Freestone County, Texas	 	
Obituaries



Fairfield Recorder, Fairfield Texas
Friday, October 2, 1925

IN MEMORY OF MR. THOMAS KELLEY

When the dark winged reaper of death takes away the infant or child in
its tender years, in its innocent and purity as the dues of mourn the
hang tremulous on flower and thorn dissapears before yon great eliminator
of day or the youth in its teens luxuriance and beauty and hope brimming
with light that sparkles in the eyes as new made mind. For those that have
passed the midday of life in assurance of an abundance harvest having sewn
well good seed with great promise of ample fruition we stand awe stricken
in aghast stupefied and lost in the mystery of life and death. But when
those who have passed the mourning, noon, and midday of life wrap their
draperies about and lie down as it were to pleasant dreams at the evening
hour as the quiet shadows hoover over all the starry spheres when lifes
short day is done our hearts are been none. Bruised and bleeding with sorrow
and subdued saddness that those whom we love are here no more Has the night
wind sang with a gentle unknown love in our carmale moments we admit god
knew best and took them home.

Mr. Thomas KELLEY died at his home in Teague Sept. 4, 1925 at 7:30 oclock
of appoplexy. He had been in declining health for ten years . His remains
were interred in the Pyburn Cemetery on Sept. 5, at 4:00, Rev. VAUGHN
officiating.

In the presents of a large concourse of sorrowing friends and relatives.
Mr. KELLEY was born Nov. 28, 1848 in Choctaw County Alabama. Had he of
lived until Nov. he would have been 77 years of age. He joined the Baptist
Church in early childhood. He was preceeded to a better world by one son
who died at the age of eleven years. He was married to Mrs. Eliza Alice
WADE at Thornton, Limestone County Texas Jan. 8, 1888. To this union there
were born three children: John and Clara KELLEY, the other deceased. He
had been a resident of Texas for forty-five years. He had suffered days,
weeks, and months from illness of age and infirmities. None but god and
the pitting angels knew of his intense sufferings. All that loving hands
and medical skill could do could not releive him til god released him from
his pain and took him away. It was our pleasure and privalge to know this
good man for some years as a friend, neighbor and man. His home life comported
with his religious life, quite, gentle, loving and forgiving. Our friend
was not one of the illustrious or great of earth as the world knows it.
He was an humble way to god, the way the savior trod his pass way set with
many and un hewn stone thru dark and dismissal haunts and windings of labor
and aversity but in the depths and darkness recesses he saw and followed
his star, the one, the wise man saw, the star of Bethleham. If faults he
had or did he err twas of the head and not of the heart. Tis said the wisest
and best have erred. He belived in the universal brotherhood of man the
one thing now so needful to this sin cursed world. For the wife, the mother
who has walked thru all these years as it were thru the velley and shadow
of death by his side who has shared lifes joy and sorrows, who has mingled
in their grief , the gate way of eternity stands ajared just there. The
pathway of lives is scarcely visible when compared to that beyond. Twill
not be long till you meet him over there where your children and friends
are at rest by the side of the river of life, where the saints all emortal
and fair are robed in their garments of white. To the children who stand
at the brink of the great chasm a cross whos bourne none ever come, where
the century of death holds the past till mortality shell take on immortality
till he of the key embar sets the heavenly gate ajar. I can not say weak
not for it is the only relief for a breaking heart, but thru your grief
and tear dimmed gaze though you see but dimmly hear behold in the darkness
of dispair for in the darkest places the light shines brightest, that star
which he followed him you see the same that shown on judeas hills in light
of the way of all the earth, follow thou you shall meet again, no mighty
rich nor squalied poor each shall have his laurels square. The crown of
life shall deck each brow, there will be no difference there. Sleep on
my friend in perfect peace. From Eartthly Fetters free until the trump
of god shall sound the last reveille.