Every time I hear the story of Simeon welcoming the infant Jesus in the temple, my thoughts turn to the entries my great-great Grandfather Martin M. Hester made in his diary. It was 144 years ago in the deep midwinter. Martin and his family were attending revival meetings at their church. Those were days when someone needed to arrive early enough before the meetings to get a fire going in the stove. They likely traveled by sleigh.
In the entry for Friday Jan 28, 1870 he preserved there the words of his father (also Martin Hester) speaking to the congregation.... "Father spoke with much feeling, That God had preserved his life for more than 82
years and crowned all his life with blessing and that all his children and many
of his grandchildren were Christians. He felt like Simeon of old, 'Now Lord let
thy servant depart in peace.' [referencing Luke 2: 25-32 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+2%3A+25-35&version=NIV ].
The next day ..... "Toward eve Father had a stroke..... He fell from North door of wagon house and found him about ½ past 3 o’clock." Two days later he died.
"Monday, January 31 - Took care of Father all day. At 6 o’clock
in the Eve he died in great peace. Had not spoken for 48 hours but had left a
clear testimony in the church of his evidence of the love of God in his heart...."
The full text for the diary entries and the intriguing details can be found in an earlier blog post here:
http://firstlightofdawn.blogspot.com/2010/01/january-31-1870.html
Martin and his brother went to town in the sleigh to purchase a coffin. The body was laid out at their home and services were held there. The text for the funeral sermon was Numbers 23:10. "Let me die the death of the righteous, and may my end be like theirs!"
Amen and amen.
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Sunday, January 19, 2014
A pioneer story from my family tree
In 1863 (while the Civil War was raging) my great-great grandfather
Martin M. Hester wrote an article for the Firelands
Pioneer, a periodical published by the Firelands Historical Society in
Norwalk, Ohio. It is a collection of first-hand accounts of those who settled
the area.
Every day the squaws
would come with baskets to my mother to exchange for meal. She shared with them
what she could spare, which was but little. Just about dusk every day 6 or 8 of
the Indian men would come to the house from hunting and setting their rifles
down outside, would go in and stand around the fire, dressed in full costume
with a tomahawk and scalping knives in their belts. My mother would get as many
turnips as there were Indians and give them. It is not surprising that the
little children clung to their mother from fear, as the tall red savages with
their scalping knives pared the turnips and ate them. After getting warm they
would go on to their camp. After staying thus 6 or 9 days they went away in the
manner they came, having committed no depredations…..
In this article he shared the account of his parents (Martin
and Mary Stough Hester) settling in unbroken territory in Ashland County, Ohio
and their peaceful encounters with Indians. Here is an excerpt…
About the close of the
War of 1812, my father and family with several others, moved to Orange Township in Richland, now Ashland County. He
entered a quarter section of government land on the extreme frontier and
putting up a rough settler’s cabin, moved in.
A short time
afterwards it became necessary for him to return to Columbiana County for some
cattle. During the trip which lasted 10 or 12 days, my mother with 3 small
children, the youngest but a few months old, were left alone. The nearest
neighbors were on the east and south, about one and a half to two miles
distant. On the north and west, was a trackless wilderness for more than 20
miles, infected with wild beasts and Indians. The day after he left, upwards of
40 Indians of both sexes, came along on horseback took a deliberate survey of
the premises and encamped about a half mile beyond.
Every day the squaws
would come with baskets to my mother to exchange for meal. She shared with them
what she could spare, which was but little. Just about dusk every day 6 or 8 of
the Indian men would come to the house from hunting and setting their rifles
down outside, would go in and stand around the fire, dressed in full costume
with a tomahawk and scalping knives in their belts. My mother would get as many
turnips as there were Indians and give them. It is not surprising that the
little children clung to their mother from fear, as the tall red savages with
their scalping knives pared the turnips and ate them. After getting warm they
would go on to their camp. After staying thus 6 or 9 days they went away in the
manner they came, having committed no depredations…..
My great-great-great grandparents-
Martin Hester (September 6, 1787 - January 31, 1870) and
Mary (Stough) Hester (February 15, 1789 - June 15, 1863):
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Memorable moments
As I think back over 2013 I reflect on the memorable moments of the year I see they often come as a strange but profound mix of sadness, joy, love, and sorrow. Writing my mother's obituary was one such instance.
Being the writer of the family, it fell to me to summarize my mother's 90 years of living into a few paragraphs. It had been some months prior to my mother's passing that my father asked me to write both of their obituaries. The thinking was that waiting til the last minute may not be a good strategy for giving it the attention it would need.
I had been mulling it over in my mind for quite some time, but when she fell and broke her other hip the beginning of September I suspected her passing would be imminent. By the time she entered hospice I had written the first draft.
