Mary Ann Roberts was born at Old Sarasan's Head Inn near Holbeach, Lincolnshire, England, on October 29, 1828, and died at Pierce, Nebraska, on March 3, 1913, aged 84 years, 4 months, and 4 days. She left to mourn her loss, four sons, two daughters, twenty-two grandchildren and nineteen great grandchildren, also a brother.
Miss Roberts passed the early years of her life in the home of her parents and while attending school--a part of the time was spent with the aged grand parents. When she grew to young womanhood she was employed as governess in a well-to-do farmer's family.
On May 3, 1851, she was married to Thomas Thomazin and a new home was established at Weston Hills near that of her parents. Here the first four children, George, John Robert, Rebecca and Thomas were born. She early learned the cares of motherhood, the second son being very frail during the early years of his life, requiring constant attention. Often she expressed a wish that the old family physician might see him to manhood, he having declared that he would never reach that period.
In 1866, learning of the opportunities for advancement in America, the husband decided to emigrate to that country, and leaving her aged parents, the pleasant surroundings of her home and all behind, she set sail from Liverpool, England, in a steamer called "City of London," accompanied by her husband and four children. The journey was a tedious one, and as her husband often said, "Polly was a poor sailor," and although she often longed to see the home folks and for the comforts and conveniences of her life in England, she never expressed a desire to return there. Arriving in America, they went to the home of an old friend in Cook County, Illinois, twenty-three miles northwest of Chicago. Here they secured a small tract of land and on this they made their home while the husband worked at the carpenter trade to increase the finances of the family.
In this home, William, the fourth son was born.
Conditions brought about by the war which closed the year previous to their arrival in America made prices very high and many people who had suffered losses during the war were reduced to dire poverty. Mr. and Mrs. Thomazin settled among a company of Germans and the kindness of their
first neighbors in the new country was never forgotten. How often they have said, "We never want better friends than we found in that little colony in Illinois."
As the years passed, the older sons grew into young manhood and the father began to see the necessity of securing something for them. About this time people began to learn of the cheap lands and favorable conditions offered to home seekers in the west. Finally in 1872, Mr. Thomazin started out to find a new home in Nebraska. He arrived in Columbus on his forty-seventh birthday, March 11, 1872, and settled on a homestead twenty-five miles northwest of that town. The wife followed the following month and found her new home, a little frame shanty, sixteen feet square with the addition made of sod.
It was the only frame building for miles around the other homesteaders all living in sod houses. Here she endured all the hardships and privations of the early pioneer, notable among them being the droughts, the grasshopper years and the Indians. The latter were a source of constant anxiety and although she was never harmed by them, she was often compelled to reduce the supply of provisions to satisfy their wants. The homestead was her home until 1896. More land adjoining was bought at low prices, the country became more thickly settled, advanced methods and convenient machinery bettered matters and now this same farm is situated in the most productive part of the state. Two more children, Watson and Elizabeth, were born in this home and here the Angel of Death entered the family circle for the first time, taking away the husband and father on November 7, 1892.
Deprived of the companion of more than forty years, she took up the burden of care alone, laboring always for the betterment of her children. Finally when the two youngest sons had married and settled in homes of their own, she moved to Lindsay, built a cottage, and made a home for the youngest daughter who was teaching in the public schools of the county. Here in the declining years of her life, on July 22, 1901, she was called upon to give up her first-born, her eldest son and although for many weeks her physical strength seemed unable to endure the great sorrow, her Christian faith sustained her and she tried to be a comfort to the others left without a husband and father by his death.
