Danville intelligencer. [volume] (Danville, Pa.) 1859-1907, 1906-11-16
DEATH Of
AUNT PEGGY

al illness was noted IN our lasl iSsue'
departed this life just as the clock was
striking ten, Saturday morning, at the
age of one hundred years and twelve
days. Thus has passed away the old
est person in this section and the only
one hereabouts who has reached the
century mark within many years.
Aunt Peggy" rounded out cent
ury of life on Monday, October 29th
ami the occasion was observed IN
WAY to do frll honor to the loved aud
vene rable woman, who fingered on
earth so long beyond the average span
OF lite. Aunt Peggy's" good health,
her wonderful memory, her eyesight
and the interest she took in affairs, all
we're objects of much comment at the
time. Few among those who assembl-
Ell Oh her birthday dreamed, however,
that the end was only few days dist
ant-that the frail old body that SEEM
ed SO miraculously sustained to cele-
brate her one e-hundredth birthday, in
les, than "A week was to show signs OF
collapse and speedily go the way of all
earth.
The cause of death was pneumonia,
which developed Thursday after four
days illness, which in itself was not
considered serious.
Aunt Peggy's" maiden name was
Margaret Sanders. Her fathers name
wns Jacob Sanders and she was the
last survivor of fourteen children.
She was twice married, her first nus
band being Thomas Hayes. Her Sec
on husband, Jacob Sechler, was an
influential and we'll remembered man
of this community and died i'll 1879
Mrs. Samuel f. Ricketts, is grand
daughter of the deceased; John M,
Sechler, Ferry street. is step-son,
while Mrs. ). b. Kocher, at whose
hone AUNT Peggy lived and died,
is II step-daughter. There are large
number of other relatives including
urand nieces aud nephews and even
great grand nieces and nephews. All
whose lives IN any way came i'll con-
tact with Aunt Peggy" attest to her
sweet motherly disposition, her de-
vout nature and her gracious person
ality. The universal love and esteem
In which she was held proved a well
spring from which came many tender
tributes and kind offices without num-
ber, which made her life worth living
even while many of it's enjoyments
we're cut off and she fingered in the
very shadow of eternity.
On her last birthday "Aunt Peggy"
repeated the beautiful sentiment that
she had given expression to so often
before and which was to the effect that
in the very nature of things she could
expect to live but little while long
o.. but that in any event she was con.
tent aud perfectly resigned. She felt
that she had lived IA long time and
was willing to lay her body aside,
Whenever it seemed to be the will OF
the Creator that she should go.
Across the fields from the Kocher
home where Aunt Peggy" breathed
her last, iu plain view lies the home
stead farm on which she first saw the
lieht of dav over one hundred wears
ago 1t was around the hearthstone of
this farm that Aunt Peggy's" fondest
recollections centered. Even to the
very last when reminiscent, she was
fond of portraying the beautiful pict-
ures of childhood that she retained in
her memory. She could recall the
nights of the old-fashioned winters.
When she was still little more than n
babe and her father to protect her from
the biting cold wrapped her in blank
ct and carried her to bed. Fresh upon
her mind even was the circumstance
that her father first warmed the blank
ct by the fire. Later, as girl OF four
teen, when Danville consisted only of
some half dozen houses, she recalled
carrying cherries through the woods
which lined Bloom street and selling
them for six cents per quart at the
only store in town, which stood on
West Market street near the site OF
what WAS later the academy. This was
before Peter Badly opened store in
the log building near the ri 7er Ii
her declining years AUNT Peggy's'
memory dwelt on the days when mel
wore knee breeches and wore theil
hair hanging down their backs in
Que or pig tail-long before the canal
the railroad or even the rolling mil
was dreamed of.
Aunt Peggy's" death was the fiftl
to occur among the circle of near rela
tives within the short period of lit
tie over nine months. On February 1st
1905, Mrs John Sechler passed away
On February % the death of Mrs
Harmon Morrison occurred. On th
9Th of June Mrs. Rebecca Sechler de
parted this life and her demise in turl
was followed by the sudden death
william Sechler on September II
These deaths among near relatives fol
lowing in such quick succession mad
deep impression Oh "Aunt Peggy
and she could not understand why sh
should be permitted to live on so ia
beyond the allotted years while Other
whose lives were SO much mere psetr
than her own should be cut down
their prime. Evidently the grief owe
these several deaths had something
do with fastening the end