1878 Obituary of Elizabeth A. Callaway of Union Parish Louisiana

Submitted for the Union Parish Louisiana USGenWeb Archives by Dr. Robert S. Hendrick, 6/2006


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Material from the personal collection of Dr. Robert S. Hendrick

Elizabeth A. Callaway was the first cousin of long-time Union Parish Clerk of Court 
James M. Smith; her mother Mary was the sister of Elizabeth Amy Manning, who was the 
wife of Union Parish Recorder William Callaway Smith. Elizabeth A. Callaway was the 
daughter of Captain Allen M. Callaway of Company A, 6th Louisiana Infantry Regiment. 
Callaway had gone to California in 1849, following the Gold Rush. In the early 1850s, 
he returned east and joined his brother Larkin Callaway in Union Parish. The Union 
Parish citizens elected him as their sheriff in the latter 1850s, a position he held 
until the outbreak of the War Between the States. Callaway was killed leading his 
men at the Battle of Sharpsburg (Antietam) in September 1862. 
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1878 Obituary of Elizabeth A. Callaway of Union Parish Louisiana

clipping from the Farmerville "Gazette", exact issue date unknown, but around October 1878
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“Death saw the floweret to the valley given,
Plucked it from earth and planted it in heaven.”

   On the evening of the sixth of September, after a brief illness, died Lizzie A. Callaway, 
then only living daughter of Mrs. Mary Callaway, aged 20 years 9 months 7 days.

“Grandpa’s pet and grandma’s help,
  The sunbeam of their little home,
Her mother’s hope- O, what is left
To cheer them, now she’s gone!”

   At the time of her death she was unconscious, but during her illness expressed a 
willingness to die—a perfect resignation to the will of God. She had been more than four 
years a member of the Baptist church, having been baptized by Rev. J. P. Everett at the 
age of sixteen. As a Christian she was prayerful, zealous, faithful, a constant reader of 
the Bible, having many years made a habit of reading three chapters each secular day 
of the week, and five on Sunday. Her conversations were frequently on religious 
subjects, and her last words were, “It takes true religion to make a true man.”

   Her education was completed at Staunton, VA. She graduated with much honor at the 
Wesleyan Female Institute in June. A portion of her school life was spent at Meridian, 
under the guardianship of the late, much lamented martyr for suffering humanity, Dr. T. 
D. Manning. She was the object of his tenderest care, and he, being a pure Christian 
spared no pains on her moral as well as mental culture. The writer, who was most 
intimately associated with her at the time, has never known a sweeter, nobler, purer, 
truer girl. In every relation in life, she was the impersonation of all that is beautiful in 
female character. As a daughter, she was devoted; as a friend, constant, unwavering; 
as is shown by the number who mourn with her relatives an irreparable loss. Ever in 
sympathy with the suffering- a perfect model of all that is lovely—a real woman. Could 
we not have spared some other better? Yet the lilies are His, He has a right to the 
fairest and best. May the Great Physician heal the deep heart wounds of the bereaved 
mother and relatives, and help them to say:

Thy will O God, not ours, be done.
Though Thou dost take the last dear one,
We’ll not complain or utter a sigh
At Thy works, Thou Infinite One on high.
Take from us friends, all we love,
We’ll still trust Thee who reigns above
Remembering joys are sweetest to those
Who have known grief and tasted woes.
Although ‘twas hard with her to part
Thou soon caust heal our broken hearts;
And since Thou dost need her smile in Heaven,
And unto us a hope hast given
To meet her when lite’s race is run,
We’ll sing in praise ‘Thy will be done.’

                                                         Fannie Robinson
                                                         Shiloh, LA Oct. 16, 1878

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