Caroline Edginton Blake must have seemed to have it all as the 1870s drew to a close in Chariton. Approaching 40, she was married to a prosperous businessman, George W. Blake, had three children ranging in age from the newborn George through Harriet to 11-year-old Charles and lived in an impressive new hilltop home complete with tower in the southwest part of the city.
Born Aug. 16, 1839, into a prosperous merchant family in London, her mother --- also Caroline --- died when she was 7, during January of 1847. Late that fall, the widowed Edward Thomas Edginton brought "Carrie" and her older brother, Will, to the United States, arriving at the port of New Orleans during December. After living briefly in Indiana, the family settled at Burlington, Iowa, then moved on to Chariton during early 1856. Ten years later, immediately after the Civil War, she married Blake, an honored veteran of that conflict, on Sept. 27, 1866.
Then tuberculosis, that great equal-opportunity killer of the 19th century, intervened, developing quickly during 1880 from a persistent cough to critical illness as the year progressed. Sent first to Massachusetts for treatment, she was moved to Jacksonville, Florida, as winter set in. Finally, just after Christmas, without hope of recovery and anxious to see her home again, Carrie died aboard a passenger train near Albany, Georgia, on Dec. 31.
The circumstances of her death were unique enough to result in a newspaper report, republished on Thursday, Jan. 6, 1881, on the front page of The Greenville Daily News, Greenville, South Carolina:
+++
DEATH ON THE CARS --- The Albany, Ga., News: "Yesterday morning the passengers in the sleeping car of the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway train were the witnesses of a death scene that was so sad in its nature and peculiar surroundings as to cast a gloom over the hearts of all.
"Mr. G.W. Blake, of Chariton, Iowa, was returning home with his sick wife from Florida, whither she had been taken in the last stages of consumption some five weeks ago, with the hope that the change to a milder climate would restore her former health, or at least be of some benefit to her. Mrs. Blake was accompanied to Jacksonville by her three children, the eldest of whom is a bright boy of 12 years. The mother and children were afterwards followed by the fond husband and father, who finding that his wife was growing weaker every day, and being advised by physicians that she must surely die, resolved to return home with her, as she preferred to die there.
"The left Jacksonville on a through sleeper on Thursday afternoon, and were nearing this city on their journey when the death scene above referred to occurred. Mrs. Blake was taken with one of the severe spells of coughing which characterize the disease of consumption and rapidly sunk under it. Being very weak, she died like one asleep.
"Captain Kneller, the conductor, did all in his power for the dying lady, and was afterwards very kind to the bereaved husband and children. Learning that the family were Episcopalians, and that the deceased was a consistent member of that denomination, Captain Kneller, as soon as he arrived in the city, proceeded to the rectory of St. Paul's church and apprised the Rev. Mr. Pond of the death and circumstances.
"This was all that was necessary, for soon a party of kind and benevolent ladies were on their way to where the sleeper had been left on a side track near the passenger depot. These ladies took charge of the remains of the dead stranger, neatly dressed them, and saw them laid into the handsome metallic casket which the bereaved husband had procured in which to carry them to the family home in Chariton, Iowa."
+++
Caroline's funeral was conducted at St. Andrew's Church in Chariton on the same day that report was published in Georgia --- Epiphany, 1881. A week later, the following obituary was published in The Chariton Patriot of Jan. 12, 1881:
+++
BLAKE --- At Albany, Georgia, December 31, 1880, of consumption, Mrs. Caroline, wife of G.W. Blake, of this city. Aged 41 years, 4 months and 15 days.
Deceased was born in London, England, August 16, 1839, came to the United States in 1847, and has lived in Chariton since 1856, where she was married Sept. 27, 1866. She leaves a husband and three children, the oldest 12, the youngest 1 year old.
The disease which caused her death first showed itself in the form of a cough in January, 1880, but was not considered serious till a few weeks before her death. She went to a health institute in Massachusetts hoping to recover her health during the summer, but as the cold weather came on she grew worse, and was advised to go to Florida for the winter, which she did in November, but instead of improving, became worse, having been confined to her bed for nineteen days preceding her death. Her family were all present at the time of her death. The remains reached home on the night of January 4th and the funeral took place at St. Andrew's Episcopal church at 3 o'clock p.m. January 6, 1881.
A quarter of a century has passed since the deceased with her father an an only brother came to abide with us. She became at once a favorite among all classes of our people. Her modesty, affability, intelligence and genial deportment made her hosts of friends wherever she was known. Her absence from us during most of her illness leaves on our minds the impress of the bloom of youth and of that pleasant smile with which she always greeted her friends.
She was an active and earnest worker in the benevolent societies of Chariton from the time of her advent among us, and contributed by her life as much as any of our citizens to the elevation and refinement of our society.
After her marriage she became a "home body" in the truest meaning of the term, her life thereafter being that of the devoted wife and loving mother, her gentle womanly attributes radiating an imperishable influence for good. The influence of the true wife lives forever. Her death brought sorrow to many hearts, and the bereaved relatives have the warmest sympathy of the whole community. Called in the midst of life, and at a time when the opening bud of promise gave assurance of a still brighter future before her, let no one despairingly ask the question, why? Rather trusting that, to her, hope has given place to a new and far brighter existence.
+++
If you walk in the Chariton Cemetery, you'll find the biggest of the Blake tombstones, the one bearing Caroline's name, in a northwest section, immediately next to the road on the south side of the main drive just before it turns south. George, their two sons and other family members are buried near her.
No comments:
Post a Comment