The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1902-1905, 1902-01-30
ARS.R. ". DAVIS DEAD.
Dies UNEXPECTEDLY from PnGU-
nODiQ Qt Washington.
Funeral FROM ST. MARKS EPISCOPAL
CHURCH WEDNESDAY, MORNING.
The Whole City is in Mourning.

At an early hour on Monday morn
ing a telegram received by members
of the family here announced the
death of Mrs. Robert w. Davis al
her home in Washington. Death
was due to pneumonia, with which
she had been i'll for several days, but
from which she was supposed to be
recovering, when suddenly, on Sun
day night, she grew worse and eX-
pired.
The community was unprepared
for the sad intelligence, for few Were
aware that Mrs. Davis had been i'll
The news therefore came with al
unexpectedness which caused shock
the recovery from which was follow
ed by universal mourning.
Short funeral services were held at
the Washington home on Monday
morning, at which were present
many of Mr.. Davis congressional
colleagues and personal friends. The
pail bearers were Senators Taliaferro
and Mallory and Representative
Sparkman, of Florida; Maddox of
Georgia, Lannon and Randall OF
Texas, and Gen. w. H. Seabring and
Mr.. Twombly, of Florida.
The body left Washington Monday
forenoon accompanied by Mr.. Davis
and Miss Nellie, and arrived here
Tuesday noon, when the remains
together with the sorrOwing husband
and daughter were conducted to the
family home.
Impressive funeral services were
held at st. Marks Episcopal church,
of which deceased was a member, on
Wednesday morning, conducted by
the rector, Rev. Douglass Matthews.
The church was filled with neighbOrs
and friends. It was a house OF
mourning. The choir sang Lead
Kindly Light" by Newman, and
"Nearer my God to Thee" The in
torment was in Westview cemetery
The Masonic lodge, out of respect
and sympathy for their bereaved
brother, attended in a body, and a.
all that was mortal of Mrs. Davis
was being covered with earth, each
member went forward and deposited
in the grave a twig of evergreen.
emblematic of immortality, while
the choir sang It'll we Meet Again. -
There were few dry eyes in the as
sembly.
The pail bearers were DR.. f, S.
Grill, S. J. Kennerly, Benz, p. Cal
houn, f. J. Fearnside, s. j. Hilburn
and DR.. Geo. E. WEIGH.
The floral offerings were beautiful
and the larger pieces were from Sen
ators Mallory and Taliaferro and
Congressman Sparkman.
Mrs. Maria Mercer Davis was born
at Palmyra, Ga, Nov. 8th, 1919, and
was the youngest daughter of DR..
Leonidas b. Mercer, distinguished
physician. She was educated at an
Episcopal college in Georgia, and
was married to Robert w. Davis on
November 18th, 1859. With her hus-
band she came to Florida in 1879, and
had resided in this city since April.
1885. Her children are Walter NJ.
Davis, an attorney of this city, Jessie
Lee, wife of Mr.. A. S. Willard, also
of this city, Rosa S., wife of Mr..
Glover B. Garwood, of Georgia, and
Miss Ellen Douglass Davis, all OF
whom, together with her distinguish
ed husband, Congressman Robt. w.
Davis of the Second Florida District,
are her survivors, and to whom the
people of the whole State of Florida
bow their heads in genuine sympathy.
She was not conspicuous in society
affairs, vet she exerted a quiet influ-
ence in social matters which was al
ways enobling. She preferred the
oufetude of the home life, and here
she reigned in love and self-sacritice
for the welfare of those whom God
had committed to her keeping. She
was Queen in the home, not alone by
divine right but by natural endow-
ment and the loving recognition OF
those who were her grateful, willing
subiects-the husband and children
There were tears of sorrow at the
grave, and there were tears which
flowed in sympathy for the bowed,
grief-stricken head of the distin-
guished husband whom all Floridi-
ans delight to honor; for the bereav-
ed children who have lost loving
mother: but as the sweet voiced
choir sang tenderly of a future meet
ing there seemed to fall upon the as
sembly feeling that even the all
pervading sorrow of the grave and its
earthly parting is but the initial step
which leads us all sometime, some
where into joyful reunion, and that
will be when "God shall wipe away
all tears from their eyes; and there
shall be no more death, neither
sorrow, nor crying, neither shall
there be any more pain; for the Tor
mer things are passed away"