Obituary of Samantha Ford Colbert-Stagg - Henry County, Illinois

 LIFE STORY OF GRANDMA STAGG


     Samantha Ford Colbert was born in Allen County, Tenn.  April 15,
1817, and died in Albany, Ill., Sept. 13, 1911 at the home of Mrs. Mary
Hoobler, her eldest daughter, with whom she had made her home for the
past five years, aged 94 years, four months and 28 days.
     In her childhood she moved with her parents, Rev. and Mrs. George
A. Colbert, to Kentucky and in a few years to Carmi, White sounty, Ill.,
later to Knox county, from there to Henry county where she was united in
marriage to James P. Dodge Feb. 7, 1836.  To them were born three
children.  After the death of one child and her husband and struggling
against the hardships of the early 40's in 1842 she was united in
marriage with James Burton who died four years later leaving two small
children.  Nov. 30, 1849 she married Thos. Stagg to whom four children
were born.  After her marriage to Mr. Stagg they moved to Whiteside
county where she has since resided.
     Grandma Stagg was a pioneer saint and a member of the Methodist
church for 87 years having united with the church when but seven years
of age under the preachings of her father.
     She leaves to mourn her loss five children, several step children,
a number of grand and great grand-children together with a host of
friends but we trust their loss is her eternal gain.
     The glory and honor of motherhood was hers.  She filled every
capacity in the home life in a remarkable and commendable manner. 
Attractive in personality, buoyant and assuring in spirit, she was
always a devoted wife and a wise and loving mother.  All who call her
mother-whether children or step-children-will lovingly hold her in sweet
rememberance unto the end of their days.  She was a notable and
remarkable mother.
     Her religious life was the key to her christian character.  She
remebered vividly the heroic and romantic days of Methodism; no subject
was dearer to her than the life and activities of the church and for
many years had taken the Christian Advocate thus keeping informed and in
touch with the world's religious life.  She had been taught and believed
that the Kingdom fo God was greater than any one church.
     During the past 26 years she had been a widow, highly respected,
much beloved and peacefully and happily spending the closing years of
her life with her daughters.
     Funeral services were held Friday afternoon at 2:30 at the
Methodist church  Rev. Griffin officiating, the services being largely
attended by relatives and friends.  The floral tributes were many and
beautiful and coming from far and near.  Out of town friends attending
were:  Mrs. Martha Talcott, a sister, from Erie, Bert Turner and family
and Mrs. George Neer fo Erie, Thos. Stagg and family, Mrs. Foster and
Mr. Cone of Thomson, Re. Willis Byers of Kansas, Leslie Hanna and wife
of Joslin, Miss Blanche Slocum of Rock Island, Samuel and Frank Hanks
and Mrs. George Metzger of Princeton, Ia. (ed. note-I believe this is
Princeton, IL)
     Interment was made in beautiful Oak Ridge cemetery in the family
lot.  Those who bore all that was Grandma Stagg to her last resting
place were C.E.Peck, A.D. Wood, Harry Booth, E.A. Fassett, Will Wood and
Frank Phillips.


Notes:  Original obituary  from the Albany Review (Albany, Illinois) 
September 22, 1911.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any 
format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons.
Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain 
the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative 
of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof
of this consent. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by 
Charles McKelvey,
Aurora, Colorado
cmckel9043@aol.com