The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-02-15
THE REMAINS
LAID AT REST
All That Was Mortal Of Mrs. Nancy
kelch Buried In the Hill
side Cemetery.
MOST IMPRESSIVE SERVICE
Over One Thousand People Fay Their Last
Token Of Respect to the Pioaeer
Lady So Well KnoNa
aud Loved.

Yesterday afternoon at o'clock nll
that IVES mortal OF the late Mrs. Nancy
Wclch was laid 10 rest IN the famiy
vault In Hillside Cemetery. The funeral
eortege was the largest ever Assembled
In this city. over one thousand persons
raging this last tribute OF respect 10 the
lady pioneer Of Astoria.
Tho funeral took place from tho large
family residence. corner Fifteenth street
ana Franklin avenue, and the extensive
grounds which surround the house were
packed with mourning friends. The SER
vices were conducted by thr Rev. r. y
Boliingcr. pastor Of the First Congrega-
tional Church. OF which Mra. Welch had
been member for many Year,. The gen
uino sorrow at the loss OF this pioneer
lady dcheH description After useful
life OF Is years. Mrs, Weleh has now
reached the home on high. lnmen,od by
an entire city.
Tho following gentleman acted Rs hall
bcaretH: Mayor y, j. Taylor, ". W.
Parker c, 3, Wright. Il. G. carruthcrs,
John Montgomery, $. T. Mexican, join
Dawson. DR.. a. 4. faiton. Frank l..
Parker. Captain liobson, II. q. VanDu-
son. j. H. y. Gray. and william -.
onecr and Historical Society attended In
a body. and the following beautiful ad-
dress was delivered by request by Judge
Gray. which was written for that or
ganiEation by Mrs. olivia IT, Welch'
Again we are called upon to perform
the last solemn duty that the living owe
tho dead. II ls hard for us TO realize as
We now look upon the sereneiy peaceful
face OF the dear mother pioneer. whose
hands are quietly folded upon her breast,
that her life work is finished. her tolls
upon the earth are done. But II IL true
We behold for the last time all that is
mortal OF the faithful. loving wife. moth
err friond and nolghbor.
Nancy DickerEon Welch. who at $50
=, m. on Tuesday evening. February nth.
surrendered this life to the God OF her
fathers. and her body returns 20 earth
from whence Il came.
or her we may truthfully say she was
indeed typical pioneer woman. Born
IN tho then western wilds OF the state OF
Ohio. In Washington county. on the see
ond day OF January, 1918 She was inur-
cd to the privations and hardships the
tolls and dangers OF the Ohio pioneers
She lived with her parents until about
twenty years Of age. who In the mean
time had moved into Iowa. and was then
left an orphan with nine brothers for
whom she thereafter took upon herself
tho duties OF mother and houseekopct.
We have heard from her own words how
she performed the manifold duties for
that numerous family OF young brothers.
washing. ironing. cooking. and with her
own hands weaving and fashioning the
necessary garments that constituted this
49,. "A .laa nj
were, she would sew until far into the
night. by the light OF tallow candles.
Sewing. mendlng. knitting. and darnlng
were the necessary employments that oc-
cupied her winter evenings. and finding
tho days too short to encompass the
many more active physical duties and
lubors that ZEN TO her lot SO her busy
lie ran along until March Il. 1870 At
bloomington, Iowa, she was married to
James Welch. and early In 1888, they with
number OF families. who had heard of
the wonders OF the far OFF land OF Ore
gon. started across tho plains with the
slow. steady teams OF oxen that then took
the place OF the beautiful palace cars OF
today. They were compelled TO tempor-
arily stop az 81. Joe. Mo-. during the
winter OF lSi3 and 1874. on account OF
Indian depredations. until the spring OF
1874, whoi they again resumed their Jour
ney. After long. tedious months OF four
neying, they finally arrived at Oregon
City. oregon, In October. 1874; and In the
spring OF 1876, Mr.. and Mrs. Welch came
TO make a permanent home In the then
trading pest OF Astoria. And thinking
OF the Astoria OF that time, we can bur
wonder at the physical courage and for.
tltude, the serenity and happy content
mcnt that enabled her to at once set
to work to help her husband make a
home on the banks OF the Oregon, With,
sound Of the roar OF the Pacific ocvar.
with only n few compenionable people.
surrounded by dense forests. wild beasts
and Indians Her life must for many
long months, have been often desolate
and lonely. Mary Of the necessarics OF
living were either procured at the Hudson
Bay trading post at Oregon City, or at
Vancouver, which wis also Hudson Ray
trading station And when we remember
that the journey TO those trading stations
at that early date was made In Indian
canoes, which were followed out from
large cedar trees, and It took from three
to four weeks to make the journey, pur-
chase supplies and return, we may be
enabled to have n slight conception OF
the many viclssltudes, trials and hard
ships this pioneer mother was called
upon to endure. Surrounded by her young
family of small children. spending the
weary days and nights alone, while the
father was away on those periodical
Journeys getting such necessaries as flour
and general provisions. Oregon City then
owned the only Touring mill In this part
OF the Northwest being contiguous to
the grain fields os the French Prairie.
the only portion of the great willamette
valley settled at that time. on one of
the periodical journeys made by MIR.
Welch to Oregon City. he was detained
many days beyond the time he intended
staying, and from much hard work ami
exposure. Mrs. Welch was taken suddenly
NJ, having as n companion her only
white woman friend and neghhor, Mrs.
ingalls,, at whose death bed Mrs. Welch
happened to be last fall In the city OF
Los Angeles. Cal. and along towards
midnight. Notwithstanding the exertions
OF Mrs. ingalls,, Mrs. Welch sunk away
into q comatose condition. Just at this
critical juncture, Mr.. w. II. Gray, the
honored pioneer, being the only acting
physician at the mouth Of the Columbia.
there being no other physician nearer
than Vancouver, came. whether by acoi-
dent, ito stay over the night with his
friends as was the custom In those early
times) or not, the writer cannot now call
TO mind: but at all events Mr.. Gray had
with him his medical case, and after ho-
Ing Informed by Mrs. ingalls, that her
friend was gone across that bourne from
whence no traveller returns, Mr., Gray I'M