Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1904-01-21

$N~$%%SS~VOSSS SSSNSVW~~~~O7 = = ~ y
Not alone when life flows still do
truth
And power emerge, but also when
strange chance
Affects its current
Oftenest at deaths ap-
proach-
Peril, deep joy, or woe"
Robert Browning.
In the early spring time, field Of
wheat on distant hillside seems
beautiful green carpet of unbroken
color; the nearer we approach it, the
more distinctly the wavy outlines OF
the seed rows appear-the rough brown
earth shows between and bare patches
where the grain has been winter-killed
mar its uniformity; so with us to-day
the patriotic duty of our predeces-
sors looks a lovely green field that bore
a perfect harvest-but closer inSpec-
tion, aided by fragments Of preserved
data, clearly reveals the discourage
ments, trials and difficulties that beset
our ancestors in their attempt to do
their duty to their homes and country.
While energy is definable as Power
efficiently and foreibly exerted, the ca
pacity for the performance Of work,
life, spirit and vigor;" yet its corela-
tive, its necessary completion, is en-
duranee. By some, this has been rated
as high as is courage; while others
consider that it outranks courage and
gives to it the higher position, since it
requires a continuance of spirit and
vigor, the evocation Of the hobIest att
tributes Of man, Which, If necessary,
CRADLES one to go unfiinchingly into
the dark, deep waters that lap the
Valley of the Shadow on this side, and
on the other, lave the shores Of Life
Eternal
In your memory are scintillating
numerous examples of brave men and
women, as we well know many of the
latter have equal capacity to heroically
meet sudden death--some of world
wide fame, many Of a more restricted
area, but the one in whom we claim
local interest ard whose intrepidity we
honor, is an unassuming Friend, or
Quakeress of the 18th century, Ann
Cooper Whitall. She, strongly imbued
with the courage Of her convictions,
feared no man, nor the Evil One, but
fearfully loved her Creator. and tried
to live a strenuouSly ideal life with
energy and endurance.
When, on the banks of Woodbury.
creek, in 1716, 4 mo. 23d, o. S.-there
came to the home of John and Ann
Clark Cooper, a second daughter, it
was decided that the babe was to bear
the ancestral name of Ann, as had her
mother and grandmother before her.
In accordance with the teachings of
Friends, Of which society the Coopers
ard Clarks had for generations been
active and prominent members, little
Ann was reared to be obedient to pa
rents; to eschew vanity; to be indus
trious, as occupation was a safeguard
from mischief; to be cheerful and
civil, avoiding idle discourse, and to
walk answerably to the purity of her
profession
Farly her active mind fathomed ma
ture's secrets; none knew better than
she where to find the useful simples
for the brewing of healing teas; the
spring beauties smiled at her first, as
she was the soonest to see them; the
jacks-in-the-pulpit nodded to her as
she examined their ton CUES to hunt out
the rare dark ones; the kalmias swung
their bells in her face, bepowdering
her with their pollen; she made swings
under the cedars by pulling down the
Virginia creeper, ampelopsis quinque-
folia, and gloried in. their autumnal
beauty. This was permissible, for it
was Gods handiwork and not mems
base imitation. She learned to love her
books, for was she not the grandchild
of Ber jamin Clark, the publisher of
Friends books, London, England, and
from whom she inherited facility
with the quill? Later, she INDUCED in
a diary and interjections- safety
valve. OH how else could she have
co trolled herself?
She became proficient in housekeep-
irg ard spinning and at the age of %
was married to the s.aIwart James
Whitall, Only son of Job and Jane Sid
don WhitalI, before Haddonfield meet
irg 9th month, 23d. 1889. o. S. They
were well-to-do, having fair share
of this worlds goods, and owned a
ninety acre farm on the east bank of
the Delaware river, seven miles below
the then town of Philadelphia. six
Sons and three daughters blessed their
union.
Nire years after their marriage the
brick mansion was completed and