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Chase County Kansas Obituaries
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Wood, Margaret Walker Lyon Margaret Walker Lyon was born Oct 15, 1830 in Richland county, Ohio, and passed out of this life Apr 27, 1919, at Cottonwood Falls, Kansas. Her illness was only a few days duration, and was the transition stage of a long and full life.
She was united in marriage October 3, 1850 to Samuel N Wood and to them four children were born, David, William Lyon, Florence and Mary Elizabeth. the youngest, Mary Elizabeth called Dearie, lived only until early youth. The other three are left to honor the membory of a mother whose devotion to her children was the great passion of her life.
In her girlhood she was baptized and became a member of the Presbyterian hurch. In later years she became a firm believer in the communication of souls in another world with those on this earth. For many years her mind had dwelt constantly on the thought of a future life.
Her lifetime of more than eighty-eight years covered an eventful period of history in which she felt the keenest interest, and participated in with the greatest eagerness.
With her husband, she came to the territory of Kansas in 1854, that they might take an active part in the struggle to make it a free state. In the days when the first chapter of the Civil War was being fought on Kansas soil, and life was never safe, she kept her ever course, as fearless of personal danger as the man whose life she shared. Her ideal of freedom outweighed all thought of her own pleasure, comfort, or even safety, and to this ideal she devoted the strength of her young womanhood.
Her home at Lawrence, Kansas was a center of hospitality in the early days when the new settlers were coming in without bed or shelter. The first person who died in the town of Lawrence was a young man who was brought ill to her home when no other place could be found. She nursed him with tenderest care though she could not save his life. She could never bear to turn a hungry man from her door, though he might be the veriest tramp.
In her advanced years she retained keep interest in public affairs, and in the daily news. She was an active reader and herself had written several beautiful poems, besides a press history of her husband's life. She cared especially for literature that dealt with a life after death and her last days hope and assurance of another life is bright and strong. I bear glad witness today to the fact that companionship and association with Mrs. Wood, as we have journed along the pathway of life, as friends for nearly half a century, has always tended to strengthen my faith in a life to come. I found it good to converse with one who had so pronounced a belief in the soul's continued existence in a world of light. It was ever before her eyes. "The supreme certainty of her reason and the supreme consolation of her soul," and the bearer she came to the end of this life the more clealy did she hear the symphonies of the life beyond.
She believed with Milton, that "Unseen beings walk this earth both when we wake and when we sleep," and she spoke confidently of her friends in spirit-land, they were real persons, "not shadows in a shadow land. I many times have I heard her say, "There is no death."
What seems so is transition: This life of mortal breath. Is but the suburb of the life beyond, Whose portal we call death."
In the world in which she moved she was known as a Scholar, a Thinker, a Scientist and a Philosopher. She had the vision of a Seer, the voice of a Prophet and the soul of a Poet.
In the silence this wonderful spirit held converse and communion with invisible hosts that gave her wisdom of mind and gentleness
of heart that enabled her to withstand trials that few are called upon to endure and in the end approach the grave.
"Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch
About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams."
"She was my friend! faithful and true."
"And when the sunset gates unbar
Shall I not see her waiting stand,
And white against the evening star
The welcome of her beckoning hand."
She read the following poem by Edwin Arnold at the funeral of her friends, Mrs. Hubbard and Mrs. Kellam of Topeka and asked me several years ago and many time since that I would read it at hers should I survive her, as it more fully expressed her sentiments than any thing might herself write.
Faithful friends It lies, I know Pale and white and cold as snow
And ye say, that she is dead
Weeping at the feet and head.
I can see your falling tears,
I can hear your sighs and prayers;
Yet I smile and whisper this--
The crier for the burial of death was read by Rev. Noah W A Gilbert pastor of the M E Church of Cottonwood Falls followed by an interesting historical sketch by Rev Harry C Case of Ottawa, Kansas, and a tribute of personal association by Mrs. Sadie P Grisham.
The music was furnished by Mssrs W B Penny, James Bell, Mrs June Smith, and Miss Mary Rockwood.
The pall bearers those of her chosing before her deathwere Mr. A M Breese, Mr. Jeff Daugherty, Mr. G E Finley, Mr. Frank Alford, Mr. Dick Hays, Mr M M Kuhl.
Chase County Leader News, Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, April 27 1919.
MRS. GRISHAM AT THE FUNERAL OF MARGARET LYON WOOD, WIDOW OF S N WOOD
Because it was her request, it is but meet and right that I should speak of the great sustaining force of this gifted woman--that other life, the life beyond! You who know her, know how real that other life was to her. She bore testimony - coinstantly to the reality of that other world into which her spirit has now entered leaving us the body for burial today.
It is given to some to emphasize one truth, and to others it is given to emphazie another truth.
The truth of which Mrs. Wood bore testimony, with unfaltering confidence was of the soul's immortality.
The reality of spiritual existence, the fact that the soul lives on in the heavely world, she no more doubted than she doubted her own existence in this world. She was as sure of heaven, as she was of earth.
She was confiident that when the body returned to earth, as it was earth, the spirit the soul would return to God who gave it.
Her faith in these truths, was not less but more than that of average orthodox humanity.
To her the other world was so tangible as this, it was peopled with faces and forms she loved==Its language was audible, its society natural, its loves distinct, its companionship real, its activities energetic. The life intelligent and its glories discernable.
She was so broad in mind and generous in heart that she accepted truth as it came to her from countless sources==she believed in the wisdom of an...
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Chase County Leader News, Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, April 27 1919.
by Lorna Marvin
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