The evening leader., 1919-01-06

- Mrs. I florence MCKINNEY passed INTO
rest at eight minutes of seven on Sat-
urday evening. Her body lies in her
beautiful home here where her friends
and neighbors are invited to call and
pay their last respects. Funeral SER
vices will be held at 9 o'clock this
evening, conducted by the Rev. Har-
riet Baker Robinson, who is an old
friend, as well as pastor of the Uni
yersalist church here, which church
was built by Mrs. McKinney's mother,
and of which Mrs. Mckinney was a
D member.
Mrs. Florence Mckinney was born
in Wellsburg, w. Va, 65 years ago.
She was sister of Mrs. Jacob Disston
and Mrs. Gerard Leiper of Philadel-
phia, both of whom survive her. She
had one brother, Will Flemming, who
has passed beyond; also son, David
Tarr Ashmead, who is also dead, while
her fayorite nephew and heir is David
Tarr Flemming, now with the Ameri-
can forces in France, who is we'll
known in Tarpon Springs, having
married Miss Catherine, daughter of
Mr.. and Mrs. E: R. Meres; another
nephew, William Flemming, is also
with the American forces in France.
Mr. Bradford Farley, secretary of
{ the Emergency Fleet corporation, is
the attorney in charge of Mrs. McKin-
ney's legal affairs, as well as her
nephew by his marriage. to Miss Effie
Disston. They reside in Philadelphia.
Richard Austin, a prominent banker
of Washington and Philadelphia, IS
also brother-in-law of Mrs. McKin-
ney.
The Mckinney Brothers are bank
of Slnithfeld, Ohio, at which place
Mrs. Mckinney will be laid to rest be-
side her husband.
Neville Leiper, of Rosemont, Phila-
delphia, is also nephew of Mrs. Nc
Kinney.
Hamilton Disston and his two sis
ters left Philadelphia for Tampa a
few days ago, being informed that
Mrs. Mckinney could not last a great
while longer, and E. R. Meres has
been telephoning and telegraphing all
over the country trying to locate them
SO far without success, though they
have apartments engaged at the Tam
pa Bay hotel.
Miss Florence Flemming was mar
ried at the tender age of II to Dr.
William Ashmead, who was famous
expert on leprosy, devoting his life to
its study. Dr.. Ashmead took his
young wife to Japan where she was
ushered into the highest ranks of the
Flowery Kingdom, spending many
years there; returning to the United
States where her son was born, after
which event she again went to Japan.
Mrs. McKinney'sg5 u life in Japan,
though. surrounded with wealth and
af1uence, was not a happy one and re-
suited IN a separation from DR.. Ash
mead, who has since 4diedssaL Later she
was married to Edwin Mckinney and
enjoyed about ten years of happy
married life, some of Them in Tarpon
Springs, before she became widow,
which Vas about thirty years ago.
For many years Mrs. Mckinney had
been d Sufferer from a severe form Of
nerxez disSesSe which gradually sapped
her vitality and shriveIled her body
until theer was nothing left but skin
and bones and she weighed only about
forty pounds. This was a horrible fate
for brilliant and, fascinating woman
and the Angel of Deathywas in reality
the Angel of Mercy, taking a weary
sufferer from a world of torture.
Mrs. Mckinney was known and-lov-
ed in many lands, having travelled. the
world over; and especially was she
loved by her friends In Tarpon
Springs, many of whom were not per-
nitted to see her in her changed con-
dition, but who are now invited to pay
their last respects to her memory.
Miss Marie Lennon, who ha$ besn
her3faithful nurse and companion in
recent years, will leave at 1925 to-
night, taking the remains to Phiiladel-
phia, from which place they will be
taken OF Smithfeld, o. '''
Mrs. Mckinney was lovely char
acter, always able to excuse the mis-
takes of others and to give aid and
comfort to those whom she knew to be
in distress. Her nurse loved her de-
votedly and gave her entire time to