From: "Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert" <iggy29@scican.net>

To: <IADECATU-L@rootsweb.com>

Subject: OBITUARY - REV. ZELAH RANSON PIERCY.

Date: Tuesday, August 07, 2001 10:02 PM

Decatur County Journal

December 24, l903

REV. ZELAH RANSON PIERCY was born January l3, l827, in Wayne County,

Kansas, and at four years of age he moved with his parents to Morgan

County, Illinois. At about the age of l9 years he enlisted in Co. G,

lst Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and at the close of the Mexican war was

mustered out and returned to his home in Illinois. At the age of 23

years, he was converted and united with the M.E. Church, and in about

one year he was licensed to the ministry of the Southern Illinois

Conference.

On May l0, l855, he was united in marriage to MISS EMMA JANE GARDNER, to

this union four children were born; two sons that died in their infancy

and two daughters, one ELIZABETH JANE WALDEN, one FRANCIS ELLEN YOUNG.

About the year l868, he came west with his family and located in Elk

County, Kansas, that being at that time almost a barren wilderness,

there were but very few white people there at that time; his two

daughters died shortly after they were married. ELIZABETH JANE left one

son about sixteen months old to the care of his grandparents and as

their children had all gone on before, LEWIS was a joy and comfort to

them in their reclining years, but darker days were coming, for his

beloved companion died October 26, l897, and after which he has lived

with his sister, MRS. S.F. GATES, the greater part of his time, and at

her home in Decatur County, Iowa, our dearly beloved grandfather,

brother, uncle and friend died, December 7, l903.

Rev. I.N. Woodward, the M.E. Minister of Leon, preached the funeral, the

text was Rev. l4, l3. "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord." He

was laid to rest by the side of one of his little sons in the Shy

Cemetery, December 9, l903. We have thus laid to rest one of our best

citizens, a man ever willing to do his Master's bidding. He leaves

LEWIS WALDEN, his only grandson, one sister, SARAH F., and one brother,

WILLIAM P., and nieces, nephews and a large number of friends to mourn

his departure. But our loss is his gain for we know that he is with his

Savior and his dear loved ones that have gone on before him.

Asleep in Jesus, blessed sleep

From which none ever wakes to weep,

A calm and undisturbed repose,

Unbroken by the last of foes.

Asleep in Jesus, far from thee,

Thy kindred and their grieves may be.

But thine is still a blessed sleep,

From which none ever wakes to weep.

CHAS. R. PIERCY.

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Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert

August 7, 200l

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