Gilson, Frances E. (Hamilton) 1848-1906

GILSON, HAMILTON, MACOMBER, HAMIL

Posted By: Barbara Hug (email)
Date: 2/15/2005 at 13:23:52

Saddened friends gathered at the B. S. Gilson home this morning to extend their condolences to the bereaved ones and to show their respect to the memory of the departed wife and mother, Mrs. B. S. Gilson.

The service was conducted by Rev. O. S. Baker of the Methodist Church, who spoke kind words of consolation to the living and praise of the departed one. There were many beautiful flowers, and well there might have been for this dear one, now gone, loved them so well and was always so ready and willing to bestow beautiful blossoms on others. The music was furnished by a male quartet, Messrs Allen, Earley, Moorman and Hough. The honorary pallbearers were B. Battles, J. C. Donahey, George Shenton, David Paul, Eugene Bean, Frank Russell, L. Parsons and Harry Longfellow, while the active bearers were W. M. Guessford, George Deniston, H. V. Van Epps, George B. Hunter, J. M. Woodrow, C. P. Axtell.

At seven thirty o’clock last Saturday evening, Dec. 22, 1906, after long years of affliction, Mrs. B. S. Gilson departed from this life leaving to her loved ones and friends only beautiful memories.

Mrs. Gilson was born in Cascade, Dubuque County, Iowa, Dec. 13, 1848, her maiden name being Frances Emily Hamilton.

On March 3, 1869 she became the wife of B. S. Gilson and a little over a year after their marriage they removed to a farm three miles west of Laurel, where they lived until the fall of 1891, when they came to Newton. To them were born four children, one of whom died in infancy and the three who survive her, Mabel, who has always been her parents’ stay and her mother’s companion, Walter, who until recently resided on a farm near Sanborn, and who arrive just in time to see his mother breath her last, and Harold, a student in Northwestern University at Evanston, Illinois, who arrived home in time just to be recognized by his mother, who was fast dropping into the beyond.

The deceased had been a member of the Methodist Church since she was seventeen years of age and she carried out in her daily duties the evidence of her beautiful faith. During the many long years of illness she was ever cheerful, bearing her burden so uncomplainingly and living a life of true devotion to her family, to whom she gave her strength and thoughts that they might have the blessings, which only a mother’s love can bring. For several months she had been at a sanitarium in Davenport seeking relief from her dreaded disease but her apparent benefit was only temporary and her loved ones knew the end was slowly drawing near.

On Sunday morning preceding her death she attended church services, as it was quarterly Sunday, she entertained at her home the presiding elder, Rev. John C. Willits of Oskaloosa. On Monday she went shopping and was busy planning for the joyous Christmas time when her boys would be home, and when they would all be together again, a happy reunited family.

On Thursday she was confined to her room most of the day and the next morning about two o’clock she was taken suddenly worse, the physician was called but it was too late, he could do nothing for her. All day Friday she suffered very little, but was heard to repeat very often, “Oh, I’m so tired, can’t you help me. I’m so tired.” At about seven-thirty that evening she passed into a morbid sleep and slept for twenty-four hours, a sleep from which she never awakened. She passed away without a struggle, her breath simply came shorter and shorter and finally ceased thus bringing to her peace and rest, but bringing to those who loved her intense sorrow and longing for her presence, which can be theirs no longer. Her sisters, Mrs. Martha Macomber, of Hudson, South Dakota, and Mrs. Asenth Hamil of Cascade, were here to spend the sad Christmas and with C. W. Wells, B. F. Fritz and Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Wulf of Marshalltown accompanied the remains to Riverside Cemetery, Marshalltown, where the interment will take place this afternoon. ~ The Newton Daily News, Wednesday, December 26, 1906, Page 1, Column 5