Sunday's Obituary - Miss Eliza C. Gilbert of Mecklenburg, NY

While transcribing the obituaries from Mrs. John L. Puff’s scrapbook that was in my mother-in-law’s possession, I found Eliza Gilbert’s obituary unique not only in its religious fervor, but also in the fact that it told me nothing about her or her family.  So I went to the census and found in 1870 she lived and worked as a domestic laborer in the household of Margaret Darling in Hector, Schuyler County, NY; in 1880 Eliza was in the household of Homer Darling. Eliza worked as a dressmaker and stated that her father was born in New Jersey, her mother in Connecticut.

Eliza C. Gilbert’s obituary reads:

Miss Eliza C. Gilbert died of pneumonia in Mecklenburg (NY) April 17, 1883, aged 56 years. She was converted thirty years ago at Newfield, at under whose ministry or under what circumstances I cannot now ascertain. Sister Gilbert lived many years near Mecklenburg and had been a member of the Mecklenburg and later of the Reynoldsville Church. She was faithful, consistent, singular-blameless and devoted. Her piety was not obtrusive but fervent; her zeal not fitful but regular and constant. Her place was well filled and her influence positive for good. After a week of suffering she fell asleep in Jesus without a pang and almost without a sigh or sign of regret.


This obituary as well as other obits appearing in the Ithaca Journal can be viewed at the Tompkins Country GenWeb site.  Look under "Other Scrapbook Goodies" for Obituaries and Clippings.