Obituary Record

Clara (Fishback) Gilbert
Died on 12/14/1914

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Tribune 23 Dec 1914

Mrs. Thomas Gilbert

The bravest woman that every lived in this community died December 14, 1914, after a lingering illness. She was a fleshy woman and entirely paralyzed in her lower limbs. She was brought her by her uncle, the late pioneer county judge, P. N. Stilts, about 1870, with whom she lived until her marriage to Thomas Gilbert, who died March 6, 1909.

We have often seen her in a chair, churning, setting the table and doing other domestic work and out feeding her chickens and working in the garden. Her flower garden was one of the most beautiful in the city. About a year after her marriage she heard that my family needed some sewing done and she sent for me and when I uttered my surprise, the brave woman said: “I have as much right to help my husband make a living as he has and I intend to help him all I can”, and her three room cottage was always as neat as it was possible to make it.

Sometime afterwards they adopted a young girl who they sent to school and cared for until she became the wife of Sheridan Craig. Eleven years ago they adopted Robert Powell, a grand young man today, who said to this writer the day she died, “A grander mother no boy ever had”.

Besides her adopted children, she leaves two sisters, Mrs. Shackenburg of Iowa and Mrs. Mullen of Osborne, Kansas, who were both at the funeral.

Her maiden name was Clara Fishback. She was playing on the floor in her mother’s home sixty years ago when her mother had just scrubbed and the little girl fell. As she soon went to bed her condition was not noticed until the next day. The physician said if they had only known and kept her exercising she might have recovered. We have known her for over forty years. She was always patient and good natured. She was born Oct. 15, 1850.

Rev. Werner, pastor of the Presbyterian Church, presided at the house and Mrs. Charles Rathjen sang the anthems. The pallbearers were W. Frahm, Wm. Bolln, Harry Rohwer, David Miller, Camille Saltzman and Geo. Rohwer.

W. H. Woods

Note: Birth Date was not very clear so not positive is 1850.

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