Published in The Rochester News-Sentinel Monday, May 14, 1934

Mrs. Elizabeth BARNHISEL, 103 years, 7 months of age, perhaps the oldest lady in this section of the state, passed away Sunday morning at 7:50 o'clock at the home of her son, Noah [BARNHISEL], six miles southeast of Akron, in Miami county. She had resided in the house in which she succumbed for a period of over 81 years. Although Mrs. Barnhisel had been an invalid for a period of three years, she having suffered from a fracture of her hip, her general condition had been fairly good up until a week ago when her sturdy constitution began to yield to gradual break down from diseases inherent with advanced years. Her passing was peaceful and the members of her immediate family were at her bedside when the end came.
For the past several years large pilgrimages of northern Indiana relatives and friends of Mrs. Barnhisel assembled at the Emanuel Evangelical church south of Akron to pay respects and honor the birthday of the community's oldest resident. These occasions were thoroughly enjoyed by Grandmother Barnhisel and she always found time to discuss most any topic regarding the history and affairs of the community that her friends and admires might ask. Her brilliant mind attracted not only friends in this immediate vicinity but representatives of the press from neighboring states often interviewed Grandmother Barnhisel relative to her earlier life in this country.
The aged lady received nation-wide publicity a few years ago when she received from the U. S. War Department a copy of a letter which had been lost in the archives of the department. The missive which had been lost since the year 1865 was a report concerning the illness and death of her husband, a soldier of the Union army who died in a hospital at Vicksburg. Although Mrs. Barnhisel knew her husband had been a victim of the conflict, the details of his last days were never known to her until five years ago. A postscript written by her husband a few days prior to his death was also enclosed with the letter received from the war department.
Elizabeth [HOFFMAN], daughter of Frederick and Elizabeth HOFFMAN was born in Germany, September 21, 1830 and passed away Sunday at 7:50 a.m., May 13th, 1934 at the age of 103 years, 7 months and 22 days. When a child of six years of age she removed to the United States with her parents and a short time later settled in the northeast section of Miami county. She resided in the home in which she passed away for 81 years.
On January 2nd, 1863, she was united in marriage to Cornelius BARNHISEL. Her husband enlisted in the Civil war under the Union colors and passed away in a hospital at Vicksburg on July 12, 1865. To this union three children were born, two of whom survive. Grandmother Barnhisel was a member of the Evangelical church, at Emanuel, southeast of Akron, and was an active worker in this religious organization until she became an invalid through suffering a fracture of her hip. The survivors are two sons, John BARNHISEL, of Akron, Noah BARNHISEL, also of Akron; five grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren and 17 great-great-grandchildren. A daughter, Mary [BARNHISEL], preceded in death. Her husband who died in service of the Union army, was buried in the Arlington cemetery at Washington, D.C.
Funeral services in charge of Rev. W. H. FRESHLY of South Bend, Ind., will be held at two o'clock Tuesday afternoon at the Emanuel Evangelical Church, southeast of Akron. Interment will be made in the Gaerte cemetery, near Akron.

SOURCE:
Fulton County Indiana Obituaries - 1934
by Jean C. and Wendell C. Tombaugh

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Provided by:
April Gross (#47041501)

Published in The Rochester News-Sentinel Monday, May 14, 1934

Mrs. Elizabeth BARNHISEL, 103 years, 7 months of age, perhaps the oldest lady in this section of the state, passed away Sunday morning at 7:50 o'clock at the home of her son, Noah [BARNHISEL], six miles southeast of Akron, in Miami county. She had resided in the house in which she succumbed for a period of over 81 years. Although Mrs. Barnhisel had been an invalid for a period of three years, she having suffered from a fracture of her hip, her general condition had been fairly good up until a week ago when her sturdy constitution began to yield to gradual break down from diseases inherent with advanced years. Her passing was peaceful and the members of her immediate family were at her bedside when the end came.
For the past several years large pilgrimages of northern Indiana relatives and friends of Mrs. Barnhisel assembled at the Emanuel Evangelical church south of Akron to pay respects and honor the birthday of the community's oldest resident. These occasions were thoroughly enjoyed by Grandmother Barnhisel and she always found time to discuss most any topic regarding the history and affairs of the community that her friends and admires might ask. Her brilliant mind attracted not only friends in this immediate vicinity but representatives of the press from neighboring states often interviewed Grandmother Barnhisel relative to her earlier life in this country.
The aged lady received nation-wide publicity a few years ago when she received from the U. S. War Department a copy of a letter which had been lost in the archives of the department. The missive which had been lost since the year 1865 was a report concerning the illness and death of her husband, a soldier of the Union army who died in a hospital at Vicksburg. Although Mrs. Barnhisel knew her husband had been a victim of the conflict, the details of his last days were never known to her until five years ago. A postscript written by her husband a few days prior to his death was also enclosed with the letter received from the war department.
Elizabeth [HOFFMAN], daughter of Frederick and Elizabeth HOFFMAN was born in Germany, September 21, 1830 and passed away Sunday at 7:50 a.m., May 13th, 1934 at the age of 103 years, 7 months and 22 days. When a child of six years of age she removed to the United States with her parents and a short time later settled in the northeast section of Miami county. She resided in the home in which she passed away for 81 years.
On January 2nd, 1863, she was united in marriage to Cornelius BARNHISEL. Her husband enlisted in the Civil war under the Union colors and passed away in a hospital at Vicksburg on July 12, 1865. To this union three children were born, two of whom survive. Grandmother Barnhisel was a member of the Evangelical church, at Emanuel, southeast of Akron, and was an active worker in this religious organization until she became an invalid through suffering a fracture of her hip. The survivors are two sons, John BARNHISEL, of Akron, Noah BARNHISEL, also of Akron; five grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren and 17 great-great-grandchildren. A daughter, Mary [BARNHISEL], preceded in death. Her husband who died in service of the Union army, was buried in the Arlington cemetery at Washington, D.C.
Funeral services in charge of Rev. W. H. FRESHLY of South Bend, Ind., will be held at two o'clock Tuesday afternoon at the Emanuel Evangelical Church, southeast of Akron. Interment will be made in the Gaerte cemetery, near Akron.

SOURCE:
Fulton County Indiana Obituaries - 1934
by Jean C. and Wendell C. Tombaugh

--- end ---

Provided by:
April Gross (#47041501)