Obituary: Rock County, Wisconsin: Lydia BARRETT

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Submitted by Ruth Ann Montgomery, <rmontgomery@cishome.com> June 2005

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Lydia Barrett, familiarly known as Mother Barrett, was born in Kent, Putnam
county, New York, June the eighth, in the year 1806. She was married to
Abijah K. Barrett Sept. fifth, in the year 1822. After marriage she moved
to Tioga Co. York State in 1835, and from Tioga Co., came to Magnolia Rock
Co. Wis. 1846. She died at the home of her son Geo. in Valey Center,
Sedgwick Co., Kansas, March the ninth, at half after eight o'clock, on
Sunday Morning. She dates her convertion at 13 years of age, was baptised
and joined the Baptist Church.

Mother Barrett survived her husband four years last Jan. 24th. Her life in
Magnolia for 38 years was one continued evidence of the power of a
Christian life; evidence every where of her worth to be seen. Certainly she
is in the memory of those who know her best. Crowned with Glory and honor
such a life is desirable for the earth side of it. The evidence which she
has given of patience in the midst of the severest afflictions when life
itself seemed so dark, and every earthly interest seemed swinging in the
balances and not only of patience but love which always gave to her whole
life luster and perpetual perfume of hopefulness. The community in which
she lived was ready witnesss. She was a wife specially devoted to her
companion ever to the last of his earthly life. In her decease a whole
community mourn, but especially related in the family who are bereft of
mother are eight children, six sons and two daughters. Children scattered
in California, Kansas, Minnesota, Dakota and Wis. Her son Fred, to whom she
looked in the last years of her life for consel and advice, certainly
rendered every assistance possible both while she lived in the old home and
even afterward, learning of her illness he left every care, and in Kansas
ministered to her comforts till he was compelled to close her eyes in death
and after due respect had been paid to the sad event in Kansas, he with the
corpse came to the old home. In her home were grand children who spared the
same kindness as if they were her own children. Among chief mourners was
Ida Bell who from infancy had enjoyed mother Barrett's minister of
affection. Also Abijah Barrett known as Conductor Barrett spent much of his
life in the home and remembers her with devotion. Her sickness was very
brief, and at eight o'clock on Sunday morning the 9th of March 1884 in
Kansas she passed triumphantly away, thus closes a life beautiful to the
last. Her age was seventy eight years.

She was supremely devoted to her friends in which, the undersigned shared
on account of the relation of our families. 

Mother B. Seemed a mother to me, her brother Rev. Nathaniel Robinson of
Duchess Co. was my mother's pastor, under his preaching she was converted
by him, baptised and received to membership, her home (my mother) being
with her uncle, Deacon Osborn who was Deacon of the same church and then in
my early ministry I was appointed to the very place where lived, and lives,
her two sisters, wives of Deacons Mead and Shaw, living sisters of Mother
Barrett. All the above facts led her to ask that in the event of her death
I should preach her funeral sermon which I agreed to do in the hotel parlor
at Magnolia.

The Sermon was to be preached from Luke 23: 28. "daughters of Jerusalem
weep not for me but weep for yourselves and for your children." The hymns,
the first was 1st Why do we mourn departed friends, 2nd. "Jesus I my cross
have taken all to leave and follow thee". She had carefully thought it all
out and no reasoning could change her plan.

A good number of old friends followed her remains to the grave where we
laid her body to rest, but not her soul, believing that, "To die is gain".
Farewell Mother Barrett till we have inherited earths common tomb, Farewell
till we receive crowns of immortality. Farewell till we shall meet in the
highlands of Heaven when the years of endless life leaves no trace of age,
when society will be perfect, whose purity contended for in a world of sin
will be at a premium where will be proven this that "rightousness or
godliness is profibable unto all things having promise of the life that now
is and that which is to come.
I was her pastor for the three last years of her life in Magnolia.

Rev. A. J. Brill
Stoughton, Wis

March 28, 1884, Evansville Review, Evansville, Wisconsin