Friday, March 10, 1899 - LOUISBURG HERALD - Page 3, Column 6

"Mrs. Mary Ann Wise, wife of George W. Wise, died at her home 8 miles east of Paola, on Thursday, February 23rd, 1899, at 1:30 P.M. Had she lived until next August, she would have been 74 years old. She was born in Hamilton Co. Ohio, close by the Indiana line near Elizabethtown, Aug. 26, 1825. Her maiden name was Dowdell.

On July 13, 1843, she was married to Mr. Wise in Vermillion Co. Indiana, and their children Flora, William H., John Harvey, Philena, Frank, Josephine, Ellen and Isaac were born there. After coming to Kansas, Rose A., Lillie, Mary, Minnie B. and Louisa were born in this county. Flora, now Mrs. Martin Dale, resides near Cedarvale, Kansas John Harvey, in Pomona, Calif.; and Isaac in Cleveland, Mo. Rose A. and Minnie are buried in the Cashman cemetery and the rest live here - William, Philena, who is Mrs. S.B. Rainey, Frank, Ellen, who is Mrs. B.J. Sheridan, Josephine, who is Mrs. J.E. Russell, Lillie, who is Mrs. George H. June, Mary, who is Mrs. David Wilson, and Louie, who is unmarried and at home. A brother, Henry Dowdell, lives at Lodi, and a sister, Mrs. Rebecca Alerson, at Perryville, both in Indiana.

In February, 1876, Mrs. Wise united with the Methodist church and if ever faithfully a person lived an exemplary christian life she surely did. Hers was the religion of faith and good works and she rounded out her long and useful life as pure in hear as when she began as a child. She was good by nature. Church but added outward grace to her innate nobility of soul. Baptism and prayer could but adorn and refine the moral grandeur of this grand woman. There are mothers born not only the image of God but the incarnation of all that is good in life of which man knows anything by research or revelation; She was one of them. If the decalogue had never been given or known till after her death, it would have been found that her whole life had been in consonance with its commands, for truth and charity inspired her every act. Joy and suffering alternated with the sunshine and darkness of her life.

When the father dies the family tree is cut down, but from the ground may again come its branches. Not so when the mother goes; for then the tap root is torn out and though the trunk still stand, its hold of earth and nourishment are gone. Its growth stops, its bright foliage returns no more. The family tree is dying, dead.

The funeral took place last Saturday the 25th ult. services being conducted by Rev. Jones, of Somerset, at the residence and at the grave. Burial was in the Cashman cemetery, south of Louisburg, where notwithstanding the worst cold rain storm of the winter, a large number of relatives and neighbors attended to observe the last solemn rites and attests their love and respect for the honored and faithful wife, mother and friend.

No condoling words to relatives need to be said. It was a happy death in that she lived her time; saw her sons all sober, useful men ere the winter of years beckoned her to return to earth; saw her daughters raising families by the wholesome precepts and examples of her life and then, under he own roof, mind clear and body free from pain, she closed her eyes in that slumber of which happiness in eternity is the awakening. -