Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1866-05-24
u l E. u =.

| WELLESLEY Towanda, May 11th 1866 Margaret
Almlra Welles, daughter of G. T. and Mary A.
Mason.
JoNES.-Iu Albany, May IS, Mrs E. Jennie
Jones, aged y years
PIERCE.-ln Wysnx. ON Wednesday. March 7th
Mr.. Shepard Pierce, in his octl yocr.
Mr.. Pierce was born in Plainfeld county April
29th, 1780. After spending portion of his youth
in Western New York, came to Wysox in the year
1907, at the age of 27, purchased the farm (Which
was then all a forest) on which he lived and died
Three years after his arrival he was married to
Miss Sarah Coolbaugh, with whom he lived hap
PLY for forty years. she departing this life Sept
~, 1850.
Mr.. Pierce has left large circle of mourning
friends the whole community mourn his loss, and
bear testimony to his upright and manly character
in his dealings with his fellow men but those
who were nearly connected to him by the ties of
blood, more deeply feel his loss. These are es-
pecially his II children 40 grandchildren and 3
great grandchildren. He was a man of patient
industry settling farm then a forest, and
meeting with many discouragements incident to
that day, when the inhabitants were scattered and
the Improvements and privileges few yet with
energy and perseverance he has cleared away the
and well-cultivated fields.
Mr.. Pierce was permitted to remain on earth
longer than the most of men, very few attaining
the age of Sc. But to the very close of his life he
was an active As long as his physical pow
ers would admit, he engaged in active toll,
and when becoming too much broken down by age
to be engaged in constant labor he was still active
in such labors as he was able to perform, He was
of cheerful disposition, pleasing companion
for all ages and possessed marked equinimity of
mind, which, well all his faculties he retained
to the last. Yet age made its marks upon him,
and it was plainly evident that he was growing
more and more feeble, yet never murmuring or
even complaining. The last years of his life were
made pleasant by the constant care and affection
of his daughters who remained with him, watching
over him with much tenderness and love. They
provided him every comfort in their power, which
tended much to smooth his pathway to the tomb.
And though they still most keenly feel the loss of
their beloved father, they cannot reproach them
selves, as is too often the case that they have
been unkind or negligent
AS approaching mortality made it every day
evident that his stay on earth must be short,
his faith in rnother world of light was more firm.
The last years of his life spent in humble
trust in Jesus of Nazareth. The bible was his
constant companion He found its blessed truths
comforting and cheering, and much of the New
Testament, especially was committed to memory
so that in the darkness Of night, when in private
devotion he has been heard to repeat whole chap
ters. He also particularly fond of books of
religious character, such as Bunyan's Pilgrims
Progress, which he was engaged in reading the
day that he died To of his daughters ON the
evening of that day he remarked, he chad read
that book many times but never before with so
much comfort" Unconscious of it, he was almost
home, where his trials and perplexities, incideet
to this world are ended, and where he was to re-
ceive the christians crown.
He greatly loved the sanctuary, and never was
absent from public worship, when health and the
weather would permit of his being present, and in
deed, often in blustry weather, his place in
the house of the Lord filled, when others younger
and more robust were deferred. For long time he
had been desirous of making a public profession
of his his faith in Christ and had made his plans
thus to do the Sabbath following the one on which
he was buried. He desired to sit down to the ta-
BILE of the Lord with His people here, but ''he who
doeth all things well" saw fit to remove him before
that time trust, to that place where he may sit
down to the marriage supper of the Lamb"
Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord
may rest from their labors and their works do
follow them" H. ]. G.