Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1925-10-22
HALLET RATHBURN

Rathburn, another pioneer of Fltz-
gerald, has entered his rest.
Mr.. Rathburn was born at New
York City, New York, June 7, 164o'
and died October ~, 1925 at the age
If az wears, four months and five
days.
His parents, Thomas and Lucin-
da Rathburn and family, moved to
Shebogan, Wisconsin, from New
York.
He was united in marriage three
times. To these unions fifteen chill
dren were born, Anna, Laura, Luz
cinda, Kathryn, Augustine, Tommy,
Ruth, Dewey, Jonathan, Margaret,
Melinda, Blanche, Beulah and Rich
ard. Only nine survive him: a Mrs.
A. f. Carter, Mr.. Conrad Rathburn,
Mrs. Margaret Hunt and Mr.. iona
than Rathburn, all of Fitzgerald; Mrs.
Augustine Ozaki, Kenosha, Wis.
Mrs. Laura jenkins, Sparta, Wis.
Mrs. Lucinda Smith, South Bend,
Ind, and Mrs. Kathryn Waller, Mil
ledgeville, Ga. He also leaves thirty
seven grandchildren and four great
grandchildren to mourn his death.
The latter part of his life Mr.,
Rathburn made his home with his
youngest daughter, Mrs. A. E. Car
ter, of this city. He was laid OF
rest j nthe Old Field cemetery be-
side his wife and his deceased chill.
dren. .f
For the last thirty years Mr.. Rath-
burn was well known in this country,
making many friends, love dand re-
spected by all who knew him.
g. In his early life he was farmer
in Cashton, Wisconsin. In 1861, he
enlisted with the First Wisconsin
Battery, Light Artillery, Company B,
and served three years in. the War
Between the States. He received
his discharge in 1864 and visited his
parents, later going to New Orleans.
When a young man, Mr.. Rathburn
became a member of the Seventh
Day Adventist church and took an ac
tive interest in the same, also in Sab
bath school, Prohibition, Suffrage,
and one hundred per cent American
ism. He loved those things worth
while: Nature, good books, friends.
family and home.
Although few days before mis-
death, he intimated that he realized
hte end was approaching, he met
death as he lived, calmly, serenely, !
and sublime in the faith. We can
all do well to emulate him and be
for the Great Adventure
and Life Everlasting, for as so beau
tifully expressed in the words of
Stoddard:
1.-THE life of man is an arrows
flight
Out of the darkness into the light.
Out of the light into darkness again
We hope to pleasure away from pain
For there in something above and be-
low,
unseen, a mighty bow,
The hand that tires not. the sleepless
eye
That sees the arrows fly and fly.
The One who knows why we live and
die.
So strong and firm in his belief,
We, who remain, console our grief.
For the One who knows, we know
will care
For our dead father Over There"
A poem in honor of the First Wis
consin Battery of La Crosse, by Miss
E. Martin:
eve meet death, dear Comrades,
brave and true,
After twenty-nine long years
Have rolled in quicq succession by,
Bringing many smiles and tears.
And though some of us are distant,
And some sleep beneath hte moss,
Still, we represent the Battery,
The First Wisconsin of La Crosse.
"You remember well, my Comrades,
That dark night of long ago,
When we left this very city,
Bound to fight our Rebel foe.
How our mothers, wives and sisters
Came to bid us all goodbye,
How they whispered, May God Bless
sl&et II GU, 81 III
And Reward You If You Die
"How our hearts grew strong within
as,
And our cannons' laundering
boom
Filled the city with its echoes
AS we sped into the gloom.
Then through all that dreadful strug-
gle,
In the fidst of shot and shell,
While around, like leaves in autumn,
Thick and fast our Comrades fell,
There we stood and fought the
Rebels.
You kno wthe misery of those
years,
The dreams of home and our be-
loved ones
And then the silent, bitter tears,
How oft at night, while gazing heav-
onward
a Upon Gods brilliant, sts.xxEy sky,
The breezes murmured':d May God
Bless YOuNt