''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Suggested edit: O B I T U A R Y — The Evening Times. Cumberland, Maryland. Monday, January 20, 1896, p. 1.
A NOBLE WOMAN DEAD.
Mrs. James A. Millholland Dies After a Lingering Illness
— A Sketch of Her Useful and Beautiful Life.
At 8:30 o'clock this morning, Mrs. James A. Millholland died at her home on Washington street, in the fiftieth year of her age. For months Mrs. Millholland had been critically ill and for weeks knew that she could not recover.
With that beautiful calmness and determination which has characterized her life, she awaited death — resigned to the Father's will, and certain of eternal peace. Her life here was a long and continuous preparation for the glorified life beyond the grave; it has left its impress for good upon the community, made better by contact with the noble character of this most gifted and womanly woman.
Mrs. Millholland, formerly Miss Virginia Randolph Keim, was born in Reading, Pa., May 4, 1846. Her father was the late John High Keim, of a family of wealthy iron manufacturers and merchants of Reading, Pa., and were political and social leaders of the community in which they lived.
Her late mother was formerly Miss Martha Elizabeth Randolph, of Virginia, a connection of the distinguished Randolph family of that state, and was well known as a refined woman of the "old time," who, next to the care of her own large family, devoted herself largely to the alleviation of the distress of the poor and unfortunate. She had seven children, of whom Mrs. J. A. Millholland was the fourth. Mr. and Mrs. James A. Millholland in their extreme youth, at Reading, Pa., were warmly attached to each other, but in the year 1855 Mr. J. H. Keim and family removed from Reading to Dubuque, Iowa, where they lived for some years, and only after the death of Mr. Keim, the family returned to Reading, their old home, in 1866. Mr. Millholland had just then removed from Reading, Pa., to Mt. Savage, our neighboring town, but met Miss Keim again on his visits to Reading, and on February 4, 1869, after he had become Second Vice-President of the Consolidation Coal company and Cumberland and Pennsylvania railroad company, they were married, and came to Cumberland to live for a short time, where her . . . beauty were generally remarked.
They took up their residence after a few months at "Bruce House," Mt. Savage, and lived there until Dec. 27, 1875, a few days after the death of their second child, when they came to reside in Cumberland in what is known as the "Hoye House," now occupied by Mr. Swartzwelder and family. They lived there until Feb. 24, 1879, when they removed to the "Hebb House," the present home of the family, which Mr. Millholland had previously purchased.
Mrs. Millholland has had twelve bright and vigorous children, but lost two in their early youth. Ten of them survive her, and on Christmas morning last she became a grandmother, by the birth to her daughter, Mrs. W. Milnor Roberts, Jr., of a charming little daughter. The babe was presented to its grandmother when two days old by its father. The grandmother was delighted with the little one. Mrs. Millholland's children are Mrs. W. Milnor Roberts, Jr., Miss Anna Keim, Lewis Curtis, John Keim, Allan Campbell, Randolph, Nona, Wm. McIlvain, Beverly and Martha Millholland.
Mrs. Millholland has been in every sense a true wife and mother, and also has taken a deep interest in all social matters and the general welfare not only of her intimate friends, but a host of the poor. With a kindly interest in all, she had especially that for the poor and unfortunate, and many of them will tell that she remembered them not only in their daily wants, but when the joyous Christmas season came around, and special little gifts should be made for their happiness.
She was also a patriotic woman, and whilst a sympathizer more especially with Southern relatives in their privations and losses during the late civil war, she believed in unionism and was rejoiced that it prevailed. Only within the past year she had visited Richmond, Va., and there meeting many relatives and old friends of her family, and visiting the old estates of her forefathers she expressed a desire to become a member of the Society of the Colonial Dames of America, in Virginia, and on Dec. 6, 1895, she was unanimously elected, with an admitted record of descent from twenty-four distinguished ancestors of colonial times. On Christmas day last, when she was very ill, her husband handed to her an elaborate and beautiful insignia of the society made of gold and blue enamel, which she wore with some little pleasure throughout the day, the first and only time.
The funeral arrangements are not complete. The services will be held in Emmanuel P. E. church, on Wednesday afternoon, at 4 o'clock. Rev. J. Arthur Evans will officiate.
F U N E R A L — The Evening Times. Cumberland, Maryland. Wed., January 22, 1896, p. 4.

This afternoon at 4 o'clock Emmanuel P. E. church was filled with the friends of the late Mrs. James A. Millholland, who sought to pay their tribute of admiration and esteem.
A special choir, composed of the following persons, sang the Burial chant "Lead Kindly Light" and "Hark, hark, my soul, angelic songs are swelling": Director, Charles Raybold; sopranos, Mrs. Robert Craycroft, Mrs. Jno. W. Avirett, Miss Darnell; alto, Mrs. Dory Smith; tenor, Mr. J. H. Thomas; basso, Mr. Jno. A. Fulton.
Rev. J. Arthur Evans conducted the impressive funeral service of the church. The casket was laden with some of the beautiful floral tributes.
The active pall-bearers were: Robert Shriver, Ferdinand Williams, A. R. Lewis, Merwin McKaig, C. L. Bretz, H. Swartzwelder.
The honorary pallbearers were: T. L. Patterson, R. D. Johnson, Sr., W. D. L. Walbridge, Alfred Tucker, R. T. Semmes, Joseph Sprigg.
Among the large number who attended the funeral the following friends and relatives from a distance were noted: Mrs. H. A. Hunter, Mr. Henry Millholland, Mr. Paul D. Millholland, Mrs. Albert Ferguson, Mr. A. K. Stauffer, Mr. D. B. Randolph Keim, Reading, Pa., Mr. and Mrs. T. Beverly Keim, Mr. Alfred Tucker, Mr. J. Millholland Repplier, Philadelphia, Pa.,; Mr. Peyton R. Keim, Cincinnati, Ohio.
The services were most impressive and beautiful, the solemnity of the occasion being increased by the recent removal of the Christmas green from the church.
The interment was made in Rose Hill cemetery.

Contributor: Michael Allen Mudge (50193996) • [email protected]