|
Mrs. Mary "Keister" Johnston The Toledo Chronicle Death has again visited our community and sadness has settled upon a wide circle of broken hearted. Mrs. Mary Johnston, (better known to our people by the more endearing name of mother Johnston) died on Tuesday the 5th inst, at about one o'clock P. M. at the residence of her daughter, Mrs. Yeiser. Her disease was pronounced by her physicians to be pneumonia. She was sick but a few days, and it was the first serious sickness of her life; but she had at first a premonition that she would not survive. But her premonition did not trouble her. She had no fear of death, but met it with absolute composure, believing as she did without the least mingling of doubt, that on the other shore she would find only rest, happiness and peace. The deceased was born at Mount Pleasant, Westmoreland Co., Pa. Jan 22, 1812, and had just entered upon the 67th year of her age. She resided at the place of her birth until the spring of 1872, when she removed to Toledo, Iowa, where most of her children had preceded her, and where she has since resided. In 1832 she was married to U. S. Johnston, whom she leaves surviving her. She leaves also, three sons and six daughters, all but one of whom live, or have lived in and about Toledo, and are well know to most of the readers of the CHRONICLE, the other being Mrs. Isaac Stauffer of Mt. Pleasant, Pa. Mrs. Johnston united with the U. B. church at Mt. Pleasant Pa. About the year 1830, of which church she has been a faithful, devoted and exemplary member for the last 48 years. She was one of the few who showed their faith by their works, and not by words. She devoted her life to the proper rearing of her large family, and as all but one of her children at her request, stood around her death bed, she looked upon them and called their names with satisfaction and felt that she had not lived in vain. She possessed great independence of character and held very decided convictions on all occasions of morality and duty. She fully accorded to others the same liberty of opinion and action whch she exercised for her self. Hence she never found fault and never disputed with others. Unlike most people of strong convictions, she had no enemies, but all who knew her were her friends. Quiet, devoted, industrious, patient, unobtrusive, independent and blameless, she responded fully to all the demands of life, and having finished her course with joy, she has gone to her reward. Submitted by:Gary Wade (GaryWOTR@aol.com) For more on the Johnston family see newspaper articles July 8, 1875 |