RAINES, George (1825-1904)

RAINES

Posted By: Carol Morrison (email)
Date: 8/3/2006 at 08:03:10

Obituary from the Toledo Chronicle, Toledo, Iowa, Thursday, March 24, 1904:
"GEORGE RAINES
George Raines was born in Philadelphia Nov. 22, 1825. His father, John Raines, was an English clergyman who came to this country about the year 1821. Another son, John Raines, was a well known clergyman in New York state and was pastor of some large and important churches. The family moved to Canandaigua, NY when the subject of this sketch was seven years old. Here he grew to manhood, was educated and converted and joined the M. E. Church. Here also he was married to Lorena E. Sheldon on Feb. 23, 1848. Six children were born to them, all of whom are living except Lillias who was called to the upper home and rest a little more than a year ago. Brother Raines came to Toledo in 1855 and was joined here by his family one year later. He and his wife united with this church soon after coming to the town, and his membership has been here continuously exept while he was member of conference and pastor at other places. He was called to the ministry and was admitted to this Upper Iowa Conference at its session in Marshalltown in 1861. Of a class of fifteen who were admitted at the same time, Rev. J. G. Wilkinson is the only one living who retains his membership in the conference, and he has been a long time a superannuate. Mr. Raines was appointed to Quasqueten as his first charge; the next year he was sent to Linwood, and the next to Shellsburg, and the next to Big Grove where he remained two years. His fifth appointment was at LaPorte City, which he also served two years, and then took a supernumerary relation in the conference. In 1870 he was made effective and appointed to West Irving, and the next year to Chelsea and in 1873 he located, and has held his credentials as a local preacher since, doing what preaching he could to assist his brethren in the ministry. As a preacher he was earnest and fervent true always to the Master's honor; not shunning to declare the whole Gospel of God, and was so successful that hundreds were brought to repentance and saved to the Kingdom. He shrank not from the exposure and toil and all the self sacrifice of the pioneer ministry, and it was only the breaking of his health and his solicitude for his family that moved him to surrender his active place in the ministry. His heart has always been in the work, and the greatest pleasure of his life has been to see Zion prosper. After retiring from the effective ministry, he studied law and was admitted to the bar and gave his attention to law so long as health would permit. A year ago he was very sick when his daughter Lillias was taken, and his life was despaired of at that time, but the native vigor of his constitution asserted itself and he was restored to fairly good health for one of his age until recently when taking cold, la grip complicated with heart weakness did their fatal work, and Thursday morning (March 17) at nine fifteen his soul passed without bodily struggle and he was at rest.

The funeral was held at the residence at 12 o'clock last Sunday (March 20), Dr. F. M. Coleman of the M. E. Church officiated, with Mrs. Elouise Taylor and Misses Lulu Studebaker and Hattie Philips to provide the music. George Kline, W. G. Malin, Wesley Johnston, George Fee, and Isaac Stoner acted as pallbearers. Burial was in Woodlawn (Cemetery)."