Mrs. W. H. Woods

This writer today had the misfortune to lay away in the Ft. Calhoun, Nebraska, cemetery the body of his dear wife, Mrs. Margaret McBurney Woods, aged over 51 years. Over 35 years ago she was left an orphan, and by some mismanagement she became a victim to that most painful disease known to human beings, viz: an hallucination of fear, which for weeks causes every little wind to be an impending tornado and a very little sound after nightfall being some enemy to either life or property, sometimes suffering a dozen deaths in imagination in 24 hours.

Nearly 32 years ago she was married to the writer, and after six years spent in various removals and expert medical skill we brought her west. The change brought a breaking down of physical health and after 14 years semi-invalidism she met with a painful accident, that succeeded in probably destroying one lung, and sometime in the last three or four years consumption developed, and a few days ago pneumonia set in. Last Tuesday the doctor and friends gave up all hope and at 1:10 A.M. Friday she died, after many hours of dreadful pain.

Her only brother lives in Oklahoma and her only sister in Ft. Benton, Montana.

Of her eleven children, three lie at her feet in the cemetery, one lives at the Winnebago Indian agency, three at or near Bancroft. one in Helena, Montana, one in this county, and two little schoolgirls at home. The little ones were with her in her last moments. Four of her married children and six members of their families came in time for the funeral.

For over 14 years Dr. Pettingill has been her faithful physician.

For nine years she has desired that Mrs. E. A. Blodgett should be with her in her last moments. and faithfully and lovingly did she do her part in the last hours, much assisted by Mrs. Fred Nichols.

For three months Rev. Parker has been her faithful pastor, visiting her every week, and preached her funeral sermon at her request. And never in all our life did we know so much of the beauty and goodness of friendship.

The funeral was under the auspices of the Congregational church and the Christian Endeavor made our children presentable, but the Seventh Day Advent people ran our errands, did our telegraphing and the most laborious parts, and the pall bearers were from the Advent, the Roman Catholic, the Lutheran and Congregational churches. Ex-Governor Crouse ended for the minister, Mrs. Chase conducted the music, one Blair merchant drove out into the country, and a young man at Bancroft carried a message 15 miles on foot, and to the two or three hundred people who were so kind we desire that our children will show gratitude to the very last hour of their lives.

At the last she was a great sufferer but so patient and tried to the very last minute to get well again. Her last intelligent utterance only five minutes before her death. spoken calmly and slowly, was, “I am pretty near gone, pa.!!. And death left her face as calm and peaceful as if only asleep. We believe she died in full victory.

Only a handful of clay, But it came not on yesterday. As to our hearts today The sad message came.

How frail was this body of clay
When the spirit went back
To its home, its beautiful home,
Leaving the clay, only the clay.

~~~Obituary courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Public Library, Blair, Nebraska ~~~

FindaGrave # 18176938