Descendants of

Into Dark Valley-Dr. Hannah C. Roous enters After a Life Well Spent.
County's only woman Physician Dyes after a Lingering Illness. Funeral Held Sunday.

Dr. Hannah C. Rous, probably the best known woman in the county and a practicing physician in this city since 1882, died at her home on West Main Street. on Friday morning. May 12, at 8 o'clock. The Doctor had been ill for almost a year with slight periods in that time when she bid fair to recover. Almost a year ago she was operated upon for hernia and after a long period of most careful nursing was able to resume her practice, though only in a way limited to her small store of strength.

Some six weeks ago she was again stricken, this time with an attack of spotted fever, and though she had the best of attention, it availed nothing and her death came at the close of what her friends felt was destined to be a losing fight. Only her remarkabel [sic] vitality and sheer will power kept her alive in the last days.

Dr. Hannah C. Rous was born on the old Rous homestead near Mr. Sterling on Jan. 12, 1854 and at the time of her death was a little more than 51 years of age. She obtained the foundation for her education in the district schools which she faithfully attended until she was 15 years of age, when she entered the Vevay High School, graduating therefrom in 1871. She then began teaching in the schools of the county and during all the long years which she taught she was unusually successful.

She then concluded to take up the study of medicine which she did, graduating from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor with the class of 1882. She then began her life work as a physician in Vevay where she has spent an unusually busy life.

During that time she endeared herself to countless hundreds of people in the county. She possissed [sic] great skill and with it an unfailling cheeriness and good humor.

Early in life she became a member if the M.E. Church and was always a faithful and devout follower of its teaching. She was a very charitable woman and many were the wants she relieved in her quiet and gentle way.

She leaves an aged mother whose happiness and welfare was her chief care, two brothers, Amie and Frank Rous of near Mt. Sterling and two sisters, Mrs. Ben N. Davis of near Mt. Sterling and Mrs. Nathan Walden of Ashland Kansas.

The funeral services were held from her late residence on Sunday afternoon. Rev. Charles W. Lee officiated, assisted by Rev. J. Nelson Jerman of the Vevay M.E. Church. The Switzerland County Medical Society, of which Dr. Rous was an honored member, attended in a body, six of the number acting as pall bearers. The vast outpouring of friends to pay the last mark of respect to her memory was a striking testimonial of the love that all classes bore for her. The remains were interred in the family lot in the Vevay, Cemetery.

"I have frequently heard (my siblings) speak of the good times they had when over at "Grand-Daddy's." But it was all over when I got old enought to remember the visits my parents would make when they took em with them. They talked a broad Scottish broque and in my youthful days I found it often difficult to understand what they wer etalking about and how natura it was when either they were visiting our home or we were over at their's for my father to fall into his native Scotch brogue, nearlify if not quite as broad as that of my grandfather and grandmother."

"Just why my grandparents concluded to emigrate to America is something that It was never my good fortune to know. It is very probably that it was on account of the continuous wars that had been destroying much of the youth of the country. Grandfather's two brothers both lost their lives in the British Navy and seeing that he bid fair to have a family of some size, he must have taken a forecast of what his chances were, as compared with what they were in remaining in his native land. His brother-in-law, William Huchison, had planned to go with him and they both were betting ready to sail at a certain time but just at that time is brother-in-law's father died and he felt called upon to defer sailing until a later time in order that he might be able to settle up his fathers estate before leaving. The result was my grandparents never saw these relatives after they sailed. Peace had been declared among the nations and the delay of sailing caused the brother-in-law to make other arrangements and within a year or so it became evident that the Bonaparte menace had been permanently retired by the sending that disturber to the Island of St. Helena to stay for life. And all the nations being worn and financially wrecked were very glad to abide by the treaties made and return to ways of peace. 

"So it was that William Huchison and his growing family concluded to remain in Scotland and my grandparents with their rapidly growing family were away on the rolling deep and over in the new country, looking for wome place where they might abide and call their own. 
They landed in Philadelphia some time in June 1816, and at once, Grandfather began to cast about for a location. At the time, with peace prevailing - - the War of 1812 being settled with satisfaction to all - - the West was being advertised as a land flowing with milk and honey. His attention was very naturally drawn to the Ohil Valley as one of the most desirable places to locate. The Indian wars were over. No more was the Redman to contend for its forests and its game. The miamis, the many streams that fed the waters of the Ohil and the fertility of its soil was all heralded by the real estate companies and it did not take long for my grandparentsa to conclude that the Ohio Valley was one of the best places to locate, among the many offered. Their household goods, broght over with them, had been reduced to a minimum upon leaving Scotland.

"So purchasing a horse and a light wagon, they loaded their trunks and, with grandmother and their babies, set out on the highway that at the time was a well-traveled thoroughfare, for Pittsburgh. I have hears my father say that he walked every foot of the way from Philadelphia and that his two sisters older than he, Elizabeth and Margaret, and his younger sister, Mary all were like him in using their young muscles in riding "Shank's Pony."