Clearfield County PA Archives Obituaries.....Woodward, Abigail Watrous May 17, 1901
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Penfield Press, 24 May 1901
In Memoriam

Abigail Watrous was born near Hollisterville, Wayne County, Pa., December 
25, 1829, and died at Penfield, Pa., May 17, 1901.  Her father was Jonathan 
Bissel Watrous her mother's maiden name was Matilda Moore.  The father was 
born September 28, 1795 and died Nov. 28, 1880.  The mother's birth was Feb. 
17, 1804 and death, Jan. 29, 1891.  The parents marriage was June 8, 1820, 
to Jonathan and Matilda Watrous were born thirteen children, Egbert, Joseph, 
Judson, Dudley, Abigail Armenia (Mrs. Rhodes Berry), Anna Mariah (Mrs. Jacob 
H. Rosenkrans), Lucy (Mrs. James Black), John, Randolph, Jane, Electa, and 
Winfield Scott.  Of these, John of Dunmore, Pa. and Dudley of 
Hillisterville, Pa. are all that survive.  The parents were of good ancestry 
and the children were fortunate in heredity and training.  Industry, 
intelligence and morality were their birth rite and living examples.  
Abigail grew to young womanhood, intelligent and ambitions.  Going to the 
White Haven, Pa. region to teach school, she there met Hiram Woodward, a 
young lumberman from near Wilkes Barre, born May 2, 1826, and then operating 
at Pine Run in the Leighi River district.  Thus does destiny converge into 
one the diverse paths of youth.  At her father's home by Rev. Albert Raymond 
of the Salem Presbyterian church on April 12, 1849 the two were made one in 
wedlock.  On April 12, 1899, the passage by them of the half century golden 
milestone of Life's journey was fifty celebrated at their home in Penfield.

In 1854, Hiram Woodward came to Benners Branch to lumber for Reading Fisher 
& Co.  With fourteen men of whom William Haw, James Guckhaven and Gephart 
Bennar yet survive, he came and located at Slabtown now near Weedville.  
Afterwards with the children, George and Alice, Mrs. Woodward, after a 
toilsome journey necessary in those days of few railroads and even wagon 
roads, arrived at the home in the forest, and the young couple began their 
life long strenuous struggle with the wilderness and the privations of 
pioneer life  to end after more than thirty years with the coming of old 
age.  In 1856, the opening in this mighty wood that slumbered like a lake of 
green between Benezette and Luthersburg which Jesse Wilson, and Gould Hoyt 
had made since 1820 at Penfield was acquired by Hiram Woodward and the 
family there moved and dwelt.  Here was for years after the headquarters of 
the great lumbering operations that the energetic lead or carried on, then 
the fine mansion that adorns the spacious and fertile farm was built, and in 
this the two who so long traveled Life's pilgrim course together passed 
away, Hiram last autumn and now the wife.

The children of the union are George R., William D. Jr., and Alice (Mrs. 
D.W. Comstock), living, Mahlon, Meribah and Friend deceased.  Many who read 
this will realize how Meribah, like a fair and fragile flower.

During the many weeks of her husband's painful and finally fatal illness, 
Mrs. Woodward was faithful in his care.  After his death, followed soon by 
that of her sister, Ann, she felt like so many aged ones, that while earthly 
ties were fewer heavenly ones were more.  For years not in good health, it 
yet came as a terrible surprise and shock to her son William's wife.  That 
Friday morn when having at the mother's request arranged the pillows of the 
bed after a period of brief respite from pain, the daughter saw the mother 
pass swiftly into the unseen.  Dr. R. Smith was soon at her side and Dr. 
S.E. Hayes came afterward.  But life had vanished and could not be recalled.  
During all the years of responsibility the deceased had the christian's 
faith, in girlhood belonging to the Salem Presbyterian church, that of her 
father and mother, afterwards for many years, a member of the Penfield 
Presbyterian church.  A love for religious themes and thought was an 
enjoyable part of her life when in company with congenial souls while 
intelligence and reason characterized her thought and utterance.  Many of 
her soul experiences were wonderful and cheering and sustaining as she drew 
near the shadow that holds the key to all the creeds.  She feared not death 
for the anchor was within the veil.  On the long pathway of her journey some 
shadows fell athwart.  But there were peaceful valleys and also sunny 
slopes; she has gone not to return until the Lord shall come bringing with 
him all who sleep with him. The funeral was at the home on Sunday at 2 p.m.   
Obedient to the request of the departed, Rev. Andrew B. Hooven of DuBois, 
preached the sermon from the words "I bowed ***as one who mourns for a 
mother."  Rev.'s A. Smith and D. Caldwell offered prayer; W.L. Joyce was 
director.

The discourse was an eloquent tribute to motherhood, and the unique sacred 
grief that stirs the soul when mother passes away.  The speaker referred 
with feeling to the fact that when in 1869, a Methodist itinerant preacher, 
he first came to Penfield, the departed had taken him into her home and 
treated him with so great kindness, that the hands now still and folded had 
then been busy preparing food for him.  All who heard the sermon were 
stirred to emotion of their better natures.

The interment was in Bundy Cemetery where repose together the two who 
journeyed hand in hand so long through life.

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