Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1920-05-27
Mrs. Nancy Caroline Gragg
Born June "A, 1887; Fell Asleep De-.
cember 18th, 1919

Inere paSSeu OuU, lrOLn Une
home of Mr.. and Mrs. Kelley
Coffey, in the Rosborough Set
tlement, Avery county, on the
Lords Day, December %, 1919,
the soul of one of "Our Fathers"
most faithful daughters. This
was Mrs. Nancy Caroline Gragg.
She was the mother, and grand
mother and the great-grandmoth-
er of the whole settlement. A
life like hers deserves more than
a passing notice, by reason of it's
own quality, and as a guide-post
TO other way.farers.
Mrs. Gragg was born June IA,
1887, in the neighborhood ofwhat
is now Pineola. At sixteen she
was married to Madison Gragg
twenty years her senior who died
in November 1893. With him
she came to his home, within a
few hundred yards of where she
fell asleep in her 93rd birthday.
She was the mother of thirteen
children of whom four are living:
N. Madison, Mary wife of Mr.. T.
G. Gragg, Mrs. Norah Philyaw,
and L. Carroll, all except Mrs.
Philyaw in the same neighbor
hood of their birthplace.
She was a true and faithful
member of the Baptist Church.
But she was even more than that
for her Christian heart was as
wide as the compass of all the
churches, for she tried to follow
in the footsteps of her Lord Je-
sus the Christ, Whose greatest
distinction was that He went
about doing good" She gave her
busy years to her children as
long as they needed her, helping
them to live and showing them
how; she was always ready for
any kind of service, as far as she
knew of it's need, and could 60.
She was never idle. Whatever
her hands found to do, for her
own support or the benefit of
others, she did it with her might.
There has scarcely been a child
born in all that region for many
years whose coming she did not
welcome with tender skillful.
ness. Everywhere she was af-
fectionately known as Granny
Gregg" She was an example in
all robust virtues, as we'll as de-
nying herself some of the most
common vices, for, among other
things, she never used tobacco
in any form, and IN e
felt a contempt for liquor, and
for those who let them come un-
der it's slavery. Industry was a
habit with her; in one chief thing
she ever rejoiced, and that was to
"sow and reap" Every year, ev.
en- the very last, she made a
garden" Noo could keep her
from it, and now some are enjoy
ing the fruit of her planting after
her spirit has fruited in the Par
adise of God.
Under the burden of her years
she had. grown more and more
feeble until last summer she had
a sudden and very serious attack.
This, to the surprise of all, she
survived, and was able to, 60 a.
round again, even to dig in her
old garden at the house where
she lived so many years; and it
was according to the spirit and
custom of her life that the day
before she found rest she COM
PEELED them to put her on horse.
back that she might 80 several
miles to minister to one Of her
friends in trouble, whom she had
promised. She returned on Sun.
day afternoon from this Good
Samaritan" visit, and was tired,
ate a bit of lunch, laid down to
rest, and went to sleep. Yes,
asleep in Jesus, blessed Sleep"
and the more blessed because it