OBITUARY:  Rebecca Harrison Kinsey, 10 Jan 1883 - Smith County, TX

Submitted by Vicki Betts <Vicki_Betts@mail.uttyl.edu
13 Sep 2002

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TEXAS CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE, March 31, 1883, p. 7, c. 4

KINSEY.—Mother Kinsey, whose maiden name was Rebecca Harrison, 
was born in Morgan county, Ga., August 9, 1803. She was married 
to James Ansley December 27, 1830, and moved to Upson county, Ga., 
where she lived until 1854, and reared a family of orphan children 
left to her care by the death of a relative. Thence she moved to 
Texas. On the way to Texas she lost by death, her husband, her 
daughter, and several of her relatives. With her surviving 
children and friends she settled in Smith county, near Antioch 
church, where she remained until she was called to her reward 
on high, January 10, 1883. Broken-hearted and care-worn, among 
strangers, in a strange land, with all the responsibilities of 
a large family of sons, a daughter, with none other to whom she 
could look for help and comfort, she said, "I will trust in the 
Lord." At the earliest opportunity she presented to Rev. F. M. 
Stovall, then pastor of the charge, the family "letter" with 
five names, three of which had, in the mean time, been 
transferred to the church triumphant. The remaining two have 
been faithful members. In 1859 she was married to James Kinsey, 
who still lives patiently awaiting his summons. Mother Kinsey 
was a model Christian woman; her life was every way a success; 
a wife, faithful, devoted and true, a helpmeet indeed; a mother 
and "stepmother," patient, loving, discreet and positive, 
"training up her children in the way they should go." She left 
five sons and two daughters in the church militant; some of 
them are noted for piety and Christian zeal. She was a kind, 
generous and warm-hearted friend and neighbor; she took pleasure 
in making others comfortable, especially the sick and the poor. 
She was converted and joined the M. E. Church when about twelve 
years old, and was a devoted, conscientious, consistent 
"follower" of Jesus. For nearly sixty-eight years a Christian 
"unspotted," "blameless." Could such a life end otherwise than 
most triumphantly? Her last illness was protracted, but not 
very painful. She often said, "The Lord is so good to me to 
take me away without much suffering." For several days she was 
constantly expecting to die, during which time, when awake, 
she was busy comforting her husband and children, and 
exhorting her friends to "be thankful and come on to the 
better land." When asleep she dreamed of heaven and sainted 
friends. Thus she calmly, peacefully passed away, as a little 
child falleth asleep. May the Lord help the writer and 
readers of this sketch to be "faithful unto death," and meet 
her again "where sad partings come no more."

                                          —E. O. D.