Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Hall, Ann 1897 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Sandy Heintzelman sheintz@iserv.net June 12, 2011, 10:01 pm Ionia Standard, 24 Sep & 1 Oct 1897 Tuesday a.m. at 8 o’clock, at the ripe age of 75 years, Mrs. Ann Hall, one of Ionia’s oldest and most respected residents, entered into rest. She had been sick for some time, never having recovered from her severe illness of last winter, and it was evident to her acquaintances that her strong constitution was breaking down, and she herself felt that the end was not far off. She suffered much, but the end was restful. It was falling asleep. It was the ripened sheaf falling into the loving embrace of the Great Reaper. Mrs. Hall lived most of her days in this city, since the death of her husband living quietly in her beautiful home, managing her large interests, and doing great good with the same. She leaves only one child, Marian, wife of Capt. J. L. Fowler, of the regular army, who arrived from Denver Tuesday evening. It was hoped that she and her husband and son could reach here in time to see her mother alive, but it was not to be. Mrs. Hall was a woman of exceptional mental and moral traits; honorable, dignified, and generous. She will be greatly missed by the city and her numerous friends. She was one of the most devoted members of St. Johns Episcopal church; had been identified with all its history; liberal in its support, constant in her attendance, and consecrated to all its interests. From its ranks she will be greatly missed, and in it her memory will be sweetly cherished. ---- The funeral services for Mrs. Ann Hall on Friday afternoon last were very largely attended. The spacious rooms of her late home were filled to overflowing with mourning friends. Out of respect to the well-known wishes of deceased, and of her daughter and family as well, the services were becomingly simple and unostentatious, though impressive. Rev. W. H. Thomas. D.D., rector of St. John’s Episcopal church, of which church Mrs. Hall had so long been a consistent and helpful member, conducted the service, and had the assistance of the Right Rev. Geo. D. Gillespie, D.D., bishop of Western Michigan, who read the burial service of the church at the house and at the grave. There was neither sermon nor the usual verbal eulogium at the residence. Mrs. C. W. Parsons’ singing of “Come Unto Me,” a favorite song of deceased in her lifetime, and the reading of the Episcopal ritual service, constituting the entire exercises. In obedience to the wish of Mrs. Hall, the floral offerings were limited to a simple white cross on the casket. The bearers were : F.W. Stevenson, F. C. Sibley, Henry D. Irish, O.S. Tower, Dr. W.L. Barnes, T.G. Stevenson, James Vosper, E.T. Montgomery. During the hour of the funeral, business was suspended, out of respect to the departed, which was a thoughtful tribute to her real worth and the large place she occupied in the public esteem. Mrs. Hall was in her 75th years at the time of her death. She was born in Philadelphia, Pa., on April 5, 1823 and came to Ionia in the early ‘40’s. She was married to Frederick Hall on January 7, 1848, in this city, by Rev. Alfred Cornell, a warm friend of both Mr. and Mrs. Hall, and a man whose name, also, is sweetly cherished by the pioneers and older people in this community. Since the death of her husband, which was on April 26, 1883, Mrs. Hall has lived quietly in the beautiful home on Main street, managing her large property interests with great discretion and generosity. Deceased was a woman of exceptional qualities. She was blessed with a fine mind, cheerful spirit, generous impulses, and a remarkable amount of practical good judgment, and therefore could not help being a woman of wide influence anywhere or in any place. She loved Ionia. She had grown up with the city, and had been a prominent factor in its building, and her time and means were always ready to further all its good works. She did not minister to be seen of men; ostentatious parade, display, and publicity were most objectionable to her nature. She practiced the saying of her blessed Savior and Master, who said: “When thou doest alms, let not they left hand know what thy right hand doeth.” Her heart and hands ministered rather for the good they might accomplish than the praise they might evoke. There are many deserving people in our midst who bear her charity in grateful remembrance. She had a very clear apprehension of divine truth, and her love for it and faith in it was most beautiful and steadfast. Jesus only was her hope and boast. She will be greatly missed in the various circles of St. John’s Episcopal church, where she was a most devoted member and most constant in its interests, not so much because of her generous financial support as for her wise counsel, and the ever-helpful hopefulness which her presence and strong personality always kept. But what is the church’s loss is her infinite gain. Oh, the city of many mansions; the church triumphant; the meetings and the greetings. As bearing appropriately upon her peaceful transition, we quote from Revelations VII., 15, 16, 17: “Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple; and He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. “They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. “For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” Mrs. Hall left but one child, Mrs. Marion Fowler, wife of Capt. J. L. Fowler of the Second U.S. Cavalry, now stationed at Fort Logan, Colorado, who arrived only in season to be present at the burial. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/h/hall13160nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 6.2 Kb