For some time after moving to Lindsay the daughter taught in distant schools and this necessitated her absence from home a considerable portion of the time and the friendliness and thoughtfulness of her friends and neighbors werea source of pleasure during these lonely weeks when she was left alone. Later a position was secured in the public schools of Lindsay and this little home circle continued until June 15, 1904, when the daughter married and moved to Pierce, Nebraska. There a home was purchased, and in October of the same year, the aged mother went ot that city to make her future home with her daughter and son-in-law. This continued to be her home until March 3, 1913, when after an illness of three days duration, she passed to her heavenly home, comforted in her last hours by the presence of her children who are left to mourn the loss of a mother whose life, from the birth of the eldest, had been a continued sacrifice for them; whose strong mother love made every conscious moment fraught and anxiety for their welfare, filled with joy in their pleasures and with sympathy in their sorrows. Her sympathetic nature was fittingly expressed by her little grandson a few days after her death while suffering from a slight hurt, when he said "Grandma would cry for me if whe was here."
The memory of her beautiful Christian character will always be a living benediction to her children, friends and acquaintances, for no one could come into the realm of her life without feeling the influence of her enduring faith and courage which sustained her through whatever burdens she bore on life's journey, and gave her that peaceful and satisfied disposition which made her a blessing to all around her. She cultivated the faculty of seeing good in everyone and would always mention one good trait while holding the ban of silence over the others. Her Christian Life dates from early childhood. The dear old Bible, which was her daily companion, and is filled with markings of her favorite passages, bears the date of September 11, 1836. She was reared in the faith of the established Church of England, the Episcopal Church, and continued a communicant in that church until her emmigration to America. Here, during the early years of her pioneer life, she was deprived of the privilege of attending religious services and did not unite with any church for many years. Finally, she joined the Methodist Episcopal Church in Lindsay and was later transferred to a church of the same demonination at Pierce.
Although her depleted strength prevented her from attending Divine Worship, she never lost interest in the different departments of the work and she would generally read a sermon and the Sunday School lesson during the hour of morning service. She was always thankful that although her physical strength had been taken away, God had permitted her to retain her mental faculties and sufficient sight to read her Bible every day, almost without exception, the Christian Herald, which she read regularly for thirty years, and the home newspapers weekly. Occasionally she would read a book by one of her favorite authors. The activity and clearness of her mind in the last years of her life were truly wonderful. These mental faculties remained with her to the end and her last words, "Lord Jesus receive my spirit," indicated that she was still resting on His precious promises.
Miss Roberts passed the early years of her life in the home of her parents and while attending school--a part of the time was spent with the aged grand parents. When she grew to young womanhood she was employed as governess in a well-to-do farmer's family.
On May 3, 1851, she was married to Thomas Thomazin and a new home was established at Weston Hills near that of her parents. Here the first four children, George, John Robert, Rebecca and Thomas were born. She early learned the cares of motherhood, the second son being very frail during the early years of his life, requiring constant attention. Often she expressed a wish that the old family physician might see him to manhood, he having declared that he would never reach that period.
In 1866, learning of the opportunities for advancement in America, the husband decided to emigrate to that country, and leaving her aged parents, the pleasant surroundings of her home and all behind, she set sail from Liverpool, England, in a steamer called "City of London," accompanied by her husband and four children. The journey was a tedious one, and as her husband often said, "Polly was a poor sailor," and although she often longed to see the home folks and for the comforts and conveniences of her life in England, she never expressed a desire to return there. Arriving in America, they went to the home of an old friend in Cook County, Illinois, twenty-three miles northwest of Chicago. Here they secured a small tract of land and on this they made their home while the husband worked at the carpenter trade to increase the finances of the family.
In this home, William, the fourth son was born.
Conditions brought about by the war which closed the year previous to their arrival in America made prices very high and many people who had suffered losses during the war were reduced to dire poverty. Mr. and Mrs. Thomazin settled among a company of Germans and the kindness of their
first neighbors in the new country was never forgotten. How often they have said, "We never want better friends than we found in that little colony in Illinois."
