Eliza Matilda (Pascoe) Spears (1836-1909)

BARKER, BOYLSON, BRADEN, BRANDER, COREY, DIPMORE, HENNIFIN, HOWE, KLEMME, LEWIS, MOON, MULLIGAN, NOBLES, PASCOE, SPEARS, SHREVE, SLATTER, WESTING

Posted By: Eileen Reed
Date: 2/10/2024 at 13:07:00

April 17, 1836 --- April 28, 1909

Last week we made brief mention of the death of Mrs. I. D. Spears, who passed away at the home of a sister in Wisconsin, where she was visiting. The remains were brought to this place and funeral services were held in the Methodist church Monday afternoon, May 3rd. Rev. MacLeod, an old time pastor and friend of the family, preached the funeral sermon. Rev. C. E. Chapler also spoke briefly. Data concerning Mrs. Spears will be published in our next issue.

The Times-Gazette --- Eagle Grove, Iowa
May 6, 1909

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Death and Funeral of Mrs. I. D. Spears

Relatives and friends of Mrs. I. D. Spears were shocked April 28th when a telegram was received announcing her death at Ridgeway, Wis., where she, with Mrs. Boylson, Mr. and Mrs. Nobles and Elva Shreve had gone to attend her sister's funeral, Mrs. D. Moon. The party had all returned except Mrs. Spears and she had remained to visit with an aged sister, Mrs. Lewis, who lives there, and with a sister, Mrs. George Moon of Heartwell, Neb. Mrs. Shreve received word the 24th that her mother had taken a cold and asking her to come, and by noon of the next day she was at her mother's bedside.

Mr. and Mrs. Corey and Mr. Shreve also joined them, but they, did not arrive until after her death.

Pneumonia developed and it was evident that the end was near. She was conscious to the last and Mrs. Shreve bestowed upon her the affections that only a daughter can as from her heart came the hope that her mamma might be well again. Mrs. Spears did not know that death was near for repeatingly she told her daughter that she was not going to leave her, but the grim monster death does not ask when or where and her mamma was so sleepy, just fell asleep, undisturbed as Elva called "mamma.”

She had no pain and said that she was better and she was indeed better, for the twilight bells of the angels were ringing and without one parting word she passed from this world of care into the great beyond. How slender is life's silver cord, and how soon it may be broken.

Mrs. Spears came to Eagle Grove twenty-one years ago and had watched with deepest interest our fair city grow to what it is today.

She was quiet and retiring by nature, nevertheless firm in her convictions, persistent in her purposes, steadfast in her friendships and faithful to every trust and to her God.

As a dutiful wife and a tender affectionate mother, she hath done what she could. A kind generous neighbor, always giving to those who had less than she, to the old and feeble, to the poor and to the sick; a true friend and those who gathered about her bier had uppermost the thought in their minds that a strangely perfect and beautiful life had run its coarse and been restored exalted and undefiled to Him who gave it.

She lived a quiet life, was very happy and why she should be taken from the loved ones we cannot understand but in that undiscovered country to which she leads the way, those mysteries will be revealed, and some time we shall know that a long, long life is not the sweetest gift God gives and that, sometimes the sable pall of earth conceals the fairest boon his love can send.

She will be missed and life will seem so imperfect in the family without the mother, yet earth is not all. His angels ever hearken; heaven shall make perfect our imperfect life.

Her faith in Christ was strong, accepted him when a little girl confessed Him and all through life had the faith, read His word and prayed, lived a good life and so it must be well with her. This we do know, that "God will His own in safety keep." She hath not lived in vain.

Eliza Matilda Pascoe was born in Virginia, April 17, 1836. When but a little girl she moved with her parents to Ridgeway, Wis., where, in 1853, she was married to I. D. Spears. To this union were given eight children, five of whom are dead. Three died in early childhood, Eunice six years, Emma four years and Willie two years they were buried at Moscow, Wis. The eldest child Mrs. Albert Braden died seventeen yeas ago and the second daughter, Mrs. H. F. Klemme three years ago; these are buried at Dows lowa. But three are left with the aged father, Mrs. Wm. Boylson, of Eagle Grove; Mrs. F. L. Corey, of Belle Plaine and Mrs. Carmen Shreve, of Eagle Grove. An orphan boy, James Mulligan, who spent his early boyhood in their home and is now on the U. S. ship, Tennessee, was unable to come home.

