This post was contributed to the Crawford County Chapter of OGS by Kristina Stearley as part of the Florence Siefert Scrapbook in 2010.
The scrapbook is compiled from undated, unidentified newspaper clippings involving events in the lives of Crawford County citizens living in or having connections to New Washington, Tiro, Shelby, Sulphur Springs, Chatfield, Bucyrus, Ashland, Mansfield, and other areas. Only minimal spelling or punctuation corrections were made. Unreadable areas are shown by underlines, dots &/or question marks. This collection has been scanned, “optical character recognized” (OCR’d), proofed, then coded for HTML by volunteers of the Crawford County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society. Since the copies are not of the best quality errors may have been made. Please contact us if you find corrections needing to be made or can verify any missing dates which could be added.
Mrs. Mellisa E. Buckwalter, daughter of Benjamin and Anna Hudson, was born near New Washington Ohio February 2, 1849, and died at her home in Wichita, Kansas Dec. 14, 1888, aged 39 yrs., 10 mo., 12 da.
On July 4, 1875 she was united in marriage with Mr. Oliver Buckwalter who with a son are left to mourn her loss.
One year ago last May she removed with her husband and son to Wichita, Kansas where they had just fairly become settled in a prosperous business, and had just moved into their fine new residence when the death-angel flapped her wings over their dwelling, and trustingly and peacefully the mother and wife departed in the summer of her life.
She was converted to God in a series of meetings held at Goodwill, by Rev. J. S. Albright, more than 20 years ago, in which 113 were converted, of which number, Mrs. Buckwalter was the first one to be converted. She united with the M. E. church in which she was converted, and ever remained a faithful member and efficent worker until death. During her residence in Millersburg, Ohio, she was one of the most active in the church and one of the most influential ladies of the city. Her home was kept like a palace. Her fireside was one of the most cheerful spots on earth. Her hands were always busy, and she was a perfect genius in neatness, good taste, order and beauty. Her feet were swift to run on errands of mercy and her large-heartedness and goodness made her the model of a noble woman. She stood by her Pastor in the church when he preached the truth and “contended earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints.”
She has gone away from all decline, and darkened nights, to a perenial fullness of joy and an unwasting abundance of life.
Her sudden departure renders our sense of loss the deeper. When all her powers were at their best. She has gone from us, out of our walks and usefulness, out of our circles of friendship, out of the places of our Christian worship, out of kindred communion, out of the home she made beautiful by material adornment and still more, by her own bright and beautiful presence.
She will not return to us; but when our time to die has come, the thought that we shall so soon meet her again will relieve all pain of dying.
O, God’s children never bid each other a final farewell!
In love’s unclouded reign,
Parted hands shall clasp again
There on those morning hills of everlasting joy,
we shall not much remember this night of weeping!
