BLACK, Hannah Evans (1842-1917)

BLACK, EVANS

Posted By: Kathy Weaver (email)
Date: 7/3/2017 at 13:08:15

Malvern Leader
Malvern, Mills County, Iowa
Thursday March 8, 1917

PASSING OF GOOD WOMAN
Mrs. C.W. Black Called To Reward After Full and Useful Life; Funeral Services Thursday March 1.

The funeral services of Mrs. C.W. Black, mention of whose passing was given in last week’s Leader, was held Thursday, March 1, from the Presbyterian church at three o’clock p.m.

The church was filled to overflowing with many friends of the deceased and numbers were unable to get in. A great many called at the house during the earlier part of the afternoon to pay their last respects to this woman they all loved and honored, and whose life had meant so much to the community in which she lived.

Beautiful flowers in great profusion filled the church testifying in their mute way to the beautiful life of Mrs. Black who was ever a lover of flowers.

A special choir, Dr. I.U. Parsons and Mr. L.A. Talbott, Mrs. Talbott and Mrs. F.R. Chantry sang the favorite hymns of Mrs. Black, “How Firm a Foundation” and “Oh Think Of the Home Over There.”

The services were in charge of the pastor, Rev. W.R. Moore. Dr. J.E. Jenkins, President of Omaha University offered prayer, Rev. A.E. Kiser of Creston read the obituary. Rev. Elbert Nickerson spoke feelingly of what the life of Mrs. Black had meant to him and how much it had influenced him in taking up his life work in the ministry. Dr. E.B. Pratt also spoke of the influence of Mrs. Black’s life. Dr. Jenkins preached the sermon.

The remains were laid to rest in the Malvern cemetery. The active pall bearers were Charley and Jesse Evans, Prof. L.H. Mitchell and W.E. Miller nephews of Mrs. Black and Messrs. W.G. Clark, Dr. J.O. Laird, H.F. Clark and J.C. Slothower. The honorary pallbearers were Jno. D. Paddock, David Kilpatrick, L.W. Miller, H.C. Robbins, C.M. Jones and G.W. Conrad and members of G.A.R.

Those present at the services from a distance were: Joseph B. Mudd, son in law, from Bowling Green, Mo.; W.E. Miller a nephew from Riverton, Iowa; Prof. L.H. Mitchell, another nephew from Onachita College, Arkadelphia, Arkansas; Abner Clark, Shenandoah, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. C.W. Mitchell, Sidney, Iowa; Dr. and Mrs. D.E. Jenkins, Omaha, Nebr.; Dr. and Mrs. A.E. Kiser, Creston, Iowa; Rev. J.W. Innes, Ames, Iowa; Rev. E.J. Nickerson, Norfolk, Nebraska; Rev. and Mrs. R. Bruce West, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur McCain, Mrs. R.M. Shipman of Emerson; Mrs. Elizabeth Kilpatrick, Tabor. Dr. A.B. Marshall, President of the Omaha Theological Seminary and Mrs. Marshall called at the C.W. Black home Wednesday evening as it was not possible for them to be present at the services on Thursday.

The following obituary was read:

Hannah Evans Black was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania, June 11th, 1842. Died at Malvern, Iowa, February 27th, 1917, aged 74 years, 8 months, 16 days. She was the third of a family of five children. She leaves one sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Mitchener who lives with her daughter Ida at Millersville, Pa. In 1852, with her father Wm. M. Evans and her mother, Sarah Ann Evans, she moved to Baltimore, Md. Here she attended the public school and graduated with honor receiving a Geo. Peabody Gold Medal prize for excellency in scholarship.

After graduation she taught school in Baltimore. In the spring of 1873 she came to the vicinity of Randolph, Iowa, to which place her parents had removed and were living with her oldest sister, Mrs. Howard Mitchell. She taught school in this vicinity and at Sidney and Tabor, closing her work as teacher in the public schools at the last named place, Tabor, in December, 1874.

January 14th, 1875, she was married to Mr. C.W. Black. They lived in Malvern until the spring when they established their home on the farm 2 1/2 miles north of town. They continued to reside on the farm and in town at intervals until of late years the home has been continuously in town.

In early womanhood she united with the Westminister Presbyterian Church of Baltimore. May 29th, 1876, she transferred her membership to this church in whose faith and fellowship she has continued for nearly forty two years.

Her life is especially rich in religious experience and labor. For over forty years she taught in the Sabbath School. At the Centerline school house in the vicinity of her country home she taught a class of young men for seventeen successive years. From a paper prepared and read at the eleventh anniversary of the Centerline Sunday School we quote the following extract: “Her class of young men at first numbered six; its roll today includes over thirty. The names of those who have been in this class three months or more since its organization number 157. We know of 55 members of the School (and there may be more) who have united with Christian churches. Five of its members are now superintendents of Sabbath Schools in the West. New Mexico, California, Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska and Pennsylvania have been members with us.” For a number of years she taught in the Sabbath School morning and afternoon each Sabbath.

In the Missionary Society Mrs. Black was a most earnest and efficient worker. Both in the local organization and in the Presbytery her ability and zeal for the cause of Christ was recognized and manifest in manifold ways. In company with Mrs. Bailey of Shenandoah she made a tour of Council Bluffs Presbytery and organized new societies, at Atlantic, Neola and elsewhere. At the time of the division of the Presbytery of Council Bluffs into what is now Council Bluffs and Corning Presbyteries, she was President of the Women’s Home Missionary Society and became President of the same society in the newly organized Presbytery of Corning and continued in this capacity for ten years. Mrs. Black was wont to say that her “one recreation was Missionary work.” She was a Charter member of the local missionary society organized forty years ago, February 21st. She was the first Vice President for three years, served as secretary two years and one term as President for seven years and later on a period of ten years as President. She was obliged to relinquish all responsibilities in 1907, because of failing health. She also took an active interest in Temperance work and that too back in the days of the legalized saloon when it was not easy to take a stand in open opposition to the traffic in intoxicating liquors. For some time she edited a Temperance column in the local newspaper and was an ardent supporter of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union.

From the numerous letters received during her recent illness we quote the following: “She was always a true, faithful and loving friend, whom time and distance did not change.” “The friends thou hast and their adoption tried - Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel.”

Another: “We know she is sweet and patient. Tell her that her dear friendship does mean so much to me. It has been such a pleasure and uplift and her dear letters are so missed, always so cheerful and showing the bright mind and the good true woman in every word.”

Another: “To be in her presence was a great privilege and benefit to me.” Still another: “Aunt Han was always a tower of strength to us all in times of sorrow.”

It is difficult to rightly estimate the true worth of such a life. Any life is worth while if lived worthily. The best example of worthy living is the life of the ever living Lord and Master, Jesus of Nazareth, the Babe of Bethlehem and the Christ of Calvary. He it was, who was her constant incentive to consecrated service.