Henrietta Moyer KOCH, 1805-1893

KOCH, MOYER, FISH

Posted By: Marsha B. Crawford (email)
Date: 5/30/2003 at 03:11:41

DIED. At her home with her son, William Koch, on the old homestead in Clinton county south of Miles, at about noon Saturday, Nov. 18, 1893, Mrs. Henretta Koch, aged 88 years, 2 months and 23 days. Her disease was dropsy.

Mrs. Koch has been an invalid for five years but until the last 10 weeks she has been able to get about the house and in a measure take care of herself. During this latter period she has been entirely helpless and has suffered much yet ever patiently. Her daughter, Mrs. Ellen Fish, has been with her constantly for eight weeks, scarcely leaving the house. All that filial affection could do to relieve the miseries of her last days, was done for this good mother who has given her best energies to the training of her children. She retained her mental faculties to the last and conversed intelligently with the many of her relatives and friends who came to visit her. Although her death was not unexpected when it came it was sudden and her spirit fled without a last struggle. She was taken up in her chair for her daily change of clothing and while one sleeve was put on her arm her head dropped forward and she gave no further signs of dissolution. Life’s battle which had been well fought was over. The weary spirit left the aching, worn out tenement and passed into the rest eternal.

Mrs. Henretta Koch was born in Burks County, Pennsylvania, in the year 1805, August 25th. Her maiden name was Moyer. Her early training was in the right direction as has been shown in her after life. At the age of 18 she united with the German Reformation church in Pennsylvania. After she came to Iowa she cast her force of labor with the German Evangelical society at Mt. Algor. When that society ceased to exist about 20 years ago she united with the M. E. church, Teeds Grove, in which she has been a consistent member, even walking 2 ½ miles to attend service. Mrs. Koch came to Iowa with her family in 1857. Her husband at once commenced making a home on land in Clinton county which is now the farm belonging to her youngest son, William Koch. By economy and persistent industry and all putting together in harmony, the family amassed and handsome little fortune which the surviving children can now well enjoy, feeling that they had something to do with its gathering. The husband and father crossed the dark river Oct. 28th, 1868, and since then Mrs. Koch has lived with her son William, who then took the management of the farm and gave her a home in which her every wish was gratified even at a sacrifice, if necessary, of his own comfort. The deceased has brought up her children in such a manner that respect and honor for their parents was prominent. Of her five children, only three survive her—Daniel, William and Mrs. Ellen Fish. They were all at her home on the day of her death.

The funeral was attended on Monday following. Rev. Hestwood, of Sabula, officiated. Without request or knowledge thereof he selected for his text—2nd Samuel 14-14, the same used at the husbands funeral some 25 years since. The words are—“For we must needs die and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again.” A good number of friends followed the remains to the Teeds Grove cemetery where they were laid to rest beside the remains of the husband. The pall bearers were C. W. Cook, N. A. Cook, L. T. Kimball, Chas. Bartlett, Robert Walker and William Walker.

As published in a Clinton or Jackson Co., Iowa, newspaper November 1893.

(I am posting this in the Jackson Co. obituaries because several of Henrietta Koch's children settled in Jackson Co.)