As the years passed, the older sons grew into young manhood and the father began to see the necessity of securing something for them. About this time people began to learn of the cheap lands and favorable conditions offered to home seekers in the west. Finally in 1872, Mr. Thomazin started out to find a new home in Nebraska. He arrived in Columbus on his forty-seventh birthday, March 11, 1872, and settled on a homestead twenty-five miles northwest of that town. The wife followed the following month and found her new home, a little frame shanty, sixteen feet square with the addition made of sod.
It was the only frame building for miles around the other homesteaders all living in sod houses. Here she endured all the hardships and privations of the early pioneer, notable among them being the droughts, the grasshopper years and the Indians. The latter were a source of constant anxiety and although she was never harmed by them, she was often compelled to reduce the supply of provisions to satisfy their wants. The homestead was her home until 1896. More land adjoining was bought at low prices, the country became more thickly settled, advanced methods and convenient machinery bettered matters and now this same farm is situated in the most productive part of the state. Two more children, Watson and Elizabeth, were born in this home and here the Angel of Death entered the family circle for the first time, taking away the husband and father on November 7, 1892.
Deprived of the companion of more than forty years, she took up the burden of care alone, laboring always for the betterment of her children. Finally when the two youngest sons had married and settled in homes of their own, she moved to Lindsay, built a cottage, and made a home for the youngest daughter who was teaching in the public schools of the county. Here in the declining years of her life, on July 22, 1901, she was called upon to give up her first-born, her eldest son and although for many weeks her physical strength seemed unable to endure the great sorrow, her Christian faith sustained her and she tried to be a comfort to the others left without a husband and father by his death.
For some time after moving to Lindsay the daughter taught in distant schools and this necessitated her absence from home a considerable portion of the time and the friendliness and thoughtfulness of her friends and neighbors werea source of pleasure during these lonely weeks when she was left alone. Later a position was secured in the public schools of Lindsay and this little home circle continued until June 15, 1904, when the daughter married and moved to Pierce, Nebraska. There a home was purchased, and in October of the same year, the aged mother went ot that city to make her future home with her daughter and son-in-law. This continued to be her home until March 3, 1913, when after an illness of three days duration, she passed to her heavenly home, comforted in her last hours by the presence of her children who are left to mourn the loss of a mother whose life, from the birth of the eldest, had been a continued sacrifice for them; whose strong mother love made every conscious moment fraught and anxiety for their welfare, filled with joy in their pleasures and with sympathy in their sorrows. Her sympathetic nature was fittingly expressed by her little grandson a few days after her death while suffering from a slight hurt, when he said "Grandma would cry for me if whe was here."
The memory of her beautiful Christian character will always be a living benediction to her children, friends and acquaintances, for no one could come into the realm of her life without feeling the influence of her enduring faith and courage which sustained her through whatever burdens she bore on life's journey, and gave her that peaceful and satisfied disposition which made her a blessing to all around her. She cultivated the faculty of seeing good in everyone and would always mention one good trait while holding the ban of silence over the others. Her Christian Life dates from early childhood. The dear old Bible, which was her daily companion, and is filled with markings of her favorite passages, bears the date of September 11, 1836. She was reared in the faith of the established Church of England, the Episcopal Church, and continued a communicant in that church until her emmigration to America. Here, during the early years of her pioneer life, she was deprived of the privilege of attending religious services and did not unite with any church for many years. Finally, she joined the Methodist Episcopal Church in Lindsay and was later transferred to a church of the same demonination at Pierce.
Although her depleted strength prevented her from attending Divine Worship, she never lost interest in the different departments of the work and she would generally read a sermon and the Sunday School lesson during the hour of morning service. She was always thankful that although her physical strength had been taken away, God had permitted her to retain her mental faculties and sufficient sight to read her Bible every day, almost without exception, the Christian Herald, which she read regularly for thirty years, and the home newspapers weekly. Occasionally she would read a book by one of her favorite authors. The activity and clearness of her mind in the last years of her life were truly wonderful. These mental faculties remained with her to the end and her last words, "Lord Jesus receive my spirit," indicated that she was still resting on His precious promises.
