Young, Eliza Jane (Baker) 1821 - 1876

YOUNG, BAKER

Posted By: Janice Sowers (email)
Date: 4/6/2005 at 20:56:08

TIMES March 2, 1876 Last Page C3

YOUNG--Mrs. Eliza Jane, daughter of Mr. James Baker, and mother of Mr. Henry W. Young of Cresco, was born at Wedmore, Somerset county, England, March 26, 1821. She embraced religion about the year 1846 under the labors of the venerable, H. B. Cox, who has now gone to his final reward. She became a member of the Methodist Church, and was united in marriage to the Rev. Wm. Young, Oct. 11th, 1848.

With her husband she emigrated to Dyersville, Dubuque county, Iowa, in the year 185?, and for nearly twenty years she has with him been engaged in the itinerancy in the Upper Iowa Conference. She has had the cause of God at heart, and has endeavored to sustain and encourage her husband in the work of the ministry. Always of a cheerful disposition she ever looked on the bright side and consequently found some cause for gratitude. She felt it to be a great honor to be the wife of a minister, believing that the work of a Christian ministsry is the highest calling to which man can aspire. While she was not without her infirmities she was a woman of superior excellence, and would willingly labor until nearly exhausted to minister to the wants of ministers and those who visited her. She was possessed of an humble spirit, and remarkable patience. In her afflictions scarcely a murmur ever escaped her lips. She was the mother of seven children whom she endeavored to train for the Lord, and nearly all have embraced religion; which may be assigned largely to her prayers and christian example.

It had been her desire to die before her husband and from what she said she believed she should. She wished to have him with her in affliction and death. Before her death she gave instructions to him and stated what she wished him to do after she was gone, with the same composure as though preparing for a journey. Some time before her death she said to him, I may be taken without being able to speak to you, but all my trust is in Jesus. Two night before she died she said, all my trust is in God and in Jesus Christ, and the blood of Jesus Christ can cleanse from all sin. She spoke of the vanity and unsatisfactory condition of this world and said how much better it would be in Heaven. She had taken a violent cold, a severe chill came over her and pneumonia commenced its ravages. She sat up that day, was very cheerful, and conversed freely with friends. In the evening she was threatened with another chill, became nearly or quite delirious and in about twenty-six hours afterward died at Zion's Parsonage, Ceder county, Iowa, Feb. 16, 1876, aged 54 years and 10 months.