By the time it was finished in some ways it still felt inadequate as I thought of all the memories that we made together. None-the-less, I received numerous complements as to how well it was done and I could conclude that her life had been well-honored. ... a solemn task yet one undertaken with a sense of pride and privilege for the opportunity to honor her full and rich life.
So here it is...
Being the writer of the family, it fell to me to summarize my mother's 90 years of living into a few paragraphs. It had been some months prior to my mother's passing that my father asked me to write both of their obituaries. The thinking was that waiting til the last minute may not be a good strategy for giving it the attention it would need.
I had been mulling it over in my mind for quite some time, but when she fell and broke her other hip the beginning of September I suspected her passing would be imminent. By the time she entered hospice I had written the first draft.
By the time it was finished in some ways it still felt inadequate as I thought of all the memories that we made together. None-the-less, I received numerous complements as to how well it was done and I could conclude that her life had been well-honored. ... a solemn task yet one undertaken with a sense of pride and privilege for the opportunity to honor her full and rich life.
So here it is...
Elizabeth Ann Phillips (nee Hester) 89, of
New London, Ohio peacefully passed from this life on September 16th, 2013
following an extended illness. She was born September 20, 1923 in
McCutchenville, Ohio to Webb Hester and Mary Hester (nee Sullivan). She lived
most of her childhood in Norwalk, Ohio. She lost her mother as a young child,
but was surrounded by loving family and friends. She grew up to be a beautiful
and caring young woman. She was always a patriot at heart and joined the
Women's 484th Army Air Force in 1944 leaving high school just prior to
graduation. She served in Topeka, KS processing crews preparing to go overseas.
While in the army she participated in a women's synchronized swimming team.
She was above all else a devoted wife and mother, and fulfilled the high calling of motherhood with honor, joy and creativity. She was always there for her children, nurturing and patiently teaching them. She cared for her home well and made it a warm and welcoming place. She served as a Girl Scout leader and Cub Scout den mother. She enjoyed bowling, swimming, needlework, collecting depression glass, and travel.
Even while suffering the ravages of dementia, she displayed strong affection for her family and determination to do what was needed to come home to her family. While in a rehabilitation facility she often said "I want to go home," even when she was home for a visit. It seems that in her heart of hearts she was looking for another home, a heavenly home.
She is survived by her husband of 67 years, Vinton Phillips, her children, John Robert (June) of Warren, Maine, Deborah Phillips of Broadview Heights, OH, and Daniel (Lyn) of North Fairfield, OH; her grandchildren Melissa (Brian) Linscott of South Portland, Maine, Nathan (Karen) Phillips of Ashland, MA, Brian (Stacey) Phillips of Grand Rapids, MI, and Craig Phillips of Chicago; great grandchildren, Gabrielle, Jackson, Helena, Timothy and Everett; siblings, Robert Hester and Mary Kluding of Norwalk, and many nieces and nephews.
A visitation will be held on Wednesday from 5-7 p.m. at Eastman Funeral Home, 200 W. Main St., New London where a service will be held on Thursday at 1 p.m. with Pastor Doug Lang officiating. Burial will follow at Grove Street Cemetery, New London.
She was above all else a devoted wife and mother, and fulfilled the high calling of motherhood with honor, joy and creativity. She was always there for her children, nurturing and patiently teaching them. She cared for her home well and made it a warm and welcoming place. She served as a Girl Scout leader and Cub Scout den mother. She enjoyed bowling, swimming, needlework, collecting depression glass, and travel.
Even while suffering the ravages of dementia, she displayed strong affection for her family and determination to do what was needed to come home to her family. While in a rehabilitation facility she often said "I want to go home," even when she was home for a visit. It seems that in her heart of hearts she was looking for another home, a heavenly home.
She is survived by her husband of 67 years, Vinton Phillips, her children, John Robert (June) of Warren, Maine, Deborah Phillips of Broadview Heights, OH, and Daniel (Lyn) of North Fairfield, OH; her grandchildren Melissa (Brian) Linscott of South Portland, Maine, Nathan (Karen) Phillips of Ashland, MA, Brian (Stacey) Phillips of Grand Rapids, MI, and Craig Phillips of Chicago; great grandchildren, Gabrielle, Jackson, Helena, Timothy and Everett; siblings, Robert Hester and Mary Kluding of Norwalk, and many nieces and nephews.
A visitation will be held on Wednesday from 5-7 p.m. at Eastman Funeral Home, 200 W. Main St., New London where a service will be held on Thursday at 1 p.m. with Pastor Doug Lang officiating. Burial will follow at Grove Street Cemetery, New London.
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