The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1886-01-14
In Memoriam.

one in which many aged persons of renown
passed away. Among THAI number may prop
erly be enrolled Mrs Joanna Carter, who died
in Unity on the fourteenth of December ult. at
the advanced age of 80 years, 3 mos. She was
indeed "a Mother in Israel" Born of poor par
ents, she was early taught the necessity of la
Dor, in a new and rather wild country. Being
| Of cheerful and active disposition, she natur-
ally formed the habit of working for the good
of others, which called around her, through
her whole life, many warm friends At the age
of seventeen she married Thomas d. Foster,
widower, with four young children. In the
''back woods of Maine" she, thus early in life,
began to perform the responsible duties of a
farmers wife, with the cares and anXieties of
mother of young children. At the age of Is
she gave birth to her first child and in quite
rapid succession twelve more were born to her
by Mr.. Foster, all but two of whom passed on
before her to their rest. The two now living
are Mrs. John Perley, of Unity, and Doctor
Thomas A. Foster, of Portland.
With this large family, she usually did her
own house work, spun wool and flax, woye
her cloths and made her family garments.
When about 40 years of age her husband, with
whom she had lived and labored for 30 years or
more, in love and harmony, was taken from
her leaving large and dependent family far
back in the country on hard, stony, mortgag-
ed farm, to care for and direct. Hard indeed,
was her task, but nobly was it done. Twenty
hours hard work out of every "a was often
the division made of her time. Not only had
she the care of her own children, but she soon
became quite an active midwife, and was much
by the side of the sick and suffering of the
sparcey settled township.
Poor as She was in the things of this world.
often not knowing from whence the next
weeks support for her family would come, her
cheerful heart and trusting confidence would
never let the really needy 20 empty from her
door After eight or ten Years of WidowhoOd,
when some Of her children had grown up and
We're able to take charge OF the Oh! homestead,
she chose another partner and by marriage
with Mr.. Green Carter assumed again her mai
den name and the additional care of 4 more
children, to which number another was added,
by the birth of her fourteenth child, MIR.
Franklin Carter, now living in Worcester,
Mass.
At the time Of her DEATH she had "a grand
children, 81 great-grandchildren. and great
great-grandchildren living. Eight Years ago
her second husband died and soon after she
concluded to make it her home with her only
living daughter, Mrs.. PerIey. Her trust in a
kind Providence had been fully realized. She
hal ia.
inc demands of actual need, so that She had no
other reason for continued labor than her ac-
tual love fit. TO be idle was to her one Of the
worst Of sins; 50 up to the last She kept busy
about something.
With only the Very poor advantages of the
early settlers, ~he was, Of course, enabled to
obtain but / partial knowledge of the rutli-
ment> Of 1 common English education; still
She always lid It lively appreciation of literary
attainment>. aud was herself quite an Intensive
reader, particularly in the latter part OF her
life and was much interested in corresponding
with her friends and relatives. Usually Is
many aS two OF three letters a week Were
written b her during the last years Of life.
Only q week before her death she wrote a
wife at Portland, full of thanks for the great
pleasure she enjoyed in her last visit with them,
only a few weeks before.
Her claim to the title of being "A Mother in
Israel" is based oil the firm foundation Of com
mon humanity. universal love and a long life
member Of the Free Baptist church from child
hood She was no >cctarian. Her heart wa, too
warm charitable and full Of sunshine to be-
lieNe that the justice of a loving God could
ctcrnally punish any of mis- children. Her
faith was strong in the happy life Of the un-
known hereafter and slc looked forward to
the time of her departure with the utmost
compoSure. III the spring she felt that she
ought once more to Visit her near relatives, ana
While doing 80, She often expressed her con
yiction that her course On earth was nearly
run, and always spoke OF her death As a matter
to be calmly considered, and quietly looked
forward 10, as to one Of the most desirable
changes for those ripe With age In September.
near the time Jf her nineticth birthGay, She
selected the minister to attend her funeral,
the text she desired him to speak from and the
hymns to be sung. Her hearing had been dull
for some years, but all her other senses and her
mental faculties remained clear and sharp to
the very last. On the evening before her
death She retired as we'll as usual. At two
O'clock next morning She called her son, Mr..
Perey. and told him her time had come. Each
member Of his family was called to receive her
parting blessing and her last farewell. Her
earnest PRAYER for the sick ones of the family
was full of faith in the giyer of all blessings
and closed with ''Oh, Lord, hear this my dying
prayer" Soon after, at eight o'clock. She fell
to sleep, to wake no more ON this side CT that
shadowy river from whose farther shore no
traveller ever returns. Thus calmly and quiet
~, as She had often expressed a desire to do,
She passed to rest fully ripe and ready for the
harvest. Her funeral was attended by many
old and valued friends, and her chosen minister
Rev. II. Small, Of Brooks. held most appropri-
ate services. The various ~rriptural selections,
among which was The entire 116th Psalm, the
7th verse Of which she had chosen for Tho text,
We're very appropriate, and his earnest prayer
and brief rcmalks were inspiring, simple and
charming 70 his hearers Well did he say thai
'>uch an opportunity wa> seldom offered for Il
minister" for not often was such Il useful life
lived. Truly il decd could She say ''Return
unto thy rest @. my soul, for the Lord hath
dealt hountifuA With Thee" [tom.