Mary Ann Roberts was born at Old Sarasan's Head Inn near Holbeach, Lincolnshire, England, on October 29, 1828, and died at Pierce, Nebraska, on March 3, 1913, aged 84 years, 4 months, and 4 days. She left to mourn her loss, four sons, two daughters, twenty-two grandchildren and nineteen great grandchildren, also a brother.
Miss Roberts passed the early years of her life in the home of her parents and while attending school--a part of the time was spent with the aged grand parents. When she grew to young womanhood she was employed as governess in a well-to-do farmer's family.
On May 3, 1851, she was married to Thomas Thomazin and a new home was established at Weston Hills near that of her parents. Here the first four children, George, John Robert, Rebecca and Thomas were born. She early learned the cares of motherhood, the second son being very frail during the early years of his life, requiring constant attention. Often she expressed a wish that the old family physician might see him to manhood, he having declared that he would never reach that period.
In 1866, learning of the opportunities for advancement in America, the husband decided to emigrate to that country, and leaving her aged parents, the pleasant surroundings of her home and all behind, she set sail from Liverpool, England, in a steamer called "City of London," accompanied by her husband and four children. The journey was a tedious one, and as her husband often said, "Polly was a poor sailor," and although she often longed to see the home folks and for the comforts and conveniences of her life in England, she never expressed a desire to return there. Arriving in America, they went to the home of an old friend in Cook County, Illinois, twenty-three miles northwest of Chicago. Here they secured a small tract of land and on this they made their home while the husband worked at the carpenter trade to increase the finances of the family.
In this home, William, the fourth son was born.
Conditions brought about by the war which closed the year previous to their arrival in America made prices very high and many people who had suffered losses during the war were reduced to dire poverty. Mr. and Mrs. Thomazin settled among a company of Germans and the kindness of their
first neighbors in the new country was never forgotten. How often they have said, "We never want better friends than we found in that little colony in Illinois."
As the years passed, the older sons grew into young manhood and the father began to see the necessity of securing something for them. About this time people began to learn of the cheap lands and favorable conditions offered to home seekers in the west. Finally in 1872, Mr. Thomazin started out to find a new home in Nebraska. He arrived in Columbus on his forty-seventh birthday, March 11, 1872, and settled on a homestead twenty-five miles northwest of that town. The wife followed the following month and found her new home, a little frame shanty, sixteen feet square with the addition made of sod.
It was the only frame building for miles around the other homesteaders all living in sod houses. Here she endured all the hardships and privations of the early pioneer, notable among them being the droughts, the grasshopper years and the Indians. The latter were a source of constant anxiety and although she was never harmed by them, she was often compelled to reduce the supply of provisions to satisfy their wants. The homestead was her home until 1896. More land adjoining was bought at low prices, the country became more thickly settled, advanced methods and convenient machinery bettered matters and now this same farm is situated in the most productive part of the state. Two more children, Watson and Elizabeth, were born in this home and here the Angel of Death entered the family circle for the first time, taking away the husband and father on November 7, 1892.
Deprived of the companion of more than forty years, she took up the burden of care alone, laboring always for the betterment of her children. Finally when the two youngest sons had married and settled in homes of their own, she moved to Lindsay, built a cottage, and made a home for the youngest daughter who was teaching in the public schools of the county. Here in the declining years of her life, on July 22, 1901, she was called upon to give up her first-born, her eldest son and although for many weeks her physical strength seemed unable to endure the great sorrow, her Christian faith sustained her and she tried to be a comfort to the others left without a husband and father by his death.
