Mary Gaddis Strong 1835-1912

STRONG, GADDIS, FLETCHER, MCGUIRE, GRAHAM, COMBS

Posted By: Ray Lewin
Date: 9/30/2010 at 22:39:51

Mrs. Mary GADDIS STRONG
Unnamed newspaper May 1912 Iowa

Jacob and Sarah COMBS GADDIS resided on a farm in Fayette county, Pennsylvania. The children were ten in number and were born at this place. Only two of them are now living. The daughter Mary was born September 5, 1835. She spent her girlhood days on her father’s farm and enjoyed the benefits of the local school and the Sunday schools. She became a member of the Methodist church. Her marriage occurred on the 15th of October, 1860. Her husbands name was Robert Hunter STRONG. Soon after this event they established themselves on a farm near that of Mary’s father and made that their home for fifteen years. It was here that their children were born. Their names are as follows: Mrs. Drusilla DEAN of Silt, Colorado; Mrs. Ada V. FLETCHER of Whatcheer, Iowa; Mrs. Cora McGUIRE of North English Iowa; Wm. Henry of Tempe, Arizona; and Jacob Colwell and Jonathan Roland both of Whatcheer, Iowa. Besides these three sons and three daughters, there were Sarah Elizabeth who died when two years old, and one child, who died in infancy. Sarah and Jonathan were twins. Robert STRONG with his wife and family moved to Iowa in March 1875 settling at the present home of J. R. STRONG in Mahaska county. In 1887 Mrs. STRONG united with the Christian church, of Indianapolis, Iowa, transferring her membership from the M. E. Church of Upper Middleton, Pennsylvania. Thirty-one years of married life had passed at the homestead when the husband departed to the spirit world. He died April 24, 1906 being 71 years of age. Three years after this bereavement, Mrs. STRONG left the farm and made her home with her daughter, Mrs. John FLETCHER. In the summer months she occasionally visited her other children. She was a devoted mother, a pious woman, a good neighbor, a faithful friend and a consistent Christian. She loved to worship her God in the public assembly, but her feebleness prevented this for a number of years. Last winter she was among the first to be enrolled as a member of the Home Department of the Bible School. She expressed appreciation of the opportunity and always studied her lesson as found in the quarterly given her. She and her daughter were the first in the department to make an offering. Such adherence to duty is indicative of her moral strength. About 7 years ago the deceased was troubled with asthma and weakened action of the heart. Because of the affliction she gradually lost her vital powers, endured much suffering, passing through the ordeal with the patience of one who remembered the example of her Lord. The first of May she visited her sons, Jacob and Jonathan and returned to Mrs. FLETCHER’S the 13th of the month. That day was Monday. She ate her supper on Thursday in her usual way, but soon thereafter needed medical aid, the doctor was promptly called, but skill and care and faithful aid were all in vain. Her soul departed to the spirit world at half past eleven, on the evening of Thursday, May 16, 1912. Thus closed the life of the ever-dutiful mother, aged 76 years eight months and eleven days. She is mourned by her sons and daughters already named, and by one brother Wm. GADDIS of Upper Middletown, Pennsylvania, and by one sister, Mrs. Caroline GRAHAM of Chicago, Illinois, both of whom were too infirm to be present at the funeral. “Blessed are they that wash their robes that they may have the right to come to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city.” Funeral exercises were held in the Whatcheer Christian church at 10 o’clock in the morning of May 20, 1912. Elder F. A. Heilman, former pastor of the church, was the officiating minister. The body was taken to the cemetery at Indianapolis, Iowa, and placed by the remains of her husband.