The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1903-12-10
OBITUARY..

Miss Avis Hills Mathews died at tn
home OF her niece, Mrs. Clara A. Morrison
on Court street, Saturday morning, Dec. 9Th
after an illness OF several weeks, following
an operation for appendicitis She was tn
only daughter among eight children of Nor
rill and Rebecca Mathews and was born il
Searsmont, May 13, 1885, The family re
moved to Liberty when she was an infant
The parents dying young, she came to Bel
fast to live in 1860 and first made her home
with her brother Noah and after his deatl
at Spencer Mathews. She taught schoO
for a little time in Belfast, but for the
greater part of her life she was an invalid
and was confined to the house, to the bed
| and the wheel-chair, for thirty years. In
recent years she has been able to go about
not little. Through the long experience
OF invalidiSm she was wont to talk OF
other things, to have outside interests, and
complaining words were not upon her lips.
Her family attachments were very strong,
yet grief succeeding grief, especially in the
death of her brothers, leaving her the last
to go of large and united family, did not
shake her confidence in the goodness of
God. Her religious faith was of the rarest
quality of firmneSs and intensity She did
not doubt and the spiritual things were the
most real. She was devotedly loyal:to her
church, the Congregational, with which
she united in April, 1885, 1t was a great
JOY to her to be able to attend it's services
after the years of being shut in; and its
people, its work and it's plans were al
ways in her mind. A woman of unusually
clear head in matters of judgment and de-
cision, of moderation and kindness of
speech, yet of firm convictions with readi-
ness to speak them out when occasion re-
ouired, of patience in bearing burdens, and
of religious trust, she exercised ministry
of character that was of large blessing to
her nieces and others who were brought
near to her. She died as she had lived
without fear, ever anxious to depart, in con-
fident hope of immortality and its felicitous
reunions. The nearest of her surviving
kindred are her nieces, Mrs. Clara Morrison,
Miss Belle Mathews, Misses Maude and
Mabel Mathews of Belfast and her nephew,
service was held ON Monday afternoon at
o'clock, Rev. R. T. Hack of Portland, a
former pastor, and Rev. G. S. Mills, officia-
ting.
The many relatives and friends of Mrs.
Charles Hill of Brentwood Corner, N. H.,
formerly of Morrill,, regret to learn of her
death, which occurred Wednesday evening,
Nov 25th, after only few days illness,
aged 81 years and II months. Mrs. Hill
was formerly Miss Emma Thomas, daugh-
ter of sir and Mrs. John Thomas of Nor
rill, but most of her life was spent in New
Hampshire, having gone there at the age of
seven years to live with an aunt, Mrs. Col
Inns, who died three years ago. Her kind
words and pleasant smile won her many
friends, and it can truly be said that ''none
knew her but to love her, none named her
band, one daughter, Miss May Hill, aged II,
and two little ones, Bernice and Henry,
aged and years also a father and moth
er, MI. and Mrs. John Thcmas; three
brothers, Charles, Hosea and BeIton, and
one sister, Hattie Mae Thomas, all of Nor
rll, and a large number of relatives and
friends.
Sometime in the distant future
In a bright and better land;
Well read the meaning of our tears
And then, sometime, We'll understand
II. NJ L.
Morrill,, Dec. I.