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The
"one son" was my grandfather Harry.
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The
photo on the right dates to the summer of 1964. Emma (on the
left) and her younger sister Ethel revisit one of the scenes of their youth.
The
rest of the clippings mark the passing of various Buckinghams:
In
1908, my great-grandfather John Thomas Buckingham. He didn't
use the John, and people knew him as Tommy.
In
1925, his stepmother, Aunt Till. (I've combined two clippings.)
In
1932, his unmarried daughter Lizzie, my great-aunt. |
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Obituary.
J.T.
Buckingham was born at Summerfield, Ohio, February 15, 1850, and
died at his home on Curtis Ridge, four miles south of Summerfield,
Aug. 7, 1908,
aged 58 years, 5 months and 17 days.
He
was united in marriage to Mary E. Curtis, October 5, 1869. To
this union were born five children, four daughters and one son; one
of the daughters died in infancy. The other three daughters and
son survive him.
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Stafford
is about five miles southeast of Curtis Ridge (see above map.)
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At
the time of his marriage he was clerking for Captain Hughes, at
Stafford, Ohio. He continued to clerk in the store for a while
and then moved to Curtis Ridge, where he spent the remainder of his life.
Tommy,
as he was more familiarly known, was left an orphan boy, without any
estate. But he had something better than money, and that was
true, genuine principle. By habits of industry and economy, he
wrested from the world an honest living and built up a comfortable home
for his family, which he leaves to them free and unencumbered.
He was of a kind and social disposition, won a large circle of
friends, and was highly respected by all who knew him.
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I
think that the church was less than a mile up the road from the
Buckingham home. |
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Tommy
always had a warm feeling for the church. Sometime in January,
1904, he converted in a meeting at Curtis Ridge conducted by the
writer. He united with the Wesleyan Methodist church at the
Ridge and was one of its leading members.
His
life was an exemplary one and his death triumphant. He bore
his affliction with patience and Christian fortitude. When he
was dying — the family and friends gathered around his bedside
— his face was illuminated with the sunshine of heaven and he
bade us all goodbye. His wife asked him if there was any dark
valley; he said no. Jesus had lit up the way, and it will be
light for all who will follow his footsteps.
The
family and his two sisters have the sympathy of all. On
Sunday, August 9, as the sun had reached the zenith, his body was
tenderly laid to rest in the home cemetery. Funeral conducted
by the writer. F.A.A.
CARD
OF THANKS.
We
take this method of thanking our friends and neighbors and all who
so kindly assisted us during the illness and death of our husband and father.
Mary
E. Buckingham and family.
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The
nautical allusion is to a hymn by Alfred, Lord Tennyson,
"Crossing the Bar." |
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STAFFORD
NEWS in the Woodsfield newspaper
Obituary:
Mrs. Matilda Kean
The
whole community was shocked and grieved on Saturday when from mouth
to mouth and from phone to phone the news spread that "Aunt
Till," as she was lovingly called, had quietly crossed the bar
as she often expressed a wish to do — with no moaning of the
waves when she put out to sea on her endless vacation.
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Malaga
is seven miles north of Woodsfield. In those days, people
never traveled very far from home. |
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Those
who knew her, and they are legions, need no eulogy to tell of the
grandly beautiful life lived so modestly and unostentatiously
following in the footsteps of the humble Galilean, going about doing
good with no thought of recompense save the happiness that service
brings always.
Matilda
Sill was born near Malaga, Monroe County, Ohio, Aug. 1, 1829, and
departed this life November 28, 1925,
at the home of her son-in-law, Wynn Ullman, in Stafford, age 96
years, 3 months and 27 days.
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Mr.
Buckingham had been born in Maryland in 1822.
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She
was a resident of Monroe County all her life. When quite
young, her folks moved to Stafford, where she joined the M.E. Church
at an early age. She was an active member for about 80 years
and was interested in all its activities as long as she was able to
take part.
