|
a.
|
Note: Obituary of Jane Vanderveer, Middletown Journal, Middletown, OH,Friday, May 19, 1876: "THE DEATH OF A PIONEER OF CARLISLE, OHIO...Mrs.Jane VanDerveer, relic of Benjamin VanDerveer, one of the oldest citizensof Carlisle, OH, died at her late residence on Monday evening, last,and was buried Wednesday at 2:30 o'clock, the services being conducted byRev. Dr. Findley assisted ty Rev. F. M. Wood. Below we give an extractof Dr. Findley's sermon, preached on that occasion.
Mrs. Jane VanDerveer was born June 11, 1798. She died May 15, 1876,aged 77 years, 11 months and 4 days.
She was born in thesecond year of the administration of John Adamsand Thomas Jefferson as President and Vice-President of the UnitedStates; so that her life has reached throughthe entire history of theUnited States under its Presidents, except nine years.
She was married to Benjamin VanDerveer April 20, 1813, when she was14 years,10 months and 9 days old. Her married life reached over aperiod of 63 years and 25 days. She enjoyed the companionship of herhusband 60 years, 5 months and6 days. Her husband died September 26,1873, aged 79 years, 11 months and 10 days. Her marriage took placeduring the second Presidential term of James Madison, and in the secondyear of our second war with England. When she and her husband reachedPittsburgh, in June, 1813, they embarked in a flat boat and floateddownthe river to Cincinnati. Steamboats were not in general use at thattime, and railroads were not conceived of. The river banks were coveredwith dense forests, where large and flourishing towns are now located.The first steamboat ever placed on our western waters was built at thecity of Pittsburg, and made an experimental trip to New Orleans in thewinter of 1812. Turnpike roads were notknown then, as they are nowconstructed. The first macadamized road was built in England in 1816,and the national road was not constructed till after the year 1828 or1830. When, therefore, Mr. and Mrs. VanDerveer landed in Cincinnati theydrove in a wagon over the common roads and through dense forests to thefarm on which they spent the remainder of their days. Her first home wasin a house on the Vankirk farm, now owned by Mr. Moses. She afterwardsoccupied a cabin which stood at the right hand of the lane leading to herlate residence, nearly midway between the house and the road. This housewas built by John Frances, which he occupied while he was clearing fiftyacres of timber land for Tunis D. VanDerveer, the father of Benjamin.For this work, John Frances received a deed of fifty acres of land. Inthis way land was made to answer the purpose of a circulating medium.
When the new family entered this cabin there were two acres of landcleared on the farm. It is easy to conjecture the hard work that wasdemanded of the new-comers before they could look out upon the broadacres of wheat andcorn and oats which now may be seen from their lateresidence. In process of time, as their circumstances in life improved,they built the house in which the residue of their days were spent, andabandoned their cabin home, no vestige of which now remains. Here sheboarded the hands employed in the construction of the old frame churchwhich preceded the fine structure in which we now worship. And to thischurch, while it was yet unplastered, and the weatherboards aloneprotected the congregation from the storm, she brought her children everySabbath, even during the winter, when the only heating apparatusconsisted of the foot-stoves with which families provided themselves. Iwill leave you to contrast those days with these days. She united withthis church by profession of her faith in Christ while the congregationyet worshipped in the house or barn now occupied by her son Tunis, June18, 1815.
Just before her death, which took place about 9 o'clock on Mondayevening, when some of her children left the room, she asked, "where arethey going?" When told that they we
|
