Weekly Journal Miner
January 25, 1899

Death of Miss Virgie Mulholland.
Camp Verde, Jan19.—(Special Correspondence).— Died near Camp Verde, Arizona, January 17, 1899, Miss Mary Virginia Mulholland, a native of Lake county. Oregon, aged 23 years, 6 months and 17 days. Deceased was the only daughter of Edward B. and Virginia Mulholland.

They moved to Verde valley from Oregon when deceased was about one year old, and remained here four or five years and then moved to Dakota, remaining there fourteen years. During their stay in Dakota she attended the district or common schools, and the normal at Spearfish, South Dakota. While attending the normal her health fail and that dreaded disease, consumption, commenced its work.

She, however, was sufficiently advanced to obtain a certificate as teacher and seemed to regain her health and taught two or three terms of school there.

About four years ago her parents sold out and again moved to Verde valley. The trip overland, camping out and roughing it seemed to have restored her to health, and only a few days after arriving here she obtained a school on Lower Verde, and the next fall commenced a six months' term at Cherry creek, but lacked two or three weeks of completing it on account of failing health.

Since then she has been an invalid, and for the past eight months has been confined to her bed most of the time. Her brief life was blessed with kind loving parents and two brothers and faithful friends. Her mother almost worshiped her and watched and cared for her every want and comfort from the cradle to the grave.

No one except God and this poor broken hearted mother knows the many weary long hours and whole nights she has spent nursing and caring for her beautiful child, when all else except "He who holdeth our lives and destiny in the hollow of His hand," and she were asleep, and the many earnest prayers she has offered —prayers that no one but a mother can offer, asking that her, only daughter be spared to her as a comfort in her declining years. But fate doomed otherwise, and she now sleeps that sleep that knows no awakening. We all know the young may die, old must die; that tomorrow's new made grave may be the spot where the full rounded measure of our merits will be chanted for the first time since nature gave us birth.

Deceased was a member of the Methodist church and about an hour before she died she asked to be propped up in bed that she might talk to the family and her friends, and said she was fully prepared and believed she would go to Heaven, and for them all to be good and meet her there, and asked the hymn, "Abide With Me," be sung at her funeral and asked to be buried near the new church on Lower Verde, which requests were complied with.

The funeral Services were conducted by Rev. Claude Thompson of the M. E. church, and were very touching. The choir sang Blessed Hope, and her favorite, Abide With Me, and at the grave. e'll Never Say Good Bye in Heaven," 'The simple rule of right and wrong guided her as one of nature's noble women in life to meet the welcome of nature's God in death. She does not need our sympathy, let that be bestowed on the living— and may "He who tempers the wind to the shorn lamb" give help and comfort to these people in their sad bereavement, especially the poor heart-broken mother who seems inconsolable over the loss of her only daughter.

There were over 200 people present, the largest number I have ever seen here at a funeral during my sojourn of thirty years in these parts.

Deceased was a niece of W. G. and Henry Wingfield, and a cousin to all the Wingfield boys, and was a favorite with them all, and was liked by everyone for her noble and lady-like ways. A good and noble woman has gone from among us. May she rest in peace. G. W. H