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Sarah Ann Barker was born at Jamestown, New York,
March 8th, 1821, and departed this life, March 31, 1904, aged 83 years
and 24 days.
She was married to Seth Thompson, Feb'y 15th, 1844, and survived him 10
years. She was the mother of twelve children, seven of whom are
still living -- Mrs. Mary Bigelow and Mrs. W. F. Fritz, Waverly; Mrs. M.
L. Riggs, Polk Twp.; Mrs. E. W. Coburn, Waterloo; S. E. Thompson,
Tenstrike, Minn.; Mrs. Wm. Risk and Charles Thompson, of Granville, N.
Dakota.
Besides children and grandchildren she leaves two brothers and two
sisters to mourn her loss. "Grandma Thompson" as she was familiarly
called, was a woman of unusual activity and health, and continued to
live by herself and to attend to her little household duties to the
last. She had noticeably failed in strength the past year, but had not
given up. In January she went to her daughter's, Mrs. Riggs', to spend a
few weeks and there was overtaken by the weakness of old age from which
she could not rally. She was confined to the bed about six weeks, when
her spirit was released, and the tired body was at rest.
Always quiet and unassuming in all her tastes, she was Quaker-like in
her religious views and simplicity of life. The funeral was held Sunday
afternoon from her own home in this city, Rev. W. Ward Smith
officiating. A large concourse of people were in attendance to pay their
last respects to their old friend and neighbor. The remains were laid to
rest in Harlington cemetery by the side of her husband.
The following clipping was found where she knew it would be seen after
she had "passed on." She had written upon it these words, "I can't
claim all of this but I think I can some of it." Her children feel
she could claim more of it than her modest nature would admit, and that
the sentiment therein is compatible with the life she live:
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MOTHER.
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Unknown Author: "Mother is gone, her gentle
spirit is with the angels, her tired body is at rest. The
wrinkled face is smoothed with the touch of death, the toil worn
hands are folded over the stilled heart and the stiffened figure
is eloquent in its inanimate repose.
"Mother is gone but her memory is revived by a thousand tender
recollections. Her heavenly mission is being perpetuated on
earth where bereaved hearts beat painfully in their desolation,
where her influence for good is the antithesis of the sorrow
that prevails because of her laying down her burden of mortality
for immortality.
"Mother was only a woman. She was a motherly mother, a wifely
wife and a burden bearer for those she loved. There was no
sacrifice so great she would not cheerfully make that her family
might be comfortable and she happy. There was no toil so wearing
that she would not endure it for the betterment of her friends.
There was no privation so great but she would willingly endure
it that others might profit. She was a mother in all the term
implies, she....
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