Elizabeth Dealy was born on 29. Dec. 1824. She married
William Henry Harrison Reeder, son of
George Huff Reeder and
Margaret Benham Van Cleve, on 17. Aug. 1847. Elizabeth Dealy died on 6. Apr. 1892 at age 67. In Memoriam
Mrs. Elizabeth Reeder's maiden name was Dealy. Her father, Wm. N. Dealy (it is thought a native of New York) migrated from Tennessee to North Carolina and married there Mary Lizzie Daner, and afterwards removed to Madison County, Kentucky, where Mrs. Reeder was born on December 29, 1824. When she was about six years of age, her parents moved to Decatur County, Indiana, where she came to the years of womanhood under the parental roof, and received a fair education. While engaged as a schoolteacher, she was first seen by William H. H. Reeder and at once gained his admiration and affection; and they were married at her father's residence on August 27, 1847. They lived happily in each other's confidence and affection till the husband's death, June 24, 1885, nearly 38 years.
For a few years past, Mrs. Reeder has had some threatening attacks of sickness and has been especially bad the past year. Finally after nearly three weeks of severe sickness, she breathed her last, at her home, the evening of May 6, 1892, aged sixty-seven years, 4 months, and 7 days.
A few months after their marriage Mr. And Mrs. Reeder came to this home where except one year away, they remained until death, and where they well deserved the confidence and esteem of all who were acquainted with them.
To Mr. And Mrs. Reeder were born four daughters and three sons. One son and one daughter preceded them to the spirit land. The surviving three daughters and two sons are all married and live in this and Delaware Counties. Her children were almost constantly with her in her last sickness and possible for her relief and comfort, and are here today as mourners over the loss of a most faithful and affectionate mother whom they appreciated and dearly loved, and with them in like grief are gathered a number of her grandchildren.
In her youth, Mrs. Reeder became a member of the Church of United Brethren in Christ; but for some reason she soon after united with the Disciples Church (Christian) of which she continued a member till after her removal to this county, when she received a letter of good standing which she retained until her death, never further uniting with any church organization, though all these years a devout believer.
She talked in her last sickness of her trust in God and confident hope of heaven. We have no reason to doubt here acceptance with God.
In her last sickness she often expressed her desire to die. Her sufferings were very severe, but at the close, she went almost without a struggle. She died in the bosom of her family and rests from life's tolls and sufferings.
It is not to be asserted that Mrs. Reeder had none of the weaknesses and infirmities of soul which are common inheritance of all the human family. But such was the strength of her character, that these certainly almost or entirely escaped common observation - if they were ever manifested at all.
Among Mr. Reeder's striking characteristics were integrity, good sense, and womanly dignity. In all these qualities she excelled. She was modest, unassuming and very humble in spirit, but a native dignity dwelt within her soul, clothed her form, sat upon her countenance and spoke in her words and actions. With her it was perfectly natural. It could not have been otherwise. She was discreet and thoughtful in speech and action. She had a loving confiding heart. Unfailing kindness was one of her characteristics. No one was a truer friend.
Her confidence, if fairly won, could not be shaken, and her friendship was as uniform as it was unfailing. In uprightness of purpose, and life, she never failed, nor did she seem to have any temptation to deviate from the path of rectitude.
All of her conversation and life evinced her undeviating confidence in the truth of the Christian religion. She never uttered a word or did an act that admitted of any other view. One could not be with her at any time without feeling that she was experimentally acquainted with Christianity. Her spirit, her manner, her conversation, and her life seem imbued with it. She was far from being loud in her profession; but her conversation, and deportment, were the loudest kind of profession. One could not have taken her for anything else than a devout believer in Christ.
In conversation with her, in her last sickness she expressed her confident trust in God; but also her sense of the fact that she had done so little good. All might say the same, and with so much good reason. But a good wife, a good mother, an irreproachable Christian woman cannot live a long life in any family and in any community, without doing much good.
A star shines none the less brightly because it does not see its own silvery beams. I have been acquainted with Aunt Reeder for forty-four years and much of that time intimately, and I am sure there was never a blot on her character. Her character was unusually consistent. Thus I have seen her. She was an amiable woman, a womanly woman, and a grand woman.
Mrs. Reeder was human. Her human nature was well developed and we love her the more that it was so. Our sympathies do not go out toward angels. I am talking of her as a human being - a pure and noble woman. At best we are saved only by grace; and
rightly she felt that she had no merit to boast. Her views of herself in the sight of God were very humble.
Aunt was a woman of patient toil; she suffered not a little of the infirmities of this life; she gradually neared the grave; she rests from life's toils and pains and sorrows. God giveth her blessed sleep. Aunt was domestic. Her sphere was in the home and family. Her husband and her children lived in her heart. And so she lives yet in the hearts of those who survive her, and ever will live. May they all initiate her virtues and share her home above.
It may be thought that I speak of her strongly; If so, I may say that in over two score years of acquaintance, I have no recollection of anything in her life that would permit me to speak otherwise. Her undeviating kindness to me would furnish ample apology, if any were needed, but none is needed.
We lay away Aunt's weary body where she will rest beside the companion of her youth, so dearly loved. Never hearts loved more promptly nor more abidingly. In life they were one; in death they are not divided, and we confidently hope that their souls together are now enjoying the heavenly inheritance. They were much unlike each other and yet they were much alike in many noble characteristics. Their characters are a rich inheritance to their children.
---Milton Wright, Grant Co., Indiana
May 8, 1892, Grant Co., Indiana.