Josephine Barger, 1870-1898

BARGER, WILLITS, HAGENBACH, HAGENBUCH, HENDRIX, ROGERS

Posted By: Pat Ryan White (email)
Date: 9/5/2022 at 10:20:20

SARAH JOSEPHINE BARGER.

The death of Miss Josie Barger occurred at Kirksville, Mo., July 24, whither she had gone two months ago following the delusive hope that the modern fad osteopathy could make new lungs. She had been a lifelong sufferer from asthma which had encroached so upon her vitality that every part of her system seemed deranged and every separate nerve s?? of pain. Had it not been for her love of life and innate cheerfulness, the unequal conflict would have ceased years ago, but buoyed up by youth’s natural resources and tenderly cared for by her adopted patents Mr. and Mrs. Charles Willits, she lived to her twenty-eighth year.

It was twenty-five years ago that Mr. and Mrs. Barger died, leaving four orphan children, a son, who has since died, and three daughters, Belle, Alice and Josie. And kind providence placed this worthy couple in one of the best neighborhoods of Marion township, which township is noted for worthy high-minded families. And when they both died, the two ladies who wiped the death damp from the anxious mother’s forehead, Mrs. Ellen Willits and Mrs. Larina Hagenbach promised her that the children should be well cared for, Mrs. Hagenbach taking home Alice and Mrs. Willits giving protection to Josie, also seeing that Belle had a home with her husband’s daughter, Mrs. Hendrix. In these respective homes they have ever been as dear children, the best of each house has been given them, and grown to womanhood. They each testified with thankful hearts that their lots were cast in green pastures, and beside still waters. Josie has ever been an invalid ?? so gently and kindly were the ministrations of her adopted home, that life was sweet even though embittered at times by severe pain, and the helping had she ever extended to less fortunate ones often caused her to forget her own infirmities. But the disease gradually made inroads until last spring it seemed that she might pass away at any hour and as a last resort, she wished to try the osteopathic treatment at Kirksville, Mo. Her sister Belle accompanied her hither; and for a time, she was artificially buoyed up by promises which proved to be false. The result was exactly what her home physician had predicted and on July 25th, Messrs. Thornton and John Willits, her brothers by adoption, went to Kirksville and brought to the Willits homestead the lifeless form of Josie, who in other days was so important a part of that home. The funeral services were held on Tuesday, and Rev. Rogers made the hour impressive with appropriate and suggestive remarks. Beautiful flowers lay upon her white casket and the intense heat of the day caused them to droop, just as the lovely flower within had drooped under life’s inexorable pressure, just as this lovely flower had developed, willing to receive into it the sunshine and storm of God’s Providence, willing to take whatever might fall to its lot, but the flower withered and died – no, let us rather say was transplanted to a more genial clime where “there shall be no more pain.”

(“Mt. Pleasant Daily News”, Friday, July 29th, 1898, page 1)

Gravesite in Forest Home Cemetery
 

Henry Obituaries maintained by Constance McDaniel Hall.
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