The Newtown bee., 1889-03-08
Susan Porter Holt Webb

With eyes gently closed and hand shad-
ing the face, she lay as if in a sweet
sleep when Sister Mary, who for years
has been her comfort and blessing, found
her. To be sure, she was an old lady
and could not have lived many years any
way and the sweet eyes, (which looked on
life with so much love and charity, had
been long fading away; but she was so
cheerful, so sympathizing-and we miss
her sol If she had lived till July, there
was to have been a golden wedding.
Father feels so heart broken to think he
had no word of parting, but he has a
hope in Jesus and knows that, some
where by the beautiful gate, she is wait
ing and watching for him and Heaven is
nearer and Christ is dearer than before.
Susan Porter Holt was born in Hamp-
ton, Conn.,, December %, 1910. Her ia
ther, Josiah Holt, was a native of Hamp-
ton, descendant of the Hollis of Eng
land and the Faulkners of Scotland. Her
mother, Mary Prior, was native of
Plainfleld, Conn.,, and of English de-
scent. Susan was sixth in a family of
10 children, of whom Eunice died in
childhood. Betsey, Mary and Ann died
in early married life, all leaving young
children. One of these, now Mrs Mary
Northrop Bowen of Willimantic, who
was left motherless when but six months
old, was adopted by the subject of this
sketch. William settled in Richmond,
Va, where he engaged in manufacture
of cotton goods. Joseph followed the
seas in his youth and, later, settled in
Slatersville and Blackstone as machin-
: list. Frederick was a coal dealer in Phil
adelphia. George w. Holt, only surviv-
e ing member of the family, is engaged in
the manufacture of cotton cloth at Put
b. nam, Conn, and is a resident of Provi-
dence, r. 1. The youngest son, Fuller,
e went to sea when lad and was never
heard from.
e Susan Hollis childhood was passed in
Plainfield, Conn. During most of her
q youth, she lived in Slatersville, where
she was much beloved and where old
y. and young, rich and poor, would speak
of her many graces of mind and charac-
: ter. She was an accomplished singer
J. and possessed voice of rare sweetness
C and purity. Old people would say,
"When Susan Holt sings the alto, every
Il word of the hymn is beautiful" She
was married in July, 1889, to James Mad
a ison Webb of Brookline, Mass, who sur.
wives her and mourns in his loneliness as
only the aged can. Five children were
born to them: w. S. Webb of Plymouth
Conn; Mrs NJ. III. Wetmore of Winches.
ter; Miss Mary E. Webb of Waterbury
George b. Webb of New York and Mrs
r. III. Smith of Newtown, all of whom
are living. She inherited vigorous
? constitution and enjoyed good health till
she reached the age of 65, when ter.
rible attack of erysipelas, contracted
D while nursing the first born child of heI
daughter Rebecca and lasting three OIL
four months, so wasted her strength that
she was ever after feeble. From Deaths
door she came very reluctantly back to
p life. Her elder son said, ~ have beer
thinking how we tended mother through
that long sickness, ID years ago. How
we watched her that night, when she
went so near the rivers brink and finally
brought her out of it. Now she has slip,
ped away from us unawares."
. The cherished one is gone. The home
so long free from the destroyer's touch
: is the same no longer. The charmed
circle is broken at last. Her sorrowing
husband waits with patience his call to
= join his beloved one and the children
| 49, 30, Il hi. O.. L. e..
: she has done and spend an eternity with
her.
= NICHOLAS HOLT, born in England in
1902; arrived at Boston in 1885; lived in
!. Newbury 10 years; in 1644 removed to
!. Andover, Mass. trade, dishturner; lived
: SO years.
HENRY HOLT, born in Andover, Mass,
+ 1917; married Sarah Ballard; died aged
IS years.
i GEORGE HOLT, born at Andover, Mass.
1867; married Elizabeth Barnum; re.
!. moved to Canada Society, Windham
Conn, in l725; died aged II.
ZEBEDIAH HOLT, born in 1900; mar
:, ried Sarah Flint; cut his throat in 1854
JONATHAN Holt, born at Windham
Conn.,, in 1850; married Anna Faulkner
}. was a soldier in the Revolution and drew
a pension; died 70 years old.
!. JOSIAH HOLT, born at Windham, Conn.
D. in 1884; married Mary Prior of Plain
field, Conn; died at Hampton, Conn.
aged 81 years; his wife lived GA years.
SUSAN PORTER Holt, born at Hamp
ton, Conn.,, December ~, 1910; marie,
James M. Webb at Thompson, Coma.
July %, 1889; married by Rev Mr. Dow
who also married some 5000 other couple
during his life. August 4, 1910, foun'
them on little farm on the slope 0
Monadnac mountain in New Hampshire
where Walter Scott was born. Then W
find them at Ballston Spa, N. Y, wher
Minerva, Mary and George were born
They settled after that in Chautauqus
4 N. Y, where farm was bought an
held two years. Here Rebecca was borr
Then East to Massachusetts,, to Norfolk
!. Conn.,, then to Winsted, then to Water
bury, to Waterville, to Moosup, the
back to Waterbury in 1868. The joui
ney from Chautauqua was made by wae
ON with span of horses, one of thel
afraid Of the cars and it occupied 81
weeks. Many times did the mother r,
count to her children the miseries of til
IN drive.
III Our Saviour said little about the pc
70 petuity of earthly ties beyond the grav'