Edson, Celestia Kirk 1826-1889

EDSON, KIRK, MAYNARD

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes
Date: 2/24/2014 at 09:52:20

The Grinnell (IA) Herald
Jan. 22, 1889

MRS. CELESTIA KIRK EDSON

Died at Grinnell, Jan. 16th, Mrs. C.A.K., wife of Prof. H.K. Edson of Iowa College, at the age of sixty-two years and two months.

Mrs. Edson's family name was Kirk, and she was of Scotch descent. Her grandfather, while absent from home in Scotland at mill, was impressed into the British army, never returning home, and sent against America with Gen. Burgoyne. At Saratoga his opposition in the war against the colonies led him to desert to Vermont, from whence the family came into northern New York. She was born at Parishville, Nov. 17, 1826, and fitted for Mt. Holyoke Seminary, at St. Lawrence Academy, Pottsdam. A journey over the Adirondack region and then the "Fifty Mile Woods" brought her to South Hadley. She graduated in 1848, one of the riches products of the work of that extraordinary teacher, Mary Lyon. As the wife of Rev. Eliphal Maynard, a graduate of Amherst, she went that year to Salonica, Turkey. They were missionaries of the American Board to the Jews. She had pleasant recollections of "standing in St. Paul's pulpit at Thessalonica." In nine months Mr. Maynard died, and she passed the remainder of the year at W.G. Schauffler, D.D., a converted Jew, who translated the Bible into the Spanish language written in Hebrew characters. Her preparation for missionary work continued but when the Board turned to other races of the Turkish empire, as promising more ready results, she returned to the home of her brother, Rev. Mr. Kirk, at New York Mills, and subsequently taught at Plattsburg, N.Y., and Lyndon, Vt. The passing of a company of Andover students through the latter place, bound for Lower Canada as colporteurs, under direction of Mr. Edson, led to her marriage to him in 1852. The invitation to take charge of Denmark Academy that year, at the close of Mr. Edson's studies at East Windsor Seminary, Ct., and the opening for missionary work it offered, had strong attraction for her. They lived and labored together at Denmark twenty-six years, during twenty of which Mrs. Edson was lady principal, and in other years teacher of special branches.

(unreadable) and skill, she gave herself to this long and responsible service, combining with it the care of numbers of students and assistant teachers in her own family. Her own superior education and accomplishments, with the power of personal attraction, winning manners, and rare consecration made her unusually useful, and secured the love and gratitude of hosts of young persons. The trustees put on record in 1876 "their testimony to the untiring faithfulness, kindness, Christian earnestness and success with which Mr. and Mrs. Edson for twenty-four years performed the important duties of their trust." Their widely scattered pupils "rise up and call her blessed."

The year closing in 1879, Mr. and Mrs. Edson passed in Europe for rest, study, travel, and the care of Mrs. Edson's health. While there Mr. E. resigned the principalship and took the chair of didactics in Iowa College. During their ten years' residence in Grinnell, with declining health that limited her activity, Mrs. Edson has won the hearts of all who have known her, by the steady and growing moral beauty of her character and life. She combined firmness of conviction and principle with winning ways to an extraordinary degree, and her resources of judgemnt, taste, aptness, foresight and skill were unfailing. Seldom does the goodness of so quiet a life spread its savor so widely.

After a severe surgical operation last week she lingered but a day. On her first return to consciousness she repeated the Savior's words: "Go, teach all nations."--evidencing the permanent and living power of her early missionary consecration. She passed away without pain in unconsciousness.

By her request previously made, Dr. Magoun, a friend of thirty-five years, conducted her funeral in the Stone church, settling forth in the sermon what death is to an earnest and happy Christian. Many friends filled her house before the service to look for the last upon her placid features. Exquisite music by a voluntary quartet, accompanied the services. In the large congregation were the officers of all the banks in town, as well as of the First National, of which her husband is a director--all being closed. She was buried in Hazelwood cemetery.
GEO. F. MAGOUN.