Elizabeth Marshall was born Dec. 16th, 1807, in Jefferson county, Ohio; removed to Fulton county, Ill., in April 1835. She was united in marriage to Stephen Merrill Nov. 11th, 1835, with whom she lived happily for the long period of fifty-five years, when the golden winged messenger called the husband to the better home. The above union was blessed with eight children, seven daughters and one son. Three of the daughters preceded their parents to the rest prepared for God’s people. Four daughters and the only son remain to mourn the loss of mother, who departed this life Dec. 20th, 1893, at the ripe old age of eighty-six years and four days. Mother Merrill united with the Presbyterian church at Astoria in the year 1854, of which church she remained a faithful member until transferred to the church above. A vast circle of friends were intimately acquainted with Aunt Betsy Merrill and knew her to be strict in her convictions of right, and self sacrificing in her nature toward those who were in need of help. She would go about fearlessly or trustingly among those who were suffering from dreaded diseases, alleviating the wants where others feared to venture.
But the battle has been fought,
The victory has been won,
The clouds of sorrow all forget,
In the gleam of heaven’s sun.
The friends on earth have been bereft
Of one they dearly love,
But hope of meeting they have left,
With her who has gone above.
‘Twill not be long we’ll have to wait,
The summons will soon be given,
Our dear ones will be at the gate
To welcome us to heaven.
The funeral services were conducted at the U. B. church by the Pastor, assisted by the Pastors of the M. E. and the Christian church, on Friday Dec. 22nd, at 11 o’clock, after which a large procession of relatives and friends followed the remains to their resting place by the side of Father Merrill’s grave in Astoria cemetery. The children were all present to witness the death of their mother, whose disease was that of the righteous as represented in Job 5:26 — Thou shall come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in his season. — D. E. B.
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