Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1902-01-24
OBITUARY..
MRS, SARAH G.. HIGLEY.

I Mrs. Sarah Gerrish (Little) Higley died at
her home in Middlebury, Wednesday morn.
ing, Jan. 8, 1902, and on Friday was buried at
Castleton, her foymer home. Mrs. Higley,
daughter of Jesse and Martha (Gerrish)
Little and widow of Rev. Hervey owen Hig.
ley, was born IN Boscawen, N. H., Aug. I, 1910.
She was the youngest OF nine children that
became men and women. Her family was
representative of that old Puritan stock that
hewed homes out Of the New Hampshire
hills, homes where industry, thrift, educa-
ton and religion combined in the production
and nurture of a stalwart race. Two Of her
brothers became leading ministers OF the
Congregational church In the west and all
her family were influential and devoted
Christian people in their several homes. Her
brother, Rev. Henry Little, ID. D., was a class
mate OF Rev. Bervey o. Higley at Andover
Theological Seminary and 1t was through the
acquaintance and friendship of these two
that the families became connected by mar
riage. Mr.. Higley was ordained Sept. "a. 1929.
and Sept. 20 he and Sarah Little were mar
ried and started Immediately for Ohio. Mr..
Higley having been appointed pastor Of the
Presbyterian church in Georgetown. They
remained in Ohio until 1896 when, owing 20
family reasons, Mr. ley being an only
surviving son and his parents needing his
care, they returned to Castleton and for
more than forty years there lived their useful
lives. Mr.. Higey died in 1878 and soon after
Madam Higley removed to Mlddlebury,
where she made home for her only daugh-
ter during the remainder OF her long and
busy life. Her last years were saddened for
her by physical inflrmity and the thought
| that she could longer minister unto
others, but must herself be ministered unto,
yet she was not confined to her bed until the
last three weeks OF her life and retained her
cheerful spirit until the last. Until the day
before she passed away, when she lapsed
INTO Inconsistencies, she recognized every
/ m pbpr IF bar fan fo
their comfort, talked about the old Casteton
days, inquired after the ABSENT ones and with
cheerfulness not unmiXed with the humOr
so characteristic OF her sunny temper waited
| with patience for the new day to dawn.
To know Mother Hgley well one must
have known her in her prime and
early old age in the Castleton home.
The great brick house sheltered by gigantic
elms and standing hard by the village green,
with the farm extending in orchard and
meadow and pasture land far back into the
wooded hills-all make picture OF the old
homestead where she began her real life and
which has known five generations of this
robust race. The young matrOn soon won
! The admiration and affection OF her husbands
imperious father and for many years gave TO
him and the mother daughters tenderest
care. Here her own children were born and
grew to manhood and womanhood. Here
she saw the young life come and go In peace
and war. Here she lived her life of service
to her family and of gentle and generous
helpfulness to every one in need. To this
home she welcomed sons wife and another
generation and always with the utmost love
and helpfulness. To her the church and its
interests were always dear, the community
and its interests, but she was preeminently n
home maker and home lover. She was a
woman of remarkable keenness of percep
ton, accuracy of judgment and good sense.
She was always the family counsellor and
| her npinfnns falsifp1 the
| event. To her came the young folks OF the
| family ana the village, always sure OF a
warm welcome and sympathy with every
youthful plan or thought. She never grew
old in her thought and feelings but to the last
entertained sympathetic welcome for every
young hope or wish and a sympathetic sor-
row for every grief or trouble. She entered
into the whole life OF the household and
every member whether young or old knew
that in her he had a faithful friend and a
wise adviser. Her temper was warm and
sunny. She always looked on the bright
side OF things and nothing with her was ever
so bad that 1t might not have been worse.
Her sons always rendered to her n loyal and
affectionate Difference as natural and spon.
taneous the life OF the household was
simple and unaffected. playful element in
her nature gave ready response to the play.
full mood of others. She wanted everybody
to have u good time and with her busy hands
she found many ways to give pleasure and
rest days to others, who had so few herself
And yet the serious and earnest side OF life
appealed TO her none the less because she bore
a light heart ana smile upon her face. When
in the early days of the war her son was our
dened with the duty of enlistment she wrote
to him "lf you feel it your duty to go
| should be sorry to stand in your way. Go
and may God bless you and keep you anC
bring you safely back, but especially may
you be kept from the evil influences arouno
you and may you never allow a feeling of re
venge to dwell for moment In your breast
And from battle field and prison pen anC
hospital he did come safely back and all III,
/ last days and nights of her conscious life sa
by her side and held her hands in his.
The regard in which Madam Higley wai
held by those who knew her best is shown by
an extract from letter IT Gently received by
oral vears nastor of The Congrepationa