Anna Eliza Greenlee

Bedford Free Press Thursday May 9, 1907 p. 5

Ann Eliza Houck Greenlee

Miss Ann [a] Eliza Houck was born in Jefferson County, New York, January 27, 1825 and died in Bedford May 7, 1907. With her parents she moved from her native state to Crawford County, Pennsylvania when eleven years of age and four years later she commenced teaching school for one dollar per week. She engaged in teaching for ten years.

On June 10, 1850, she was married to Andrew M. [McKelvey] Greenlee and to this union four children were born; one died in infancy, two grew to manhood and left families and Chas. [Austin] Greenlee of Bedford is her only surviving child. There were four stepchildren, three of whom are living. Harley U.[mberfield], who was so well known in Bedford, passed away last fall. The others are Harrietta Reynolds, living in Pennsylvania, Mariette Tennee of Illinois and Jennie Orton, of Oklahoma. Ida [Marie Hopkins] Houck, now living in Missouri, was practically the same as her own child as she had raised her since she was 6 months old. There are eleven grandchildren and four great grandchildren. Edwin and Milton Houck, of Bedford, are brothers of the deceased.

In 1868 they moved to Taylor County, Iowa, and since 1870 she has lived in the old home place. When but fourteen years of age she united with the church and was a member of the Baptist church of Bedford at the time of her death. No one loved the church more and none were more faithful in discharging their Christian duties than she. She was always thoughtful of others and was ready and did make many sacrifices for them.

About four weeks ago she chose her own funeral text, a passage upon which she had leaned all her life, Matt. 11:28. Her mind was exceptionally clear up to within a few days of her death as will be seen by the following verses written a few weeks ago on learning of the death of a great grandchild:

Times-Republican Thursday May 9, 1907

Gone To Her Reward

Mrs. Andrew M. [cKelvey] Greenlee died at her home in North Bedford about noon on Tuesday, May 7, 1907, age 82 years, 3 months and 10 days. The funeral services were held at the home at 10 o'clock this forenoon, conducted by A. I. Jones. Interment at Bedford cemetery.

Anna Eliza Houck was born January 27, 1825, in Jefferson County, New York. There she spent the early years of her childhood, moving with her parents to Crawford County, Pennsylvania, in 1836. For many years Crawford County was her home and there it was that Miss Houck first met, was wooed and won, by him, who for more than two score years was her loved and loving companion, the sharer of all her sorrows and joys. Andrew M. [cKelvey] Greenlee was the man into whose keeping she gave her hand and heart, the wedding occurring in Crawford County on June 10, 1850.

To this union four children were born, but one only survives the mother. Charley is the name of the only living child, and his home is at Bedford. One child died in infancy, and two lived to grow to maturity, and to have families of their own before passing into the great Beyond. Besides her own children, there were in her family four children of her husband's by a former marriage to whom she was all that a loving mother could be, and by the three who survive her, she is as sincerely mourned, as though they were of her own flesh and blood. The four stepchildren are Harley U. [mberfield] Greenlee, who died a few months ago; Mrs. Hirretta [Harrietta] Reynolds, whose home is in Pennsylvania, Mrs. Marietta Tenure, Illinois and Mrs. Jennie Orton, of Oklahoma. After her own and her husband's children had grown to maturity, after having watched over their young lives, and after she had expended on them all the love and affection of which a mother's heart is capable, and had watched them safely past the critical age of childhood and youth, even then her craving for little ones to love and labor for, was not satisfied, and yet another little babe was taken to her home and heart, and cared for until she had grown to womanhood. This foster child was Ida [Marie Hopkins] Houck whose home is in Missouri, but who was at the bedside of her more than mother when she passed away. She is also survived by eleven grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

The deceased with her husband and family came to Taylor County in 1868, and settled in Bedford, and up to the time of her death she knew no other home. For nearly 40 years, she had resided at the same place where death found her. There was spent some of the happiest hours of her life as well as the saddest. When they came to Bedford the wife and mother was in the prime of life, her children were yet living under the parental rooftree, her husband, affectionate and true was always near to share every sorrow and every joy. Her life during those years was joyous, happy and contented; later her children left for homes of their own, and death came and took him who to her was all the world. Still, with all the sorrow that had come to her there, the home where she died was the dearest spot on earth to her, and she would have been contented nowhere else.

Mrs. Greenlee was always industrious and economical. At the age of 15 she began teaching school, receiving therefore $1 per week, and for ten years she followed this profession. After a while the wages were some better, though never large, but she was perfectly content to do her best even though the recompense seemed small.

The deceased was all her life a conscientious and sincere Christian. At the age of 14 she united with the Baptist church and to the end she remained faithful. She was among the earliest to place her membership with the First Baptist Church at Bedford, and ever since she was a zealous, active and loyal member. Not only was she a loyal adherent to the church, but she was a true Christian in the full meaning of the word. Kind, loving, uncomplaining in suffering, at all times willing to make any sacrifice for others, she was a woman whom every one respected and admired and her death will cause sorrow to all to whom she was known.

Only a few days ago, realizing that the end was near, she called her pastor, Rev. Jones, to her side and gave instructions regarding her funeral, requesting that Mathew 11:28 be read.

Only a few months ago, a grandchild of Mrs. Greenlee passed away. The grandmother was much affected, and to the mother wrote a letter of condolence of which the following poem was a part. At that time Mrs. Greenlee was past 80 years of age.