The
writer first met her as Matilda Sills before the Civil War, when as
a girl she was the valued assistant and companion of the family of
William Steel, a prominent merchant here. Though only a
careless girl in my teens, I was impressed on my frequent visits from
Woodsfield to that home with the rare qualities of the young girl who
so cheerfully and efficiently performed the duties of housekeeper,
nurse, and entertainer devolving on her on account of Mrs. Steel's
frail health. Later, when moving here and coming in close
contact with everyday life, my first impression of her beautiful
personality gained strength as obstacle after obstacle were met and,
uncomplaining and unassisted, overcome.
When
her sister, Mrs. Hawkins, was left a widow with a family of
children, she went there and helped mother them — her special
role being that of mother in an exalted form. After the Hawkins
children were partly grown and the eldest, though a minor, had
entered the war (our neighbor the late John Hawkins), she was at
liberty for a short time and in April 1863 married James D.
Buckingham, whose wife had died leaving three young children.
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The
stepson "Thomas" was my future great-grandfather, then 13
years old. |
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Again
she was called to exercise her God-given motherhood. A son and
daughter were born to this union, but no difference was shown the
stepchildren who were tenderly cared for as her own, and they
returned her devotion. The stepdaughters were Patience and
Bell; the stepson, Thomas, late of Curtis Ridge, where the deceased
delighted to spend part of her summers as an honored guest. |
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Less
than two years after marrying Till, James Buckingham died at the age
of 42. |
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After
Mr. Buckingham's death, she and her sister, Emily Sill, lived
together and reared her children. The son, James, resides in
DeSoto, Kansas, and could not attend the funeral. The daughter,
Etta, married Win Ullman and died six years ago.
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This
group portrait includes a woman who might be the twice-widowed Aunt Till. |
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She
was married a second time to Jefferson Kean in 1875. He passed
away in 1879, when he was planning an affluent happy old age for
her. But she faced this problem as all others and cheerfully
took up new duties of caring for grandchildren and
great-grandchildren, all of whom adored her.
She
died as she had lived — trusted, honored, loved, rearing her
own monument while she lived and garlanding it with immortals.
She had been growing weaker the past summer but was around the house
helping her granddaughter, Vere, on Thanksgiving. Mrs. Mary
Buckingham of Curtis Ridge came over, accompanied by her Pastor and
wife, and spent the day affording much enjoyment to Mrs. Kean.
On Saturday, after eating her dinner and expressing appreciation of
it, she went into her room, lay down for her accustomed nap, and
quietly passed away.
She
leaves a son, seven grandchildren, several step-grandchildren,
eleven great-grandchildren, and a host of friends to mourn her loss.
Funeral
services were held in Stafford M.E. Church for her on December 1
with Rev. H.A. Tuttle officiating. Interment was made in the
Stafford cemetery by funeral director Preston Gardner.
In
Memoriam.
BUCKINGHAM
Elizabeth,
third daughter of Thomas and Mary Buckingham, was born near
Summerfield, Ohio, May 7, 1880. Her spirit slipped home to God
November 9, 1932.
Her aged mother, one sister, one brother, and many other relatives
and friends remain to miss her godly counsel and importunate prayers.
Lizzie,
as we all called her, was a woman of rare devotion to the cause of
God. Her interest was world-wide, and many souls from the
regions beyond will greet her with gladness because of this
interest. At an early age, she fully yielded her life to God
and united with the Curtis Ridge Wesleyan Methodist Church, remaining
an earnest worker in the same until her death. Humble,
faithful, and joyous in God's service, she cheerfully and efficiently
filled every position in home and church entrusted to her care.
Her
life was a marvelous exposition of God's justifying and sanctifying
grace. Her sick room was not a death chamber but became a
coronation hall, as she received from her loved Master the crown of
life promised to those who overcome.
Funeral
services were conducted from the home, by the writer. Midst
whirling snows, her frail earthly house was followed by loved ones to
the near-by cemetery
where it was left to await the coming Rapture.
—Monna
M. Rogers.
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