Meigs County OhArchives Obituaries.....Rathburn, Clara April 7 1916
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Connie Cotterill Schumaker Schumaker4@aol.com January 4, 2005, 4:10 pm

The Republican - Friday, April 7, 1916
The Republican
Middleport, Ohio
Friday, April 7, 1916

AUNT CLARA RATHBURN CALLED

One of the Oldest Residents of Rutland Township Lays Down the Burdens of a Long 
and Useful Life

In Her Ninety-Sixth Year She Had Her Sight and Hearing to a Remarkable Degree

Born November 27, 1820; died March 31, 1916.

That was the remarkably long life span of Aunt Clara Rathburn – nearly ninety-
six years.

Deceased was born in what is now Rutland township, on a farm just above the 
village of Rutland in a log cabin and spent all her life in the placid 
precinct.  Most of her latter years were spent with her sister Elizabeth in a 
fine home in the village.  A few years ago her sister passed away at the age of 
eight-four and left Clara alone in the world, except her two nephews, C. F. and 
M. E. Rathburn, who looked after her welfare with the fidelity of sons.

These sisters attended a female seminary at Marietta from 1845-1848.

Aunt Clara’s grandfather, Daniel Rathburn, came from near Hartford, Conn., with 
the two Higley families including Major and Lieut. Higley, and a brother-in-
law, Judge James Phelps, and settled on Leading creek in 1803.  Elisha 
Rathburn, a son of this New England pioneer, was then fifteen years of age.  In 
good time he grew to manhood and married Mary (Polly) Giles, who came from 
Augusta, Maine.  They had six children, one son and five daughters.  The son 
was the late J. N. Rathburn.  Clara was the oldest of the children and was the 
last to go to that good world we all seek.  Her mother lived to be nearly 
ninety-eight years of age and her grandmother Rathburn was nearly ninety-nine 
years of age, making her a member of a long-lived family on both sides.  Her 
father, Rev. Elisha Rathburn, minister in the Christian church, died August 8, 
1869, age 80 years 1 month and 9 days. 

Aunt Clara was a public school teacher from 1840 to 1850.  She numbered among 
her pupils some of the oldest residents of the township, two of those now 
mentioned being J. B. Holt and James Church.

She was a kindly good woman and her influence for right living extended to the 
limits of her acquaintanceship.  She never married and missed the pleasure of 
motherhood, but she got as much out of life as the average human being.  He 
sister also lived her eighty-four years a single woman.

Providence was kind to both of these old ladies.  Aunt Clara was spared her 
natural faculties to the very last.  She could hear as well as a young person 
and could see as sharply as a girl to the very last.  Her mind was also clear 
and active to the very last hours.  Her span of live covered a great space of 
American history – from pioneer days to the state of being the greatest Nation 
on earth.

She was tenderly laid away beside her pioneer ancestors in Miles cemetery on 
Sunday April 2nd.  The funeral took place from the old home, Rev. Donaldson 
officiating.

A good woman has gone, who has left her mark in the world.

Trancsribed by:
Connie Cotterill Schumaker

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