H. Jordan

--The Grundy County Republican (Grundy Center, Iowa), 17 June 1897