For some time after moving to Lindsay the daughter taught in distant schools and this necessitated her absence from home a considerable portion of the time and the friendliness and thoughtfulness of her friends and neighbors werea source of pleasure during these lonely weeks when she was left alone. Later a position was secured in the public schools of Lindsay and this little home circle continued until June 15, 1904, when the daughter married and moved to Pierce, Nebraska. There a home was purchased, and in October of the same year, the aged mother went ot that city to make her future home with her daughter and son-in-law. This continued to be her home until March 3, 1913, when after an illness of three days duration, she passed to her heavenly home, comforted in her last hours by the presence of her children who are left to mourn the loss of a mother whose life, from the birth of the eldest, had been a continued sacrifice for them; whose strong mother love made every conscious moment fraught and anxiety for their welfare, filled with joy in their pleasures and with sympathy in their sorrows. Her sympathetic nature was fittingly expressed by her little grandson a few days after her death while suffering from a slight hurt, when he said "Grandma would cry for me if whe was here."
The memory of her beautiful Christian character will always be a living benediction to her children, friends and acquaintances, for no one could come into the realm of her life without feeling the influence of her enduring faith and courage which sustained her through whatever burdens she bore on life's journey, and gave her that peaceful and satisfied disposition which made her a blessing to all around her. She cultivated the faculty of seeing good in everyone and would always mention one good trait while holding the ban of silence over the others. Her Christian Life dates from early childhood. The dear old Bible, which was her daily companion, and is filled with markings of her favorite passages, bears the date of September 11, 1836. She was reared in the faith of the established Church of England, the Episcopal Church, and continued a communicant in that church until her emmigration to America. Here, during the early years of her pioneer life, she was deprived of the privilege of attending religious services and did not unite with any church for many years. Finally, she joined the Methodist Episcopal Church in Lindsay and was later transferred to a church of the same demonination at Pierce.
Although her depleted strength prevented her from attending Divine Worship, she never lost interest in the different departments of the work and she would generally read a sermon and the Sunday School lesson during the hour of morning service. She was always thankful that although her physical strength had been taken away, God had permitted her to retain her mental faculties and sufficient sight to read her Bible every day, almost without exception, the Christian Herald, which she read regularly for thirty years, and the home newspapers weekly. Occasionally she would read a book by one of her favorite authors. The activity and clearness of her mind in the last years of her life were truly wonderful. These mental faculties remained with her to the end and her last words, "Lord Jesus receive my spirit," indicated that she was still resting on His precious promises.
Miss Roberts passed the early years of her life in the home of her parents and while attending school--a part of the time was spent with the aged grand parents. When she grew to young womanhood she was employed as governess in a well-to-do farmer's family.
On May 3, 1851, she was married to Thomas Thomazin and a new home was established at Weston Hills near that of her parents. Here the first four children, George, John Robert, Rebecca and Thomas were born. She early learned the cares of motherhood, the second son being very frail during the early years of his life, requiring constant attention. Often she expressed a wish that the old family physician might see him to manhood, he having declared that he would never reach that period.
In 1866, learning of the opportunities for advancement in America, the husband decided to emigrate to that country, and leaving her aged parents, the pleasant surroundings of her home and all behind, she set sail from Liverpool, England, in a steamer called "City of London," accompanied by her husband and four children. The journey was a tedious one, and as her husband often said, "Polly was a poor sailor," and although she often longed to see the home folks and for the comforts and conveniences of her life in England, she never expressed a desire to return there. Arriving in America, they went to the home of an old friend in Cook County, Illinois, twenty-three miles northwest of Chicago. Here they secured a small tract of land and on this they made their home while the husband worked at the carpenter trade to increase the finances of the family.
In this home, William, the fourth son was born.
Conditions brought about by the war which closed the year previous to their arrival in America made prices very high and many people who had suffered losses during the war were reduced to dire poverty. Mr. and Mrs. Thomazin settled among a company of Germans and the kindness of their
first neighbors in the new country was never forgotten. How often they have said, "We never want better friends than we found in that little colony in Illinois."
