Viewing page 442 of 607

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

417

Thursday June 30" 1887. Sara was with my father last night. She called me at 5 o'clock this morning telling me he was near his end. I found he had failed very perceptibly but he knew me and could ask, but with great difficulty for water. Very restless while awake and handling the bed clothes and occasionally putting his hand to the back of his head, but when I asked him if he felt badly he replied no. He died at 8.50 very easily and without a struggle gradually breathing away the final flame of his life. Sara, Jamie Andrews and I were present. I have just come from seeing the undertaker. I also saw John McEntee and Girard and have been to the cemetery to see about the grave. We are to have no hearse but will have him carried to his rest by Tom, Henry, John's man Frederick, and Chris Leonard. Have telegraphed Mary and written Lucy. Will write to Gertrude Tomkins as soon as Mary comes. Laura is in England and I am under no obligation to acquaint Joe of the event. Mary came up this afternoon at 6 by the West Shore train and it is a great comfort to have her here.
[[left margin]] Grandfather Mc dies [[/left margin]]

Friday July 1" 1887.
Yesterday was a very hot day. We had my fathers body carried over into my mothers room where it is cooler. He looks much younger than he did before he died and the wrinkles in his face are all gone. I am pretty weak this morning and dazed by the contemplation of the situation. The future is a puzzle to me. Here are Sara and me left alone in this great house, I nearly helpless. What are we to do? I pray I may be given guidance to do what is for the best, for I confess I know not what to do. I wrote to Mr. Sawyer yesterday but am not going to notify any of the friends at a distance, who might think they were expected to come to the funeral. The weather is very hot. Tom commenced cutting the grave yesterday. We go on doing things in a mechanical way not knowing to what end. All is chaos to me. Calvert came by the Powell this evening and Bowyer by 9 o'clock train.
[[left margin]] Hot! [[/left margin]]

Saturday 2" The weather still excessively hot. The undertaker came to fortify my poor fathers remains by some process in view of the extremely hot weather. Dr. Magee came to see me yesterday and I told him about my father, how he died firm in the faith we had always held and for which in earlier days he had battled strenuously but that later he felt that all denominations were tending in his direction which was a great satisfaction to him. We had the funeral at 5 o'clock, Dr. Magee conducting the services which were simple and in good taste. He referred to my father as the patriarch of this community and paid a high tribute to his earnest and good life, emphasised the respect in which he was held here shown in the fact that without any consultation all the flags in the city were at half mast, an honor usually reserved for distinguished public men or great soldiers. I presume there were about one hundred people present among them Jansley Hasbrouck, Mr. & Mrs. Crane Mr & Mrs W. B. Fitch, Henry & Mrs Legier Abbey, E Tomkins & wife, Mrs Lindsley, Mrs. Cantine, S. D. Coykendall & wife and many others among them Katy Leonard who used to 

Transcription Notes:
---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-05-17 23:41:13 .