The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-04-14
elizabeth City Economist

Departed this life on Thursday, April
/. in Raleigh, at the residence Of her son,
DIR. Richard III. Lewis, Mrs. X. III. Lewis,
nee Martha E. Hoskins, in the Saith year
of her age. having been born in Chowan
county, near Edenton, December "A,
1913.
The great reaper, during the last half
year, has been busy among the ranks
of our little group of schoolmates. Six
months ago there were nine OF us-hVe
girls and four boys-now only three boys,
all of us infrm, tottering on, listening for
the last roll-call, almost in sight of that
undiscovered country where
Each shall take his chamber
In the silent halls of death"
Mrs. Lewis was descended from two of
the oldest and most prominent families in
Chowan and Perquimans counties. On
the paternal side. Richard Hoskins, one of
the vestrymen of ST. Paul's parish in
Edenton. and the last sigher of the i'm
mortal Declaration of Allegiance of the
vestrymen in June. 1776, just preceding
the National Declaration of Independence
in July of the same year at Philadelphia,
was her great grandfather. Her father
was Baker Hoskins. who lived a few
miles from Edenton. an industrious and
successful farmer, an upright and honest
man, who raised a large family and train
ed them in habits Of frugality and indus
try.
Her mother was Il Skinner, a native
of Harvey's Neck in Perquimans county,
and a member of the most remarkable
family that the Albemarle section has ev-
err produced, family of twelve children,
farm raised, all of whom, except one who
was lost at sea, grew to manhood and
womanhood, became heads Of influential
and prosperous families, some wealthy,
all distinguished for wonderful capacity
in business, for benevorence, iberality,
kindness and geniality, two Of them emf
nent at the bar and in the pulpit, and one
in public life, all educated, two of them
classically, all the others at the wayside
school house, became wealthy farmers,
influential citizens, devout Christians
and church workers.
We recall Martha Hoskins in our
school days as beautiful and attractive
girl, the picture of health, with cheek
Like a rose
In the snow"
She and her sister, Penelope. came to
the academy every day from their fathers
home in the country, generally driving
a gentle gray horse to one-horse "Jer-
sey wagon" vehicle much used then for
general ordinary purposes. Sometimes
servant boy drove the wagon and return
ed, probably to make the old gray do
double duty as school and plow horse.
They were regular as the sun, and mem
DRY recalls with the vividness of yester-
day the old gray, the wagon and ITS
freightage of two pretty and happy girls.
The parents of Mrs. Lewis were kind
ly and hospitable people, loved the school
children and sought to add to their hap
piness by giving them occasional parties
at their home in the country. These par
ties were happy occasions which we all
enjoyed with unchecked hilarity. We pull
ed boiled molasses, played Hockey"
and "Puss in the Corner" and sometimes
''tripped the light fantastic in an old
fashioned reel or scamperdown. Kiss
ing was then in vogue at these social
pastimes, and we well remember that
we enjoyed it ever so much.
When meditating on the eXpectancies
of life, we have often thought that Mrs.
Lewis would be the last survivor of our
school days at Edenton. She seemed so
strong and hearty, and so full of vitaii-
ty. Alas! The dread reaper was then
swinging ms ScyIne aInWdrt Her pdCh
lway.
Since leaving the old academy our
paths have been divergent, but our occa-
sional meetings were full of regard and
| interest, and recalled the old school days,
and as our shadows heightened, we were
drawn closer. That interest was
strengthened by the almost contempora-
| neous days of our birth, she being only
| five days our junior. The occasional
birthday mementos that we have recelv-
ed from her in these latter years, were
greatly priced then and are dearer now.
| In a recent correspondence with Mrs.
Lewis, relating to old family records,
she mentioned that her records showed
that, her great grandmother was Chow
an county Creecy. We told her in reply
that it explained the mysterious and un.
accountable interest we had always fell
toward her. 1t was the instinct or biooo
which asserted itself through all the
changes of time and circumstance.
In the death of Mrs. Lewis gooc
Christian woman has gone to her rest
an example of all that is excellent II
virtue has passed from earth, and voit
has been created in her family and socia