As the years passed, the older sons grew into young manhood and the father began to see the necessity of securing something for them. About this time people began to learn of the cheap lands and favorable conditions offered to home seekers in the west. Finally in 1872, Mr. Thomazin started out to find a new home in Nebraska. He arrived in Columbus on his forty-seventh birthday, March 11, 1872, and settled on a homestead twenty-five miles northwest of that town. The wife followed the following month and found her new home, a little frame shanty, sixteen feet square with the addition made of sod.
It was the only frame building for miles around the other homesteaders all living in sod houses. Here she endured all the hardships and privations of the early pioneer, notable among them being the droughts, the grasshopper years and the Indians. The latter were a source of constant anxiety and although she was never harmed by them, she was often compelled to reduce the supply of provisions to satisfy their wants. The homestead was her home until 1896. More land adjoining was bought at low prices, the country became more thickly settled, advanced methods and convenient machinery bettered matters and now this same farm is situated in the most productive part of the state. Two more children, Watson and Elizabeth, were born in this home and here the Angel of Death entered the family circle for the first time, taking away the husband and father on November 7, 1892.
Deprived of the companion of more than forty years, she took up the burden of care alone, laboring always for the betterment of her children. Finally when the two youngest sons had married and settled in homes of their own, she moved to Lindsay, built a cottage, and made a home for the youngest daughter who was teaching in the public schools of the county. Here in the declining years of her life, on July 22, 1901, she was called upon to give up her first-born, her eldest son and although for many weeks her physical strength seemed unable to endure the great sorrow, her Christian faith sustained her and she tried to be a comfort to the others left without a husband and father by his death.
For some time after moving to Lindsay the daughter taught in distant schools and this necessitated her absence from home a considerable portion of the time and the friendliness and thoughtfulness of her friends and neighbors werea source of pleasure during these lonely weeks when she was left alone. Later a position was secured in the public schools of Lindsay and this little home circle continued until June 15, 1904, when the daughter married and moved to Pierce, Nebraska. There a home was purchased, and in October of the same year, the aged mother went ot that city to make her future home with her daughter and son-in-law. This continued to be her home until March 3, 1913, when after an illness of three days duration, she passed to her heavenly home, comforted in her last hours by the presence of her children who are left to mourn the loss of a mother whose life, from the birth of the eldest, had been a continued sacrifice for them; whose strong mother love made every conscious moment fraught and anxiety for their welfare, filled with joy in their pleasures and with sympathy in their sorrows. Her sympathetic nature was fittingly expressed by her little grandson a few days after her death while suffering from a slight hurt, when he said "Grandma would cry for me if whe was here."
The memory of her beautiful Christian character will always be a living benediction to her children, friends and acquaintances, for no one could come into the realm of her life without feeling the influence of her enduring faith and courage which sustained her through whatever burdens she bore on life's journey, and gave her that peaceful and satisfied disposition which made her a blessing to all around her. She cultivated the faculty of seeing good in everyone and would always mention one good trait while holding the ban of silence over the others. Her Christian Life dates from early childhood. The dear old Bible, which was her daily companion, and is filled with markings of her favorite passages, bears the date of September 11, 1836. She was reared in the faith of the established Church of England, the Episcopal Church, and continued a communicant in that church until her emmigration to America. Here, during the early years of her pioneer life, she was deprived of the privilege of attending religious services and did not unite with any church for many years. Finally, she joined the Methodist Episcopal Church in Lindsay and was later transferred to a church of the same demonination at Pierce.
Although her depleted strength prevented her from attending Divine Worship, she never lost interest in the different departments of the work and she would generally read a sermon and the Sunday School lesson during the hour of morning service. She was always thankful that although her physical strength had been taken away, God had permitted her to retain her mental faculties and sufficient sight to read her Bible every day, almost without exception, the Christian Herald, which she read regularly for thirty years, and the home newspapers weekly. Occasionally she would read a book by one of her favorite authors. The activity and clearness of her mind in the last years of her life were truly wonderful. These mental faculties remained with her to the end and her last words, "Lord Jesus receive my spirit," indicated that she was still resting on His precious promises.
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