Obit for Albert W. SINCLAIR (b.1841 d.1875), Olmsted Co., MN

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Made available to The USGenWeb Archives by: Charles Sinclair Moody

Rochester Post, Rochester, MN, 21 Aug 1875, page 3

Byron, Kalmar Township, Olmsted County, MN

SINCLAIR - At Cresswell, Houston County, Texas, July 1st, 1875, Albert W.
Sinclair, aged 34 years, 3 months and 4 days.  The deceased was born in
Clinton, Maine, March 27th, 1841.  He came to Minnesota with his parents and
settled near what is now the village of Byron.  They were among the first
settlers in this part of the State. Desiring to find a milder climate, he
went to Texas in November, 1873. Soon after arriving in the State he saw the
name of Rev. W. V. Tuntsell, who found a home for a time at his father's
during the war, as a Union refugee.  He opened a correspondence with him
which resulted in his making Cresswell, the residence of his friend, his
home while in the South.  He soon after engaged in teaching, and had just
finished his fourth term and gone to Mr. Tuntsell's for rest, when he was
taken sick. His sickness was short and severe.  He expressed a great desire
to see his parents, but an inscrutable providence had ordered it otherwise.
Albert was beloved by all who knew him.  He bore an unblemished moral
character and many are the encomiums that have been spoken by the people of
this community since they learned of his death.  During his stay in Texas he
had not only become endeared to his pupils, who felt that he was more than a
friend, a real benefactor, but won the hearts of those who, at first hated
him because of the work in which he was engaged -- teaching a colored
school.  Quite a number of white people were present at his funeral, which
is unusual in case of teachers of or laborers for the good of the colored
people.  A southern man once said to him that he was perfectly safe there
because they liked him.  Thus we see one may do duty and at the same time
overcome opposition by kindness and uprightness.  The nobility of his
character is seen in the fact that when above the necessity of labor, he not
only sought some useful employment, but chose that which he knew would cause
him to be hated and despised by a large class of those among whom he lived.
The men who dared want and toil and danger to save the Union, were heroes
and deserving of lasting fame, but not more so than those who freely give
their time and talents amid danger, social ostracism and privation, to
strike the shackles of ignorance and superstition from the minds of the
colored race, that their liberty may be a blessing both to them and to the
country.  Much sympathy is felt in the community for the sorely afflicted
and bereaved family.  May their hearts be comforted with the hope of by-and-
by realizing the wish of the deceased, meeting joyfully to part no more
forever.