BALES, Mary Elizabeth Ewbank - 1909 - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

IN MEMORIAM – MARY ELIZABETH BALES On Nov. 12, 1843 there came to bless the home of David and Margaret Ewbank a daughter, Mary Elizabeth. She grew to to young woman-hood in Parke Co., Ind. When at the age of 16 or 17 years her mother was called to her eternal reward leaving Lizzie, as she was familiarly known, with the care of the home. At the age of 23, on Sept. 14, 1866, she was united in marriage to Edward P. Bales five children came to bless this home, two of whom had gone and were waiting for mother on the eternal shore. About forty years ago she claimed the reward of the Heavenly Father by declaring her self to be a joint heir with Jesus Christ and joined the United Brethern church at Centenniel. A claim which she has never relinquished. The most of her life was spent in or near this community except 13 years which were speut in Tennessee. She was a member of Fountain Chapter No. 204 order of the Eastern Star, having been innitiated March 23, 1899 Being so situated a few years later that she could not well attend, she dropped her membership from the order, but having recently expressed a desire that, she might still be a member at a special meeting called Jan. 15, 1909 she was reinstated and for almost a month previous to her death she enjoyed all the rights and benefits of the order. Being of a jovial disposition and having a ruggid constitution she had for a number of years enjoyed more of health and happiness than is allotted to most of us, but almost a year and a half ago her health began failing very rapidly. That dread disease tuberculosus had fastened itself upon her in one of its most peculiar forms baffling the skill of the best physicians and surgeons. She endured the privations of the hospital and the torture of the surgeon’s knife with a vain hope that health and happiness might be restored, but all in vain. The enemy of her body was not to be conquered and on Feb. 13, 1909 it claimed its victim at the age of 63 years, 3 months and 1 day. Giving her soul the freedom for which she had no earnestly prayed in the last days of her suffering that she might go home to Jesus …….. She leaves to feel the keen sting of bereavement a husband, an aged father, one son, two daughters, eleven grand-children, four sisters, four brothers and host of friends and neighbors. She was a dutiful daughter, a faithful wife, a loving mother, an indulgent grand mother, a true friend and a good neighbor, all there ties of affection in one brief moment snapped asuuder, but we weep not as those that have no hope, for we know full well that if we are faithful to the God in whom she placed her trust it will be but a few brief years until the broken threads may be taken up and all may be reunited where pain, and sickness, and sorrow, and parting are unknown and teared no more. – jlr