Ruby E. Schmidt 1891-1905

SCHMIDT

Posted By: Volunteer - Rich Lowe
Date: 8/30/2002 at 09:57:45

TAKEN HOME EARLY.

RUBY E. SCHMIDT.

Miss Ruby E. the eldest child of Wm. F. Schmidt and wife was born in Bonaparte, Feb. 11, 1891, and died April 12, 1905, in the home of her birth, never having lived in any other. She lived just fourteen years, two months and one day.

She was ill about two weeks with rheumatic fever and heart complications resulting in death. She seems to have had premonitions of death, having while yet in attendance at school selected the hymns “Meet Me at the Portal,” “Beckoning Hands,” “Somewhere the Sun is Shining,” “Sometime We’ll Understand,” and “Have Faith in God” to be sung at her funeral. She also selected as pall bearers her classmates the Misses Grace Woods, Rosa Hamlin, June Henry, Grace Meredith, Monta Ryland and Lena Noske, and designated the M.E. church as the place and the M.E. pastor as the officiating clergyman. Thus before taking ill and all through her illness she seems to have resigned herself to death.

On the night of April 7 her aunt Rosa being in attendance testifies to her having full consciousness and praying audibly, repeating several times “O, Lord, take me home. O, hurry up.” Then saying to her aunt she had seen children in heaven with whom she had been acquainted before their death.

On the afternoon of March 5 of this year she was at the revival services at and when the alter call was given came forward and found Jesus in the forgiveness of her sins. Within a few days afterward an interested party called at her home and talked with her about her religious experience when she expressed herself as being glad she had made the start.

During her illness she showed great appreciation of the painstaking care and anxiety for her in administering to her every want, expressing herself as fearing they would wear themselves out in caring for her.

She belonged to the A grade in the Grammar department of the public schools and spoke kindly of her teacher and schoolmates in appreciation of their friendship for her.

Besides her parents and brother nine years old she leaves to mourn her decease the grandparents on her father’s side, Mr. and Mrs. Christian Schmidt; four uncles and three aunts by kinship, and two uncles and two aunts by marriage; her mothers side, one uncle.

Funeral services were held at the M.E. church Friday, April 14, at 2 P.M., her pastor, Rev. When, officiating, with interment in the Bonaparte cemetery.

Source: Entler Scrapbooks, vol. 3, Iowa Historical Library, Iowa City, IA