Smyrna times., 1890-01-01
Death Of Mrs. Mary ]. Davis.

Mrs. Mary J. Davis, widow of the
late Col. George Davis, died at her res
idence in this town on Monday morn
ing after a prOtracted illness. Her
death sewers a link that connects the
present with the historic past of two
leading families of the town, She was
the daughter of DR.. John ID. Perkins,
a most popular physician of his day,
and equally popular as local
preacher. OF DIR. Perkins six chill
dren who reached mature life but one
survives her, Thomas J. Perkins, who
went South early in life, and still lives
in Tallahasse, Florida.
On merging into society her hand
was sought in marriage by George
Davis, son of Judge Isaac Davis, Il
leading citizen of the town. They
took up their residence in Maryland
on one of his farms where they re-
mained for nearly twenty years, re-
turning to this town to end their
days. Mrs. Davis shortly before the
war was the subject of most poignant
grief in the death of her daughter
Emma (wife of DR.. NJ. G. L0iland) fol-
lowed by that of her son, John Per
kins, few days later from the same
disease, typhoid fever, and scarcely
had the years erased these pangs ere il
| possible, a deeper at1lictiOn awaited
| her in the death of her remaining son
George, half-grOwn boy, making the
| third male child with Isaac, who died
in infancy. She was mother OF deeT
and tender affection. and these stroke:
fell on her like affective dispensatiOns
and would have been of crushing
weight but for deep and abiding faitl
in an overruling Providence whose
mysteries she did not assume to solve
She became a member of the Meth
Odist church in her girlhOod, being one
of the subjects of the sweeping reviva
of 1929. The impress made on he
heart then was ineffaceable: the ligh
given on that occasion was the beacon
of her life. 1t was treasure cherished
above all others equally in the afliu
ences as well as the vicssitudes 0
life. Hers was life of quiet posses
sion rather than outward demOnstra
tiOn, and it was thus in the inner cir
Gle of her home and congenial asso
Citations, where the influence OF tha
refined and gentle spirit was most fel
and appreciated but while this wa
so she was a model of devotion to he
church duties, as her pastor and elias
leader could testify.
With her death the name of her fs
theirs and her husbands father
family ceases on the records of th
. NJ. E. Church. While the rest haV
sought church fellowship elsewher,
she was too rooted and grounded i
the faith of the fathers to be swerVet
both her own and her father-in-law bein
, | pillars in this church in its herOi
days. In speaking once of the induce
ments held out to unite with anOthC
communion she said, II could not q
: it ; | love every brick in the Method
! church, and could not be happy an,
= where else" This feature of clear
: defined views and fidelity to her col
: victiOns was a characteristic of 1t
= life. 1t made her true and strong
her friendships, it made her consi,
= crate and tolerant of the opinions
others, it gave her that fine eQuipOi
that so adOrns the well rounded lac
! of substantial society. While som
= what retiring she had those ment
characteristics of quick analysis, lo'
: OF humor, tact at narrative and I'll
= discrimination of propreties that ma,
. her always an agreeable companion
! the social circle. In addition, she b;
\ an ear to hear and a heart to symp
= thize with the wants and misfortune
- of others and, in the days of her oppC
= tunities, in an unobtrusive way, all
r waited the wants of many.
- Thus ended with the expiring We
~ the life of one who had in every W,
= filled we'll her mission. She surviv
- her husband twelve years. II
= daughters, with the exception abo
~ ~ noted, are still living-Mrs. Eldridl
io Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Thomas, W
~ resided with her in the family mansi
=, and Mrs. Johns and Mrs. Neavit
- who live in Baltimore. The funeI
>. !, will take place tomorrow, Thursd
40 40 afternoon at 2 o'clock, interment
a a. st. Peters P. E. Cemetery.