Kate Alice McKnight (1886)

MCKNIGHT

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler
Date: 10/21/2007 at 09:40:52

Winterset Madisonian and Chronicle
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, May 13, 1886
Page 4

Our Chip Basket

On Sunday afternoon at 5 o'clock, after a long illness and much suffering, peacefully, painlessly and calmly Miss Kate McKnight passed from earth with a calm assurance of an eternity in a fairer home. Death is a sad visitor at any time, but more especially so when it claims the young. Miss Kate was a general favorite, kind and sympathetic, warm hearted, devoted in her friendship, pleasant in manner, not only are her associates in deep grief over her departure, but all who knew her whether young or old. This is the first break in a large family and with our people we tender our sympathies to the bereaved parents and brothers and sisters. The funeral took place from her home Tuesday afternoon and was very largely attended.
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Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, May 13, 1886
Page 4

Death of Miss Kate McKnight

A cloud of unusual sadness has been thrown over our entire community during the last week, caused by the death of Miss Kate Alice McKnight, daughter of Mr. W. W. McKnight, who passed away on Sabbath, May 9th, about 5 o'clock in the afternoon.

Miss McKnight was born in Winterset, Sept. 6, 1864. Almost her entire life was spent here. Perhaps no young lady in Winterset was a more universal favorite among all classes, and a vacancy has been made in our young society, that will long be felt by all.

She grew up to womanhood in the Presbyterian Church and Sabbath School of this place to which she was much attached. She became a communicant in the church Dec. 10, 1882, and was always an active, earnest, conscientious, consistent christian, and that Saviour to whom she had given her heart, and to whose service she had consecrated her life, did not foresake her when the trying hour came.

While in Des Moines last winter she took a severe cold which settled upon her lungs. Before she had entirely recovered she came home about the holidays. A relapse followed and the disease fastened itself upon her system with a relentless grasp. All that medical skill, and the most careful attention of kind friends could do was done. With a naturally strong constitution and a hopeful nature, bravely she battled with the destroyer. But all in vain. Steadily and persistently the disease preyed upon her young life and carried her down to the grave.

When it became evident that the end was drawing near, and she was told that she could not recover, she accepted it calmly and cheerfully as the will of her Heavenly Father, and said, "It is all right." She clung to life for the sake of her friends, but she had no fear of death. Her faith in Christ remained unshaken to the last. Only a few days before she died she said to her pastor that her faith in Jesus was just as strong as when she was well, and so calmly, trustfully, peacefully, she passed away.

The bereaved parents and family have the sympathy of all, as was manifested by the large attendance at the funeral services which took place at the house on Tuesday afternoon. The floral tributes were many and very beautiful. The services were conducted by Dr. Robertson. The singing by the Presbyterian choir was appropriate and impressive. The last scene at the grave was exceedingly touching and beautiful, when the little boys of her Sabbath school class dropped their bouquets upon the coffin, and then a large company of her young lady friends dressed in white passed around the grave and each dropped into it a tribute of flowers. Kate was passionately fond of flowers while living, and she was literally buried amid the sweet spring flowers.

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