SMITH, Jane (nee Harris) Tubbs 1833-1902

HARRIS, TUBBS, SMITH

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 5/6/2010 at 11:27:42

OBITUARIES: Jane Harris Tubbs Smith, 1833-1902

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Item #1 of 5

Mrs. Sidney Smith

The following obituary is handed to us of Mrs. Sidney Smith, who resided near the river between here and Mitchell. She was known by many as the woman who sold vegetables.

Jane Eliza Harris was born in Chemung county New York, June 22, 1833. There her childhood life was spent. In the early fifties she was married to Caleb C. Tubbs and with him came to Iowa in 1855, settling in West Mitchell.

She was the mother of nine children; all of whom preceded her to the "other shore" save Mr. Charles Tubbs and Mrs. Mary Packard who are with us today.

She was married to her now bereaved husband Sidney Smith in 1870. She knew what it was to suffer; this, coupled with a kindly and generous heart enabled her to sympathize with those that suffer and prompted her to help those that needed help. Her husband could truly say of her, "She was a wife loving and beloved" and her children say, "She was always a good mother."

She was seriously ill last Saturday and on Wednesday afternoon July 2nd she closed her eyes on scenes of earth to open them as we humbly trust in a kindlier climate.

Funeral services were held at the M.E. church in Mitchell and the body of the deceased was laid to rest in Oak Grove cemetery.

[Osage Journal Wednesday July 9, 1902]

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Item #2

Obituary of Mrs. Smith
(Jane Eliza Harris/Tubbs Smith)

SUDDEN DEATH OF MRS. SMITH

News reached us last evening that Mrs. Smith, the vegetable vendor, who was taken ill the first of the week at the home of Frank Eaton, after being removed to her home on the river road toward Mitchell, yesterday afternoon, died in the evening. She has been a prominent figure on the streets of Osage for many years, and will be missed by all of our citizens.

Deceased was the wife of Sidney Smith. She leaves two children besides the sorrowful husband to mourn her loss. The remains will be interred in the Mitchell cemetery Saturday.

[The Osage News, Osage Iowa. Thursday July 3, 1902]

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Item #3

Obituary of Jane E. Harris/Tubbs Smith

Jane Eliza Harris was born in Chemung county New York June 22, 1833. There her childhood was spent. In the early fifties she was married to Caleb C. Tubbs and with him came to Iowa in 1855, settling in West Mitchell.

She was the mother of nine children, all of whom preceded her to the other shore save Mr. Charles Tubbs and Mrs. Mary Packard who are with us today.

She was married a second time to Mr. Sidney Smith in 1879. [Note: should have said "1870"]

She knew what it was to suffer; this coupled with a kindly and generous heart enabled her to sympathize with those that suffer and prompted her to help those who needed help. Her husband could truly say, "she was a wife loving and beloved" and her children say "she was always a good mother to us."

She was taken seriously ill last Saturday and on Wednesday July 2nd; she closed her eyes to scenes of earth to open them, we humbly trust, in a kindlier clime. Funeral services were held at the M.E. church in Mitchell, conducted by the pastor, and the body of the deceased was laid to rest in Oak Grove cemetery.

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Item #4

--- Card of Thanks ---

The undersigned, husband and children of the late Eliza J. Smith [Note: Should say Jane Eliza Smith] desire to publicly thank all who so kindly aided us in our time of sorrow and need.

-- Sidney Smith
-- Mrs. Mary Packard
-- Charles Tubbs

[The Osage News, Osage Iowa. Thursday July 10, 1902]
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Item #5

Jane (Harris-Tubbs) Smith

Death has removed another ancient humble landmark of Mitchell County's first settlement. Mrs. "One Arm Smith," as she was popularly called, will be seen no more upon our streets. A pioneer of Mitchell township in the year 1855, from Chemung County N.Y., coming in with the Sweatts, the Chambers, and the men of note in that first settlement of this county, since known as "West Mitchell."

She married Mr. Smith in 1879. His business was then and ever since has been "gardening." For the past 20 years and more her part has been to sell and deliver door to door in Mitchell and Osage. Her cheery, good-natured face, her old white horse and loaded wagon were seen nearly every day, upon highway or street, or in front of house or store.

Every boy and girl of the two towns knew that old bell ring when it called us to buy, and it had a gladsome sound for us all. And its notes were as regular as the morning chimes of city church tower.

Her train was as certain to come and go on its appointed time as any passenger on a main line. In all her dealings with our people she was honest, easy, and indulgent to the poor always, often giving to them when they could not pay. Many is the family she thus relieved year after year on her daily round. There was none of this haggling, halfpenny, greedy, niggardness in her bargaining's, so common among city vendors of her class. Her whole life was one of unbroken, cheerful, honest toil for her own people and for others, enjoying meagerly of its fruits herself.

A more devoted wife to husband and to his interests was not here or in the country around. A more unselfish, unexacting woman, one more ready to divide with the needy, were hard to find. She was the average pioneer woman in many respects, perhaps in all, and that is saying much.

We of this later day owe a debt of respectful, faithful remembrance to her class that we can never repay and that we are prone not to pay at all. Something seems gone from our streets since her death. That old white horse, her companion on the road for so many years, will miss her hand and voice. But ah! How much more will he who was wedded to her for life, now utterly solitary in his hermit home among the woods! Who can say how much of comfort of life, of support, was taken from him, and at a time when such loss presses down with an unmitigated weight upon a husband so enfeebled by disease and age, to sustain it?

It is said, and I believe, that domestic bereavements are most keenly felt and truly mourned among the common people. I believe too that such a sorrow has less to divert and allay it in the surroundings of the great common lot of mankind. To my mind the most afflictive, the most pitiful of all separations here, are those of husband and wife who have begun to go down the slope and enter the shadows together.

It seems that in such an hour last of all, should they be parted. Words of a kindly, honoring regard for her memory, as we knew her, and of a generous, unaffected sympathy for him, are due from all.

Mitchell News - July 1902, Mitchell, Mitchell Co. Iowa

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Submitted by Kathy Pike, Austin, MN 2003