Daw, Ambrose 1840-1894

DAW, DAVIS

Posted By: Viv Reeves, Volunteer
Date: 9/18/2010 at 13:27:45

Sheldon Mail
Sheldon, O'Brien Co. Iowa
Thursday, May 31, 1894

Page 5, Columns 5-6

A SUDDEN SUMMONS.
Ambrose Daw Dies While at Work from Rheumatism of the Heart

Sheldon people were startled about four o'clock last Thursday afternoon by an announcement of the sudden death of Ambrose Daw. Mr. Daw was at work in the yards of F. M. Slagle & Co. piling lumber which was being hauled to the yards from cars by Thos. Bloxham and son. He complained of a severe pain near his heart as Mr. Bloxham arrived with a load and when Tom and his boy returned to where they had only a few minutes previous left Daw at work they found him lying on a pile of lumber, dead. Mr. Daw had been troubled a good deal off and on of late with rheumatism and it is thought likely that the rheumatism had involved the heart, causing his sudden death. However, his decease may have been caused by heart disease.

Ambrose Daw was a few weeks past fifty-four years of age. For a year past he had been in the employ of F. M. Slagle & Co., sucessors to Benj. Jones, for eleven years previous to this for Mr. Jones and his former partners in business, so that he had been continuously at one and the same job for about twelve years.

Albert Daw, of Welcome, Minnesota, his eldest son by a former wife, and Mrs. J. J. Davis, of Waupun, Wis., mother of Mrs. Daw, were present at the funeral, which occurred Saturday afternoon from the Congregational Church, at which services Rev. R. M. Doherty, Episcopal, was the officiating clergyman, in accordance with the deceased wishes, as they had been made known previous to his death, he having been an attendant at Episcopal services in his youth in the old country. Mr. Cumings had been requested to officiate at this service at a time which Mr. Doherty was out of town and it was not expected that he could be present.

By request, the sermon which Mr. Cumings had prepared for the occasion was furnished for publication and appears in print below. Ambrose Daw was an honest, hard working man, and was as faithful to his work and his employers as a man could be. He was well known and people generally respected and esteemed him. His place will not be an easy one to fill. We tender the sorrowing family our sympathy.

REV. CUMINGS' SERMON.
The wholly unexpected and instantaneous death of Mr. Ambrose Daw on last Thursday afternoon suggest some very solemn and practical thoughts. 1. In a very impressive manner it calls our attention to the fact that life is very uncertain and death a certainty. "While in life we are in the midst of death." "For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away." "Life is a short day." We were all amazed at the report of his death. It was so sudden and wholly unannounced. He fell at his post without a moment's warning, like a soldier shot down when no enemy was thought to be near. With his accustomed fidelity he was about his work, and was not for God took him.

That very morning I was at the lumber office and he waited upon me with his usual fidelity and grace. Little did I think that strong man would fall before night. He left his home after dinner in usual health little dreaming that he had taken his last look at his loved ones; but so it was. We little know when we go out whether we shall come back or be bourne home by sorrowing friends. Such is life. Strong men toil on year after year, putting forth their full strength with great prodigality. The powers of life are strong within them. Little do they think that much sooner than they are aware the vital forces will be exhausted and infirmities, old age, and death be upon them. They toil and live as though they were always going to be strong and well. They forget that the forces of life are being consumed, that the evil days must come when the strongest must bow themselves.

By His word, by events like this, by no means uncommon, God says, "Do not presume too much on the continuation of health and the length of life. Remember the days come when toil and power are impossible. The end of life comes soon." Dangers, seen and unseen await us on every hand. The merest accident may cut short our life. We unwittingly overdraw the vital forces, are much nearer our end than we know. Many a man presuming on twenty, thirty or more years is in fact near the end of life. He is consuming his vitality much faster than he is aware. These are trite sayings, but how many of us go on our way wholly regardless of the awful truth they contain. Go, to now ye that say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city and continue there a year, and buy and sell and get gain; whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow." "For what is your life?" For that ye ought to say: If the Lord will we shall live and do this or that. God says through this event to every business man, every toiler, "Be ye also ready for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh."

2. This event emphasizes as nothing else can the importance of making preparations for death. To all, however young and strong, the days come when productive and earning powers fail. "The night cometh wherein no man can work." All should begin their productive years with a systematic plan, strictly adhered to throughout life, to make provision for old age and death. All should be provident. They should have an anchor to the leeward. Every man in business or steadily employed at good wages should lay by something for a rainy day. Reverse, old age, sickness or death should find us forearmed. Men are improvident because they presume on continued health, prosperity and long life. We should take all due care of ourselves. Many needlessly overtax or carelessly expose themselves or indulge in habits or excesses which mortgage their future. Men needlessly work too many hours, or too fast and hard, and must pay the penalty. Nature is very exacting and there is no grace with her.

3. This event emphasizes the importance of making moral and spiritual preparation for death. Life is God's gift. A gift carries with it obligation on the receiver's part toward the giver. God should have due recognition from us in all our ways. That recognition should be given now, today, for tomorrow it may be too late. Every man needs for his own best good, and that of his friends and neighbors, that character and life which a constant, filial relation to God alone can give. No man can afford, even for his own interests, to neglect God and his righteousness. We all need the inspiration and help which true godliness alone can give. We need this now. To delay this preparation robs this life of its glory. It takes from men the best dignity and honor. "Our wills are ours, we know not how; our wills are ours, to make them Thine." To delay this preparation is to hazard our future existence.

Ambrose Daw was born in Lower Hatting, near Rochester, Kent England, January 20, 1840. He came to America twenty-one years ago, to Sheldon fifteen years ago. He was twice married; had four children by his first wife; was married to Miss Eleanor Davis Aug. 5, 1883, who with one son survives him. Mr. Daw was an honest, faithful, industrious man, as is shown from the fact that he held a very responsible position for the same firm for over twelve years. He was engineer and yardman for Jones, Parkhurst & Co. He was kind and genial, very obliging and universally esteemed. He was a true knight of labor--a man who loved honest toil, never shirked and was always at his post. In these times of discontent such a man deserves the highest need of praise. Honesty and fidelity, coupled with a willingness to toil, were the talents or capital which enabled him to command and hold a good job--capital of which any man may well be proud and which in any times will make him independent. All honor to such a man dying at his post. His is a fidelity, service and example calling for a victor's crown. Let the world pause to honor such toilers. They are the true yeomanry. They are the hope of the nation. They are the real kings. They are true industrials and commonwealers. His sudden death was a great loss, not only to his family but to the community. To his sorrowing wife and children the loss is incalculable. For them the entire community extends hearty sympathy. May the consolation of God and his benediction be theirs.

'Tis strange that those we lean on most,
Those in whose laps our limbs are nursed,
Fall into shadow, soonest lost--
Those we love first are taken first.
God gives us love--something to love;
He leads us; but, when love is grown
To ripeness, that on which it throve
Falls off, and love is left alone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FAMILY NOTE: Ambrose Daw's first wife, Mary Ann, died 28 Nov 1877. At the time of her death it is stated that she left four children, the youngest being only nine days old.