December 8, 1908, at the close of fifty years of happy wedded life they celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary. Fifty long years of joy and sorrow, of trials, of labors performed and tasks well done and it was well that such a reign was crowned with the most precious, of gifts love and gold.

Rev. Hastings reunited the wedding vows and while they were happy in the thought that their lives had been long together they too knew and realized that the parting must be of short duration and that when the author and giver of all good called them hence it would be onward and upward and that the golden ceremony was only an induction into the city of pure gold. Rev. Hastings addressed them with these words: "Thou hast almost gained the heavenly port, night a little longer then 'twill be eternal morn." Six years have passed since then and now one little bark has sailed out, the wife and mother has passed from the autumn of her life and on to her reward. She has fulfilled each part allotted to her as only a christian mother, a God fearing and God loving woman could. She has come and like the flower has sent out a sweet fragrance in our midst and now even though gone from us, she still lives in our memories.

At Ridgeway, Wis., in her sister's home, short funeral services were conducted by. Rev. Lindsley of the P. M. church, a solo “Nearer my God to Thee" was sung by a niece, Mrs. Henry Lewis. Funeral services at Eagle Grove were held in the M. E. church of which she was a member. The services were in charge of Rev. Chapler, the sermon being, preached by Rev. D. A. MacLeod, a near friend of the family. Rev. Chapler in a few words paid a most fitting and beautiful tribute to the memory of the departed. A solo "Thy Will Be Done" was sung by Mr. T. B. Gardiner. The male quartette sang two numbers "That Beautiful Land" and "We'll Never Say Good-Bye in Heaven". Miss Fannie Bandy sweetly sang "Some Day the Silver Cord Will Break." After an impressive ceremony the remains were laid to rest in the Rose Hill cemetery; it was there that Coburn and Rev. Chapler sang Rock of Ages and just as the dusk of evening kissed the earth and the receding sun dropped in the western sky Rey. Chapler said the words of resignation "Earth to earth dust to dust," and we left her with him who giveth his beloved sleep.

The pall was borne by loved ones, the four sons by marriage: Wm. Boylson, H. F. Klemme, J. F. L. Corey, Carmen Shreve and a grandson Eugene Braden and nephew Chas. Nobles.

To the husband and to the daughters who loved her with tenderest affection there goes out in fullest measure the sympathy of many friends. The manifestation of sympathy was given expression in many beautiful floral offerings and tears of sympathy for the surviving loved ones were shed in many Eagle Grove households.

Those from out of town were a daughter, Mrs. F. L. Corey and Mr. Corey of Belle Plaine, H. F. Klemme of Dows, a granddaughter, Miss Blanche Howe of Rowan, a grandson Eugene Braden of Dysart, granddaughter, Mrs. C. E. Slatter, Mr. Slatter and baby of Des Moines, a sister, Mrs. Geo. Moon of Heartwell, Neb., D. B. Spears, Orville Spears and Mrs. John Dipmore of Chicago, Mrs. Harley Hennifin, Mr. and Mrs. M. Hennifin and son of Austin, Minn., Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Spears and son of Blanchardsville, Wis., Mr. and Mrs. Evan Lewis of Dodgeville, Wis., H. Lewis, Hattie Brander and Will Moon of Ridgeway, Wis., Ed Westing of Hastings, Neb., H. H. Barker of Algona and Rev. D. A. MacLeod of Odebolt.

Mr. Spears and family feel very grateful to their many relatives and friends who were so generous in sympathy and untiring in assistance in their recent bereavement.

The Times-Gazette --- Eagle Grove, Iowa
May 13, 1909