Taylor, Harriet 1815-1879

TAYLOR, WILSON, WHITNEY, SANDERS

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes
Date: 2/4/2014 at 15:51:22

The Grinnell (IA) Herald
Jan. 7, 1879

OBITUARY.

Mrs. Harriet Taylor, well known in this community, died on the morning of the 3rd inst.

She was born in New Ipswich, N.H., in July, 1815. Her farther, Major S. Wilson, and his wife, were both devoted Christians, and their large family grew up under the best religious influences. At the early age of 15, the subject of this sketch consecrated her young life to Christ and united with the Congregational church in her native place. She was naturally serious and thoughtful, and, endowed with warm sympathies, she was ready to do and to suffer for others. Grace sanctified her natural traits and gave direction to the ever-flowing current of her religious life.

In Oct. 1849 she was married to Hartwell Taylor, of New Ipswich, and immediately removed to Denmark, in this state. Her married life was happy, blessed as she was with a husband of like religious sympathies with her own, and united as they were in maintaining a religious influence in their own family, and, according to their ability, in diffusing a like influence throughout the community. In December, 1854, when by their united labors they had just begun to realize a fair measure of temporal prosperity, her husband died. His death was a terrible blow to her; and yet it was but one of a series of afflictions which came in rapid succession, as though intended as a sharp trial of her trust and confidence in God. They had just lost two children a few years before the death of the father, and now the young widow was left to do battle with the world alone, and care for the two remaining children, Eugene, one year old, and Jane (Mrs. Whitney) then eleven years of age. In addition to these severe afflictions, she heard of the death of her father, and then of a sister, and then a brother, till it seemed as though her sorrows were greater than she could bear. But she wavered not. Her feet were planted upon the everlasting rock and she could confidently say, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him."

Her attention was now directed to the care and education of her children, and to such business matters as necessarily devolved upon her. But she never lost sight of the fact that she was a Christian and that her religion ought to shine out beyond the limits of her own household. In 1864 she removed to Grinnell, and temporarily made her home with her daughter, then married to Luman Sanders. She afterward bought and occupied the house where she died.

At her funeral it was justly remarked by her pastor, that when she came to this place a stranger it would have been very natural for one, at her time of life, to limit her labors for the good of others mainly within her own family circle. Not so with her. She at once showed her willingness to be one with others in any united labors for the good of the church and the interests of the cause of Christ generally. She was always ready to engage in personal labors, to give according to her ability, and to fill any place where her services might be solicited to promote the interests of religion or the cause of humanity. For these she could be relied upon with assurance that she would not shirk responsibility. It was evidently her great desire to life to do good and not merely for her own personal comfort or happiness.