Editorial
Front Page - Friday, April 2, 2010
Are We There Yet?
Holding off the second deaths
Jay Edwards
My mom recently gave me the book, “have a little faith” by Mitch Albom. In the middle, the author mentions a quote by Thomas Hardy –
They count as quite forgot;
They are as men who have existed
not;
Theirs is a loss past loss of fitful
breath;
It is the second death.
The second death – when the memory of you is no more.
Albom writes that he realizes he doesn’t know the name of his great-grandmother.
How many of us do?
He asks, “How many generations does it take, even in close-knit families, for the fabric to unravel?”
“That’s why,” his old rabbi tells him, “faith is so important. What I believe and have taught about God can go on even after I am forgotten.”
On this Good Friday, I would like to remember three of my ancestors. The following is a letter to my great-great grandfather from a cousin. And next is the obituary for my great aunt. Both appear just as they were written.
Addressed to
Mr. J. S. Edwards
Winchester – Randolph Co.
Indiana
From
Sarah S. Edwards
Holden – Johnson Co.
Missouri
January 29, 1882
Dear cousin:
I will endeavor to answer your letter after a long silence. I suppose you will imagine that I have forgotten you, but by the receipt of this letter you will think different.
We are all about as well as usual. Mother is not very well today. She has the toothache. Father has been sick for nearly a month (but is better now). He had something like the lung fever. Frank has been sick all winter. He first had the Typhoid Fever and after he got over that then it was from one thing to another the whole enduring time. But now for the last two or three weeks he seems to be improving.
We are still living in Holden, one block and a half south of the depot and Bell House (the name of the hotel).
We were surprised to hear that Jessie Hiatt and wife were about to separate. I hope they will not for it may occasion a great deal of trouble.
Is Aunt well? And the kinfolks in general, are they well too? As we never hear from no one there but you.
Is cousin Frankie well and is he going to school? Please tell him to write me a letter, as I have not heard from him for a long time.
There was a good deal of fruit raised here last year, but not as much as the year before. We have had a very nice winter so far. Not any snow to amount to anything and not very cold either.
We were very sorry that Uncle Henry Edwards was dead. I hope we may all so live that we may enter the Kingdom of Heaven. That is my prayer.
Hope you are all enjoying good health.
What was cousin Will’s wife name before he married her?
You must please excuse this lead pencil writing as I have written this in a hurry.
Please write soon and best regards to all.
From
Your cousin
Sarah S. Edwards
•••
Obituary (The Greenfield Republican, February 22, 1923)
Frances Louise Edwards
There is an awesome guest that comes to our every home. Come at morning, noon or night, he is never welcome. This uninvited guest is death.
This grim visitor made his first appearance into the immediate family of Frank and Mary Edwards and took from them the youngest child, Frances Louise. She was born near Westland, Hancock County, Indiana, August 14, 1918, and died of pneumonia at the home of her parents near Fairmont, Indiana at the age of 4 years, 4 months and 25 days. Besides her parents she leaves two brothers, three sisters, two brothers-in-law and three grandparents besides quite a number of other relatives and friends.
She, being the baby and much younger than the rest of the children naturally became the pet of the family, and hence her busy little hands and pattering footsteps will be sadly missed by those of her own home and from whom she never staid away over night.
With our finite understanding it is hard to understand many of the dispensations that come to our lot, but this we know, that we are in the hands of a merciful and all wise God, one who does all things well and never makes a mistake. We know little Frances Louise, that thou are forever gone from our midst,
And the home is so lonely and sad,
But we have more in heaven
today,
Than ever before we have had.
We may not know why death
should come,
To take the dear ones from
our home,
But though our eyes with tears
be dim,
The Lord knows why,
we’ll trust to Him.
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