Jane Janette Smith, 1844 - 1883

SMITH, DANSKIN

Posted By: Kaye Sanchez (email)
Date: 1/28/2005 at 11:53:05

Jane Janette (Danskin) Smith Smith
26 Jul 1844 Orange Co NY-14 Dec 1883 Norway, Benton Co. IA.
Norway Correspondence-Norway, Benton Co. IA
Editor's Republican: Although my wife's death has been looked for almost every day for two years, it came rather unexpectedly, from the fact she seemed to get no weaker and we rather looked forward to the day before Christmas for the time of her departure, that being the day on which she took sick two years ago; but she was relieved of the most dreadful suffering ten days sooner.
I left the shop (barbershop) Friday morning at 10 o'clock to see how she was. When I entered her room and saw her, I says, "Children, your Mother will soon be no more," although she lingered until ten minutes past 3 PM Friday, December 14th. I remained by her side until the last expiring breath. She motioned to all of us and when we had gathered around the bedside, she kissed each of us, leaving her benediction on each one. She said, "Children, be good children and meet your Mother in Heaven, where little Georgie is." "I have lots of friends over there and I am going to meet them. Then, she made an effort to exhort and shout, but she was too weak. In a few minuetes, she began to fall asleep, just as easy and peaceful as a child when rocked in a cradle. Although she had dreadful fears of choking to death, with the disharge of corruption, she died perfectly easy and not a struggle was noticed.
Dear friends and realatives of the deceased, although you came not to see her and thereby lighten her dreadful suffering, she had an unshaken trust in her Lord, a friend who sticketh closer than a brother. And, when we think for a moment what her suffering were, we must admit the fact that there is help whose powers is divine and can make a "Dying bed as soft as downy pillows are." Or, she never could have uttered the words, "Oh, I am so happy, etc." Those who disbelieve the power of religion and its exhalted power should be present, as we was, and hear the dying words of this Christian mother, when racked with pain and scorched with fever, if it is not religion? My wife suffered so hard and long that there was not a particle of flesh, the skin being drawn perfectly tight over the bones. The distance and storm forbade the sending of relatives on either side.
Jane Janette (Danskin) Smith, consort of Benjamin Franklin Smith, died of tuberculosis, Dec 14, 1883 in Norway, Benton Co IA in the 40th year of her age. She was born in Orange co New York on July 26th, 1884, making her 39 years, 4 months and 18 days. She was seven years old when she removed with her parents to Marengo, IA, living in Benton Co and Iowa Co ever since with the exception of a year in Kansas. She has been a resident of Iowa over 33 years. Professed her faith in God at eight years of age. Was twice married, her first husband, (Henry V. Smith, brother to Ben) proceeding her over twenty years. One child, George, also proceeded her over four years.
She leaves two children by her first husband, and five by her second to mourn their loss. but our loss, is her gain and this, thank God, is what we have to console us in our sad affliction-so sad it is when a dear mother is taken from her little ones. It is hard, and now we are left alone with the little ones-one a mere baby yet-is when the father feels the loss the keenest. Receive thanks, please, for the noble and good you done by publishing our letter two weeks ago.
Yours in truth-Be.F. Smith
(Ben left the care of his children with others, moved to South Dakota, married and had two more children. Ben was a horseback preacher and barber and his nickname was "Windy.")