Smyrna times., 1882-01-11
For the Smyrna Times.
"Deoth Loves q shininr Nra,1- >,

For the Smyrna Tines
death Loves a Shining Mark"
On Thursday last, Jan. 9th, at A. NJ. !
death, with his silent foot, entered the /
portals of WOOdlawn, the residence of Geo. ,
w. Cummins, near this town, and bore
thence to the Paradise of God, the spirit I
of her who for nearly twenty years had
been the households most precious and Z
highly cherished treasure-Mrs. Ann /:
Denny.
Mrs. Denny was born at Leipsic. Kent
county, Del, on Jan. |, l178, and const-
quently had just entered her lO5th wear
and though she had seen 80 many wears
she died not Of old age, but of a cold OF
several days duration, which developed
into congestion of the lungs Mrs. Denny
was born in the days when our heroic
forefathers were SO nobly struggling for
that blessed liberty which we now enjoy.
Thus she was older than the government
under which we live and her childhood
was spent in the days when our public
men were noted for that purity of life for
which she herself was so distinguished.
| She was the daughter of Emanuel Stout
and Mary Griffin, his wife, and the sister
of the late Judge Stout, of this county.
During hcr childhood the family attended
the old Presbyterian church which for
merly stood Just south of this town, and
she was baptized therein in her infancy.
| We may mention as pleasing incident of
her childhood, that she and many others
gathered i'll Wilmington to greet Gen.
Washington as he passed through to his
first inauguration as President of the
| United States; and when the Great Man
came opposite to her, attracted probably
by that sweetness Of expression which
was always hers, he stopped, took her in
his arms and kissed her. In early woman
hood Mrs. Denny became a member OF
the Society of Friends, and continued her
connection Herewith until she went to
join the Great Society of Friends of Christ.
which is above.
On the 10th day of October. 1897, Ann
Stout was married to William Denny a
prominent farmer and highly respected
citizen OF this vicinity. About the wear
1914 Mr.. Denny removed 10 New Garden
township, Chester county, Pa, where he
died on Feb. II, 1916, leaving his widow.
then only thirty eight Years old with seven
children, all minors, to rear and educate.
They had IN all nine children hlrr of
whom survive their Iaother William
Denny left his widow moderate fortune
which time proved could not have been
! lett III wiser hands, for she SO managed it
as to be able to educate her children at
our best institutions OF learning, and to
crafty their every reasonable desire.
) After the death OF her husband. She moved
to Wilmington for the purpose of educa-
ting her children. Having accomplished
that object she returned TO her native
county. She built the dwelling ON Wood
lawn, the present residence Of Geo. W.
} Cummins, and resided there with her
daughter Sarah until 1852, when She again
tn lrV,in
there a few years, she and her maiden
daughter went to live i'll Philadelphia,
where she continued to reside until tho
death of that daughter in 1864, since which
time she has been a member of the family
: of her sOn-in-laW Geo W. Cummins
Here, in the midst of loved and loving
ones, she was the centre Of attraction and
) the light of the household.
Mrs. Denny was most remarkable
woman in every sense of the word =
' remarkable for her physical constitution,
which enabled her to attain such great
age with strength but little diminished ;
more remarkable for the vigor of her mind
, which she retained unimpaired to the last
moment of her life, and her memory being
clear as To events of each successive wear
7 that had rolled over her: and most re-
d markable of all for her sweetness of dis
= position and lovely Christian character
= None of the family at WOodlawn,-chil-
> dren, grandchildren, or servants ever
u received from her a harsh word, or an
|, unkind look ; and her love for the Master
! was as pure aad trustiul as that Of a little
o child ipl It's mother. She said to heI
n daughter a short time since, am irving
q to wait patiently for the summons, only
/ afraid ! may become impatient" The
IL "impaticnce" never came, and when the
e summons did, we feel sure she wa,
IT ready"
a The following extract from a letter
Il written by an old friend to the family
c since her death, referring to his last visit
II shows the estimation in which she wa.
% held by those who knew her best: Il
e seemed to me then-and it is a deepcneC
:. sense nOw-as if she had 50 long been a
81 the heavenly portal that she was breathing
l. even then the atmosphere of the New
sr Jerusalem rs if she had at least caugh
D. some glimpse Of the King in His beauty
and that though her feet were on the eartl
Ol yet her conversation was in Heaven DC
% you remember the message she gave nae
If Tell my friends she said, that have
/ beautiful home here, but that ! desire s,
le to live that | may be ready and willing t,
l. leave 1t whenever the message may b.
l. sent to me-"
c friends, the writer among the number, hav
e gathered, on her birthday, at Woodlawn t.
u pay their respects and to bring renewed
AZ assurances of their love furher. Whel
"a he took her dear hand on the 2nd inst. t.
70 bid " farewell" he expressed the hope tha
'o they might meet again on her next ami
sc versary, she replied Il neither hope 70
y nor expect it," Little did the company o
TO friends who gathered around her on tina
ld day suspect that we should so soon b
IN called to gather around her bier. Lttl
y; did we think that in few short days W.
ld should have to mourn the loss Of her VIII
n' was that day the subject of our happ
H. thoughts and loving words! But, thank
n be to God, 1--WE sorrow not as those with
VI. out hope" We feel that she has bee
In taken from those who loved her so we'll t
y, the arms of Him who loves her still better
Gt Yes, she is douhtlss, g safe in the arms {
IL Jesus" The following wish expressed b
ne one of her dear friends on the day sh
ol reached the age of one hundred has, W
'st feel assured, been attained:-
~ And when from Garth thou art called away
TN On may II be to realms of endless day,
"a Where shines the bright eifulgent light
Too strong for our poor mortal Sght!"
.as w. b. GORDON
ir SMYRNA, DEL, Jan. TO-. 1882.