Webster - William
Source: Found in a collection of old obituaries saved by Mary Jo Johnson, found in Crawfordsville District Public Library. We appreciate Mary Jo's willingness to share these. (Used with permission)
(Handwritten in is: 16 Apr 1915. )
Again the angel of death has visited this community and this time plucked the form of William Webster the oldest child of a family of ten children, son Samuel and Betty A. Webster, of which two brothers and one sister survive: John A. Webster of Cleveland O., Tilla M. Marshall, of Ulysses, Kansas, and Jesse B. Webster of Los Angeles, Cal.
William Webster was born in Parke county, Indiana, Nov. 13, 1845, and departed this life at the age of 69 years, 4 months and 27 days. He was united in marriage to Mary Jane Clodfelter Dec. 24, 1868. The fruits of this union were seven children: Chas. T., Harvey T. and Oscar a. Webster, Emma E. Leasure, Nellie E. Tucker, all of Russellville; Clora Alice Etcheson of Bainbridge, and Lula E. Webster, who passed to the great beyond Aug. 14, 1882, at the age of 9 years.
His lamp of life burned low only a few short hours and its last feeble flame died out Friday evening at 6:30 o'clock, April 9, 1915, after a brief illness of apoplexy. He had gone to Greencastle to transact some business and shortly after putting his horse in the Hinton Livery barn, became sick and laid down on a cot. He soon revived and sat up of the cot and told some jokes, but when he got up to start home he was suddenly stricken with apoplexy and became unconscious at once. The family were all by his side when he fell asleep to awaken in a in a better and brighter world.
His life ended so far as earthly day is concerned, but in the hearts of those who loved him so, he is a living presence making stronger the tie between earth and heaven. To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.
He, with his wife, joined the church of the Brethren at Ladoga under the ministry of Wm. Harshbarger about thirty-five years ago in the fall of 1880. The great esteem and affection with which he has always been regarded by all who knew him, furnishes ample testimony of the loving Christian life he lived. His Christian faith and belief was put in daily practice by him in his home and among his friends and neighbors in such a way as to endear him in the hearts and minds of all. Sacred and blessed and forever enduring are the beautiful and comforting memories of this friend, husband and father.
Although he has gone to fill a vacancy in heaven, we realize that he prepared to do more blessed work in that bright and happy land. He is survived by a faithful wife, six loving children, fifteen grandchildren, two brothers, one sister and a host of relatives and friends to mourn his loss, to which we extend our heartfelt sympathy.
His love and devotion for his family was full to the overflowing and was broad and deep enough not only to embrace them but also to extend to his neighbors and friends as well.
Next to the joy that flows from God's throne is the light of a beautiful and unselfish life finding its home in the bosom of the Father.
(The rest - 9 lines - is very difficult to read. )
Source: Found in a collection of old obituaries saved by Mary Jo Johnson, found in Crawfordsville District Public Library. We appreciate Mary Jo's willingness to share these. (Used with permission)
William Webster, one of the Leader's old subscribers and one who paid yearly subscriptions for others, died at Greencastle last week. He lived' near Russellville. Appoplexy was the cause of his death and he was taken without warning. He was an industrious, honest and upright citizen, an honor to the community in which he lived. He lived a life of clean, honest usefulness. To say more would be more than he desired.