The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-08-03
AG0OD NOMAN'S LIFE.
Story of the Career of the Late
g. Mrs. Z. NJ. smithers.
TRueToTHE BEST ouakeR TYPE.
A Pioneer OF the County. she Fnled q
Warm Place In Many Heart.-Hss
Last Lingering Illness.

In the death OF Mrs Diana 3. snishers,
at Renton, on Wednesday another pioneer
Of Washington passed away. Mrs
Smithers' death was the result OF that
dread disease. consumption. and her ILL.,
ness lasted for about tso years. For the
last two months she has been Literally
dying by inches, and she was so emacIsted
and weak that her demise vas momen-
tarily expected durlng that entire period.
/ She bore herself with great forEitude, and
the grim reaper seemed to have no great
terror for her, as she was good Christian
and said she had no fear OF the future.
The funeral will take place az 10 o'clock
tomorrow, st the First Presbyterian
church. The funeral grafton will be de-
liyered By Rev. George +. whiswosth,
who for over thirty years was the friend
OF Mrs. smithers All friends and ac-
quaintanees are respectfully invited TO
attend the funeral services. The inter-
ment will be in Lakeview cemetery.
Mrs Smithers vas born in this country,
about thirty miles north OF Bangor. Me-,
on January 8. 1873. her maiden name be-
ing Diana B. Gilmore. Her parents owned
farm there and were Orthodox Qaakers-
In 1851 she married III. H. Tobin. young
farmer, and in 1852 Mr.. Tobin heard of the
woEfders OF the Puget sound country. and
concluded TO come here. He arrived here
alone late in 1852. and soon thereafter he
went to the present vicinity of Renton,
which was then q primevai forest. and
took up donation land claim
In the meantime Mrs Tobin remained
in Maine and a son. Charles Tobin, was
born there. Mr.. Tobin built house.
cleared OFF some land and then sent for his
Wife. She did not arrive till June. 1855.
Then she went TO the home her husband
had prepared for her in the depths Of the
wild forest. Indians were numerous. but
Mrs. Tobin's hospitality and kindness
soon won their friendship and she never
was in any way molested By them. though
her husband. in order to support his fam
iiy. was frequently compelled TO absent
himself from home for long periods. In
1856, when the Indian war broke out, Mrs.
Tobin was at her home in Rento and she
subsequently sought shelter in Seattle,
and cheerfully bore the hardships incident
to the war.
In 1856 Mr. Tobin died, and in 1857 Mrs.
Tobin married E. NJ smithsrs. Three
children we're the result of this
union The eldest is Mrs. Robert
IL 1hOrne, vile OF hODert IL.
Thorne. the land attorney Of this city.
who resides in Renton. The second eld-
est is Edward smithers. shoe clerk at
Denver, who came home few months
since to comfort his mother in her last
moments The youngest Is Fred Smith
ers, who is butcher at Renton. Her
eldest son, Charles Tobin. died several
years since.
Mrs. Smithers was a tender wife. an in
duIgent mother, a kind neighbor and
charitable and hospitabls ia marked de-
gree. Her house nearly always had guests
and their stay was always made pleasant
No Indian or mendlcant ever left her door
unprovided for. She always held to the
faith of her Quaker parents. and as there
was no Quaker meeting house here she
never became q communicate of any other
church. She was a woman of untiring
industry, and the large estate left behind
her is due as much to her industry and
thrift as TO her husbands.