The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-01-09
A NOBLE WOMAN DEAD.
"Grandma" Thatcher Passes
Quietly Away.

Al 9.15 on Tuesday morning, Alley
Kitchen Thatcher. relict of the late
Hezekiah Thatcher, died at the resi-
dence of her daughter, Mrs. Harriet
Preston. During Sunday her stomach
showed signs of weakness and, while
there naturally is anxiety at the illness
however slight, of one so far advanced
in years, it was not thought that heI
indisposition could be fatal. There
were no striking changes in her symp-
toms until within, perhaps, half an
hour OF her death-Whateve changes
occurred being rather of reassuriDg
nature. She was sitting up and eating
about half an hour before she died, and
seemed to be altogether free from pain
The only difference noticeable just prior
to her demise was an increasing short
ness of breath, and she passed away
like one in deep sleep.
Grandma" Thatcher, as she was
familiarly known, was a remarkable
woman. Born in Martinsburg, Berke-
ley County, West Virginia, April II,
1908 she lacked hut short time of be-
ing 81 years of ase. She married Heze-
Illinois about 1910. In 1876, being
driven with the Latter-day Saints from
Nauvoo, with her husband she went to
Winter Quarters; in September OF 1S47
she arrived in Salt Lake City, travelling
from Winter Quarters in Parley P.
Pratt's company and herself driving a
pair of oxen with light wagon the
whole distance, and caring for her chill
" ha !,
her husband to California, remaining
there and preaching with a vigor and
zeal that knew no rest the principles of
returned to Salt Lake City. They went
cseded to Cache Valley, which has since
of which the name of Thatcher is insep.
erably associated. She has had eleven
children, six sons and five daughters,
of whom four sons and one daughter
still live, their names being Moses, Geo.
W., John B. and Aaron, and Harriet,
the wife of Presiding Bishop of the
Church, William B. Preston. In all she
has 104 living descendants. Her hus-
band died in April, 1879. nearly ten
years ago, and while she has not been
heard to murmur or complain, never,
for so much as waking hour, has the
memory of his. great loss passed from
her.
Through all the 'privations and trials
of a chequered career she endured with
only q woman's fortitude and moth
er's patience. She ad tasted poverty
to its depths, but when the bless ng o!
plenty came to her as reward for uu-
complaining endurance and persevering
toll, there was no change in her manner.
Her heart was ever an open door
through which the sorrows of others
and their sufferings might enter and
find peace and comfort. She was q
pioneer and help meet indeed; and
her ready hand was not stayed when
her husband, in primitive days built
the rude log cabin. Ever the same, she
frightened her husbands hopes. shared
his trials and assuagedahis sufferings.
Hers was a nature to lift. She could
not be weight.
She was a strong, loving, unwavering
woman, and while her children lie
buried from Illinois to California, it
has been given her to rest beside the
husband she loved and helped, As
she held husband and children, so her
faith was part of her life. and none
who knew her can deny that she would
have yielded it up with deYout resig-
nation in its defense, had it been re-
quired at her hands. Crowned with
the glory of ripened years, loved de-
votedlY by her children whom she had
lived to see held high and wide in es-
TEEN, she has passed to q rest well
earned and to a cherished union with
the spirit OF her husband, leaving as an
heritance to ell the children of men,
the record of life that had filed to
the uttermost its mission On this earth.
Ashes to ashes; spirit reunited to spirit;
so let her rest.
Her remains will be t'ken to Logan
on Thursday and funeral services will
take place from the Logan Tabernacle
on Fridey.