Mrs. Joseph Hawkins

HAWKINS, MERCER, DALZIELSH

Posted By: Shirley (email)
Date: 9/10/2008 at 23:41:37

The deceased was born at Gait, Ontario 4 oct 1845 and died October 2, (or could be 20 not written real plainly) 1893 aged 48 years and 10 days.

She was the daughter of Andrew Mercer and Euphemia Dalzielsh. Her father was a stone cutter or mason, a first-class workman and a contractor for the erection of culverts and bridges. Following his work, in the spring of 1852, with his family he removed to Cattaraugus County New York, and in the fall of the same year to La Fayette, Ind. and after brief intervals to Greecastle and Ettica, in the same state.

In may 1855, when she was ten years of age the family moved to Cascade Iowa.

Here the deceased grew to womanhood.
Here she served as a dupty in the postoffice several years and taught school nearly seven years.
Here May 5 1873 she became the wife of Joseph Hawkins, who together with four daughters survive her. After their marriage they settled on a farm near Cascade, and there remained until the spring of 1878, when they moved to the quarter section of land, south of Fonda still ocupied by the family.
Here fifteen years of her life were spent in an humble and ernest endeavor to surrond with the conforts of life a new home on the prairie.
Here her family was growing up around her and to secure for her daughters a liberal education and a good training for the actuve duties of life she put forth her best endeavors. This interest in the education of her children was frequently manifested even as she lay prostrated on her dying bed.
About the 15th of July, last, she was the subject of a stroke of paralysis that deprived her of the use of lower limbs, and now after an illness of nearly three months she has passed to her eternal home and reward, and with softened hearts we say, Blessed are the dead who died in Christ, yes saith the Spirit for they rest from their labors, and their works do follow them.

When a child she was taken to church and Sunday school and as she advanced during the years of youth she manifested unusual interest in the latter, putting forth an efforts to attend every Sabbath during each year.

She early discovered the possession of a good memory and she filled that treasure house, not with idle stories from the popular story books, but with verses from the Bible.

Her parents and friends were Presbyterian and with them she worshipped in childhood. When they came to Cascade where there was no Presbyterian Church while her friends worshipped with other denominations she soon manifested a preference for church, and professing her faith in Christ about the age of sixteen, presented herself to received the ordinance of baptism and was recived into the communion of the Baptist Church. She remained in this communion until a short time after the orgainzation of the Presbyterian church in Fonda. Seven years ago, when accompanied by her husband they presented their letter of recommendation and were received into membership.

As a mother and wife she was faithful, affectionate, and beloved.

She leaves to mourn her loss one sister Mrs. Mary Hawkins of Cascade who was present at the funeral on brother Hon. James Mercer, of Fonda, her husband and family consisting of daughters Viz?, Effie, Ada, Myrtle, and Mary.

The funeral services were held at her late residence, Sat. afternoon, 21 Oct 1893, and were conducted by her pastor, Rev. R. E. Flickinger.

source - Fonda Newspaper - 2 Oct 1893