Seaton, James M. 1808-1893

SEATON, ROBERTS, HENRY

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 7/6/2006 at 08:09:39

DIED – SEATON – At the residence of his son, in Newton, Jasper county, Iowa of Paralysis, on Sunday noon, January 22d, Mr. James M. Seaton, aged 84 years, 3 months and 20 days.

Father Seaton was born in Westmoreland, Tp., Green Co., Pennsylvania, October 2d, 1808. On the 13th of April 1831, he was married to Miss Sarah Roberts, with whom he lived for forty-six years, until she was removed from him by death, on April 27th, 1877. To them were born ten children, seven of whom, three sons and four daughters survive them. In 1849 he moved to Iowa and settled in Des Moines county, from thence he removed to Jasper county, in 1857, and remained here until 1866, when he moved to Iowa county, and settled near Millersburgh. He made his home after his wife’s death with his children, spending the greater portion of his time with his son, who resides in Newton. For the last two years, however, until the 1st of last October, his home was with his daughter, Mrs. Henry, Marengo, in Iowa Co. On the 1st of last October he came to remain with his son’s family in this place, until he should be called to his long home.

For several years he has been a great sufferer from kidney troubles. The last few weeks he had seemingly felt better than for a long time, and on last Wednesday morning ate a hearty breakfast, and shortly after fell helpless and unconscious with a paralytic stroke. He lingered with occasional seasons of consciousness, until on Sunday last, when he quietly “fell asleep.”

Father Seaton was converted and united with the M. E. Church, in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, on January 23d, 1837, and has at various times held all of the various lay officers in the church, was a class leader for over forty years, and a licensed exhorter for more than thirty years. The funeral services were held in the M. E. Church of this city, on Monday, Jan. 23d, 1893, just fifty-six years after h is conversion. The services were conducted by Rev. E. C. Brooks, pastor of the M. E. church, who had for years been his pastor in Marengo, assisted by Rev. C. C. Harrah, of the Congregational Church. Of him it may confidently be said: “Blessed is he, for he died in the Lord, he rests from his labors, and his words do follow him.”

He leaves a numerous family of children and grand-children to treasure the memory of his life. The funeral discourse was at his request preached from the same text which was used on the occasion of his wife’s funeral nearly sixteen years before: “Jesus said unto her, I am the Resurrection and the Life; he that believeth on me, though he were dead yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth on me shall never die.” – John 11: 25-26. ~ The Newton (Iowa) Journal, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 1893.