OBITUARY

DIED.—-July 2d, 1878, in the 81st

year of his age, after a sickness, at the

residence of his son Lyman, in the vil-

lage of Wellington, Zephaniah Sprague.

Father Sprague, as he was familiarly

known in this community, was born

in Worthington, Mass., Aug. 14, 1797,

and was the oldest son of Moses and

Ruth Sprague.

In his early childhood, he moved

with his parents to Vermont where he

resided till 1818, when he came to

Thompson, Geauga Co., O. In 1827 he

removed to Shalersville, Portage Co.,

where he lived till 1833, when he came

to Huntington, Ohio. He remained an

honored citizen of that township, till

he moved to Wellington, about twelve

years ago, where he resided the rest

of his life.

In 1820, Mr. Sprague was united in

marriage to Almeda Ferris, of Thomp-

son, with whom, for fifty-five years he

lived in perfect love and harmony.

At a prayer meeting in Thompson,

Father Sprague first espoused the

cause of Christ. Soon after, on the

21st of August 1821, he joined the M.

E. Church. From that time till his

death, his attendance at all the church

meetings was most regular. His pleas-

ure and activity in revival meetings,

were of a very marked character, his

exhortations and prayers showing the

very exultation of joy, and confidence

in the salvation of the Lord, and an

equal anxiety and solicitude for the

conversion of sinners.

For nearly sixty years of his life,

his daily reliance was literally upon

the Lord. His constant study was to

aid in spreading His Kingdom on earth,

and his chief duty and delight were

found in the observance of the ordi-

nances of the church, and the enjoy-

ment of the ministrations of religion.

During his last sickness he repeatedly

remarked to a skeptical friend: " I

would not give one single drop of

the precious blood of Christ, for all

your philosophy."

For nearly fifty years, Father

Sprague lived in this community.

During all that time he kept the Gold-

en Rule so well, that he never had a

single litigation. His zeal in every

good cause, whether of patriotism,

philanthropy or religion, was unsur-

passed.

Physically, Mr. Sprague was strong

and robust, possessing health and en-

durance to a remarkable degree. He

never had a head ache in his life, nev-

er was confined a day in the house, un-

til during his last sickness, and never

employed a doctor, except once in

measles, until after he was seventy-

five years old. His sympathies were

as warm as a woman's; his heart as

tender as a child's.

From The Wellington Enterprise, 18 July 1878 p. 3