Condit, Kate (Austin) 1865-1898

CONDIT, AUSTIN

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 4/25/2005 at 20:37:01

The Newton (IA) Record Thursday, February 3, 1898
Death of Mrs. Kate Condit
Condit, Kate (Austin)

Mrs. Kate Austin-Condit was born in Feb. 1866 at the present home of her mother three miles southeast of Prairie City and died in Juneau, Alaska, Jan. 17, 1898, being 32 years of age. She was one of Jasper County’s teachers for a few years, after she graduated at the college in Valparaiso, Ind.

In August 1893 she was united in marriage to Rev. J. H. Condit. The year following their marriage they served the Presbyterian Church in Wapello as pastor and wife. In 1895 they went as missionaries to Juneau, Alaska. Last Saturday the sorrowful missive came to the mother conveying the sad, sad news of her daughter’s death and burial in that far off land and of the three motherless little ones and the bereaved husband. As groups of friends gather together in this her former home, recollections of her sweet presence swept over their souls. Affection and memory claimed the attention of all.

Hard indeed it is to realize she is dead. But is true, the tempest of death in its might and fury has broken the golden chord of this harp of life, and loved ones can only think of the music of this harp that is now silent and cold. As one of her intimate friends expressed herself, “What a privilege has been ours to have shared with other the influence of her useful life.” What seemed to be death for a life like this is only transition. She but bowed her head and passing out straightway found she herself within another chamber of the great King, a chamber larger that this and lovelier where she continues to grow in tender Christian character. There is a word that fits Mrs. Condit’s life as that life has been presented to us by her loving and sorrowing friends and that word is “Tempered.” She was like a splendid piece of metal that feared the edge of nothing hard or soft. Convinced by her judgment or her intuition that a thing was right, nothing daunted her, she quailed nothing. In all things she was completely tempered by the spirit of the meek and lowly Nazarene. The storms and tempests that flesh is heir to never for a moment disturbed her trust in God or faith in his children. Hers was a growing aggressive Christian service.

The only ones present to shed tears above her bier, to whom she was bound by natural ties or of love, were the bereaved husband and little ones. Mrs. Condit’s father died some years ago and the widow still lives on the farm with her son Fred. William, another brother of deceased, lives in California, one sister in Dakota and Miss Nellie Austin a sister teaching in Missoula, Mont.

Originally submitted on Wed Aug 28 18:03:50 2002
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Prairie City (IA) News, 1898

Mrs. Kate Austin Condit died January 17, 1898, at her home in Juneau, Alaska. She was born February 28, 1865.

She completed a course in the Normal Training School at Valparaiso, Indiana. She taught school in Colfax and Wappello.

August 22, 1893, she was married to Rev. J. H. Condit, a pastor in the United Presbyterian Church, at Wappello, Iowa, where they resided until 1893, when they departed for Alaska.

They had four children, one of which died last year. Three children are left, one an infant born December 18, 1897. They will be cared for by the deceased’s mother, Mrs. Emily Austin, of Prairie City.

She also leaves a sister, Nellie, of Missoula, Montana.