VAN SANT LYDIA

SHE PLANNED HER OWN FUNERAL.

Collected and Transcribed by

Sue Rekkas

      Mrs. Lydia Van Sant, one of the earliest settlers in Scott County, died at her home in LeClaire at 8 o’clock this morning.  Mrs. Van Sant was 94 years of age and very vigorous.  Of late she had been ailing and her sons and daughters had been at her side until a few days ago, when they left thinking she was recovering.

      Mrs. Van Sant is well known in the Mississippi valley.  She is the wife of the late Captain John Wesley Van Sant and mother of S. R. Van Sant, ex-governor of the state of Minnesota.

     The funeral arrangements have not been made because of the absence of the Children.

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The Daily Times, Saturday, March 3, 1906, page 5.

FUNERAL WILL BE ON SUNDAY

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LATE MRS. VAN SANT WILL BE BURIED IN LECLAIRE.

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Most of Her Family Have Arrived and Set Hour for Obsequies at 2 O’clock in Afternoon.

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The funeral of the late Mrs. Lydia Van Sant, whose death occurred yesterday morning in LeClaire, will be held Sunday afternoon at 2 o’clock from the late residence in LeClaire.  Rev. Mr. Stevens, formerly pastor of the Methodist Church in LeClaire will conduct the services.         Samuel Van Sant, son of Mrs. Van Sant, and former governor of Minnesota, arrived last evening from Minneapolis and the other members of the family, who were not present at the end, are arriving today.  Captain Van Sant telephoned the funeral arrangements to Davenport this morning.

Lydia and John Wesley Van Sant

      A number of the old friends of the family will go to LeClaire tomorrow afternoon to attend the funeral.  The remains will be interred by the side of the body of her husband, who preceded her in death four years ago.

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The Davenport Democrat and Leader, Sunday, March 4, 1906, page 5.

FUNERAL OF MRS. LYDIA VAN SANT

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Will Be Held Today from the Family Home in LeClaire.

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Services Will Be Conducted by Rev. Stevens, Pastor of the LeClaire M. E. Church.

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     The funeral of the late Mrs. Lydia Van Sant, mother of ex-Governor Sam Van Sant of Minnesota, will be held at 2 o’clock this afternoon from the family home in LeClaire.  Services will be conducted by Rev. Stevens, pastor of the Methodist church at that place.

     Mrs. Van Sant would have been 94 years of age had she lived until May 5 of the present year.  She is survived by four children, also several grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

     The children are A. C. Van Sant of Chicago; Mrs. Hester Harris, Kirksville, Mo.; Captain Sam Van Sant , St. Paul and N. G. Van Sant of Sterling, Ill.

     Captain Sam Van Sant arrived at LeClaire Saturday from Battle Creek, Mich., at which place his wife is confined at a sanitarium recovering from the effects of a broken arm which she sustained some time ago by falling upon the slippery pavement after a storm near the family home in LeClaire.

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The Daily Times, Monday, March 5, 1906, page 7.

MRS. VAN SANT’S REMAINS INTERRED

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BODY LAID AWAY TO REST IN LECLAIRE CEMETERY

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Large Crowd of Friends Join With Children in Playing Their Last Respects

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The funeral of the late Mrs. Lydia Van Sant, whose death occurred in LeClaire Friday morning, was held Sunday afternoon, from the home and after a large number of friends and the relatives had paid their last respects to the dead; the remains were laid away to rest in the LeClaire cemetery, beside the body of her husband.        The services were conducted by Rev. Stevens of Clinton, formerly the pastor of the Van Sants at the LeClaire Methodist Church and a warm personal friend of the family.  The remains were conveyed from the home to the Methodist Church at 2 o’clock accompanied by the children, many of the grandchildren, other relatives and friends.  After the simple ceremony and eulogy at the church, the remains were carried to the cemetery, where they were interred with a prayer.      The pallbearers, old friends of the family, were Captain George Tromley, Elmer McCraney, Walter Blair, W. A. Sirk, A. H. Marshall and Harry Gault.

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The Davenport Democrat and Leader, March 5, 1906, page 2.

DIRECTED HER OWN FUNERAL

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Mrs. Lydia Van Sant Died in the Fullness of Preparedness.

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Before Death She Came Out of the Shadows and Saw Only Sunshine Ahead.

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     “Prepare to meet thy God,“ was the parting message of Mrs. Lydia Van Sant of LeClaire, Iowa, the venerable mother of ex-governor Sam Van Sant of Minnesota.  Mrs. Van Sant evidentially believed that leaving this parting message for her friends and neighbors was a fitting culmination of 94 years of life and good works, and it made her funeral Sunday afternoon, an occasion very different from the ordinary funeral service.

    When Rev. Stevens of Clinton, Ia., a former pastor at LeClaire and old family friend, rose to deliver the funeral sermon he stated that he felt rather handicapped, as Mrs. Van Sant had not only chosen the text for her funeral sermon, but had left directions as to how she wished it handled.  “Prepare to meet thy God” was the text, the word she wished to leave behind for those who came after her.  Before death she had shrunk from laudation and the usual biographical review of her 94 years, and words, she had said, could be more profitably employed than in sympathy with those whom she was going after so long a life.

    “She spoke from the gathered wisdom of years,” said the Rev. Stevens.  “This is no occasion for tears.  Mrs. Van Sant awaited the end with no doubt of the future.  Her death means a loss to her friends, the old Van Sant household is broken up after half a century of tranquil happiness so far as that state is realized here below, but hers is the gain.”

     It was an unusual funeral in other ways.  Of the children whom it brought back to the old home, Mrs. Hester Harris, who came from Los Angeles, Cal., is herself 72 years old, and a great grandmother.

     Mrs. Van Sant was clear-minded to the last, although she was entirely deaf long before her death.  On Dec. 7, 1905, the wedding anniversaries of ex-Governor and Mrs. Van Sant and of Captain and Mrs. Walter Blair, which fall on the same day, were observed at a dinner party with the venerable woman.  Although unable to hear the conversation at the table, Mrs. Van Sant followed it with sparkling eyes, and frequently contributed a bright remark, relevant or otherwise, to what she thought the others had been discussing.  At the close she rose and made a little address in which she said she realized that she has outlived her time, but that she was thankful for the blessings that had lined her path.

     “I have passed through some shadows,” said the venerable woman, “but there is nothing ahead of me but sunshine.”

     In that confidence she awaited the end, and her preparedness was illustrated by the fact that she had even outlined her funeral.

     The pallbearers were Captain Elmer McCraney, Captain George Tromley, Captain W A Shirk, Captain Walter A. Blair, H. E. Gault and A. H. Marshall.

     There was a large attendance, including from Davenport Captain and Mrs. John McCraffrey, Captain and Mrs. W. A. Blair, Miss Davenport, Milton Parkhurst, Robert Rathmann, and Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Richardson.

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