The Newtown bee., 1899-04-07
Town Tories.
Death of Hannah Keane Cor
bett,

A LONG TIME RESIDENT OF THE TOWN.
Hannah, reiict OF James Corbett, de-
ceased, of this town, died very suddenly
Saturday morning, April i, 1899, at her
nome in Sandy Hook. Although ailina
for two weeks of lii grippe and under q
doctors care, che kept about her house
and farm, attending TO her daily work,
and was bright and cheerful Ia the hope
that returning spring weather would
bring back her usual good health. The
night before her death, although for the
first day confined to her room, she was
especially remarked for her chs erfulness,
and chatted gaily with her relatives and
near neighbors who dropped In to spend
the evening. She retired for the night
about 10 o'clock, sleeping with her
daughter, who assisted in disrobiug her
and who also retired about an hour later.
When the latter retired her mother was
sleeping naturally and WAS hardly dis
turbed by her entrance. When the
daughter aweke the next morning, at her
usual hour, she was surprised to find her
mother not awake, as she was an early
riser, but Ia a moment was horrified at
the look OF death on her mothers face.
She called, and other members Of the
family rushed to the room. The body
was warm when they arrived, but no
pulse could be found and the death strug-
giles, IL any, were over. Her physician
was Immediately sent for in the hope
that life was not totally extinct, while
the neighbors and inmates of the house
watched anxiously for any sign of re-
turning animation, but before the doctor
arrived all knew that death was really
there. The doctor at once pronounced
their fears to be fact, and upon examina-
ton decided that she was probably dead
when first discovered. Rev Father Fox,
her pastor, who had been hastily sum-
moned, came hurriedly, but his cnntem
plated ministrations for departing soul
we're turned into prayers for the dead,
and bis exhortations to the penitent into
coincidence for the stricken ones of the
household thus rudely invaded by death.
To them 1t was like the lightning fash
out of a cloudiess sky, for although the
patient had tainted once before In her
illness, she rallied Immediately, and moth
ing serious was thought of the incident.
But it clearly was the outward NANTES.
tation of the ravages or inroads of the
disease upon her system. Three years
before she suffered a severe attack of the
malady of which she died, which weak
ened her body and interfered with the
hearts functions, so that the last vista.
ton found her an easy prey.
The news OF her death spread rapidly
among her friends in this and adjoining
towns, startling them with it's sudden.
ness, but arousing their sympathy and
sorrow. Her funeral occurred, Monday
last, from st Roses Roman Catholic
church, and was marked by large con-
course of people gathered to do her honor.
Rev Father T. B. Smith officiated in a
high mass Of requiem, and after the COM
initial services spoke feelinglv of the
Christian life and character of the de-
ceased as he knew her, and drew for
his hearers the lesson of the absolute me-
cessity of being always ready for death
as he believed the dead before the altar
rail was. The address made profound
impression. The pail bearers were neph-
ews of the deceased: Michael J. and
Daniel t. Keaue of Bridgeport, I'm r.
snd Michael Keane, sons of her brother,
John Keane, Of Gas street, and Daniel
G. and Lewis Keane of Curtis Hill, San
dy Hook. The interment was in the
family plot in st Roses cemetery in the
Glen. Mrs Corbett was among the
pioneer Catholics of this section, and was
connected with st Roses parish since it's
organization, her husband and she being
among the first communicates, and her
AOSuCA bSAHE tA6 uASb ShbDtlEG 10 U6 III
TERED In the old st Roses cemetery.
She was born In Ireland but came to this
country in 1850, being then in her 18th
year. For two years after her arrival in
his country che lived with her mother In
New York CITY and attended the parish
school attached to the old st Peters Ro-
man Catholic church on Barclay street
in that city. In her maidenhood, which
was short, she paid frequent visits to
NewtOwn, where she had a sister mar
ried. Within five years after landing she
was married; and after residence of a
few years in Williamsburg and College
Point, l.. l., the Young couple removed
permanently to Newtown in 1859. They
bought farm, built their home on it,
and had family. The husband died In
1874, leaving the widow and family of
small helpless children. Most of these
have since grown up; some have married,
some have died, and some have passed
away to other places. But the mother
remained and spent wido who'd of near
IL quarter OF a century on the old home
stead among the Newtown hills. These
years were crowded with family events,
some glad, many sad, all OF which served
only TO chasten, not dishearten, the
CHEEKY soul Of this woman "who grew old
gracefully amid the shadows" and left
uotulnk pub PHEASANT memory DenlnQ.
While not prominent In church affairs
she was devoted member of st Roses
church and ever Interested in its welfare
and it's people. She knew By heart the
story of the Catholic church in it's infan-
cV among the bills of Western Connecti
cut, and always contributed cheerfully
her mite to the advancement of every real
necessity of her faith in its progress here
She IL highly spoken of by the older bus
mess people of the town to whom she
was well known as a woman of good
business capacity and OF incorruptible
honesty.
Besides her brother, john, and family,
she Is survived by six sons and one
daughter, with their descendants
Michael W., unmarried, Thomas y. Cor
bett of this town, James r. of Brooklyn,
N. Y, Daniel It. of Danbury, William
O., the Sandy Hook shoe merchant, IN
married, and Martin A., clerk for several
years at the Brick store, and the daugh-
ter, Mary Ann, unmarried, who with the
eldest SOD, Michael, lived on the farm
with the mother.
No paocoy, E0,. Tlsaao - :, -. ,.,.4