Any family historian will tell you that all obituaries are not created equal --- and that's certainly the case with the two accounts of the life and death of Martha (Edwards) Barnett, published in Chariton newspapers during March of 1913. Martha and her husband, Robert (who died some 30 years earlier on June 28, 1882), rest at the base of this mighty granite creation not far inside the main gate of the Chariton Cemetery.
At the time, Chariton's newspapers --- The Leader and The Herald-Patriot --- were competitors, both published on Thursday. Martha's obituary in The Leader of March 6 (you'll find a transcript of this at Find a Grave) is fairly brief and to the point.
The far more interesting obituary, found in The Herald-Patriot of the same date, begins to meander while describing the deceased's saintly character, then takes a turn into local and family history as it delves into the life of her father, Allen Edwards, and finally wraps up by naming her survivors.
Martha's parents were Allen and Rebecca (Campbell) Edwards, but Rebecca died in Indiana prior to 1844, when her children were very young, and he arrived in what became the Freedom neighborhood of Lucas County's Warren Township during 1848 with his second wife, Sarah Ann Ryan. Allen died during July of 1857 when he was 47 and is among the early burials at Freedom Cemetery, near the ghost town of that name, which he founded. Sarah then married John Spray and they moved eventually to Colorado.
.Here's the most informative of Martha's two obituaries, published in The Herald-Patriot under the headline, "A Pioneer at Rest."
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Mrs. Martha Barnett passed from this life in Chanute, Kan., on Wednesday, Feb. 26th. She was the elder of two children born to Allen Edwards and wife, the other, a son, Joseph, both first seeing the light of day in Indiana. Mrs. Barnett's birthday falling upon June 1st 1834, she was therefore aged 79 years, eight months and 25 days. All but 14 years of her life had been continuously spent in Lucas county where she had attracted so large a share of respect and friendship from all who had the pleasure of knowing her that the announcement of her death brought genuine sorrow to this community.
She always bore herself in business or social affairs in the same kindly, faithful and considerate manner so unassumingly that those who had lived near her entertain feelings of more than ordinary friendship. A quiet christian woman whose heart always beat in earnest, honest sympathy for others' woes and whose lips ever had a kind word for all has gone from us leaving a record of an upright life without stain.
Her death came suddenly and quietly while talking with her children and was a fitting close to a good life, passing into the beyond as peacefully as childhood's sleep. From her youth she had cast her lot with the Christian church.
A funeral service was held on Thursday afternoon at the home of her daughter --- where her death occurred --- Mrs. Flora Hough, of 219 Kansas Avenue. The remains were brought to his city (Chariton) on Friday afternoon and funeral services were held on Saturday morning at 10 o'clock in the Christian church, where she had held an active membership for over 30 years, conducted by her pastor, Rev. C.C. Davis, who paid a beautiful tribute to the memory of the deceased. Interment was made in the Chariton cemetery by her husband, the late Robert Barnett, whose life went out 31 years ago.
Mrs. Barnett is the last of her family to depart this life, the death of her parents occurring many years ago and that of her brother, also a long time resident of this county, took place at his home in Clarinda last fall at the age of 75 years.
Mrs. Barnett's family record is closely connected with the early history of this part of the country, her parents, Allen Edwards and wife, coming to Iowa and settling near the Freedom neighborhood in 1848, before the county of Lucas was organized. Mr. Edwards was one of the few settlers who put the civic machinery in operation after the last territorial legislature of Iowa passed the act to establish a new county to be called Lucas.
The first and only record thereof is a quire of foolscap sewed together, and the first probate proceeding recorded therein is the appointment of an administrator on the estate of the first man who died in Lucas county, by Allen Edwards, first probate judge. The first grave in the Freedom cemetery holds the remains of a little daughter of Allen Edwards and wife, the first death in Warren township, which occurred in 1851. The first religious service in the township was held at the Edwards home and conducted by a minister of the Christian church.
The town of Freedom was laid out by Allen Edwards in the summer of 1856, consisting of four blocks of eight lots each and a general store, grocery, blacksmith shop, saw and grist mill and post office, formed the business street and for a few years was a busy place. The first election record of the county contains his name.
In 1857, February 19th, the marriage vows of Martha Edwards and Robert Barnett were said to Rezin Hedges, a pioneer justice of the peace, whose descendants are yet citizens of this county. Mr. and Mrs. Barnett had their residence in Warren township for about 25 years, thence to Chariton where Mr. Barnett's death occurred soon after. Mrs. Barnett kept her home here until last spring, when she went to Chanute to remain with her daughter.
She was the mother of six children, four daughters and two sons. A little daughter, Mary, and a son, John, are deceased. The living children are Mrs. Flora Hough of Chanute, Kan.; Mrs. Jennie Westfall of Leanna, Kan.; Mrs. Lizzie Stanley of Omaha; and Dick, of this city, all of whom were with their mother at the time of her death. There are also 16 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren bereft. The children, except Mrs. Westfall, whose ill health would not allow her to take the trip, were present at the burial of the aged mother.
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