Thirza Noble

Mrs. Thirza Noble

We bent today o'er a coffined form, And our tears fell softly down; We looked our last on the aged face, With its look of peace, its patient grace, And hair like a silver crown.

We touched our own to the clay-cold hands, From life's long labor at rest; And among the blossoms white and sweet We noticed a bunch of golden wheat Clasped close to the silent breast.

The blossoms whispered of faceless bloom, Of a land where fall no tears; The ripe wheat told of toil and and care, The patient watching, the trusting prayer, The garnered good of the years.

We know what work her hands had found. What rugged places her feet, What cross was hers, what blackness of night, We saw but the peace, the blossoms white, And the bunch of ripened wheat.

Thirza Noble died on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 1899, at the residence of her son, James Noble, near Otterville, at the age of 70 years and 4 months. She was born in Devonshire, Eng., on the 21st of October, 1828; came to America with her parents when about 5 years old; settled on a farm now owned and occupied by a younger sister, Mrs. Mahala Buckles, near Newbern. She was united in marriage to William Noble on March 4th, 1849; there were seven children born to this union, five sons and two daughters; one dying in infancy. The sons are Israel, William, Milton, James and Jesse, all of Otterville, except William, who resides in Jerseyville where also resides the daughter, Mrs. Emma Dodson.

"Aunt Thirza," as she was familiarly known, was taken sick with pneumonia Feb. 14, and rapidly grew worse. The end came as a relief from her suffering; she was conscious until the last, every day adding beautiful testimony of her faith in Christ, whom she had served so faithfully for 45 years. She was ever thinking of the comfort and welfare of others before herself, never swerving from what she took to be the right, but fully realizing death was near. She requested her grandsons to be her pall-bearers. As they were not considered strong enough to carry the casket, they went before as honorary bearers; the five sons and one son-in-law, Theodore Dodson, being the pall-bearers.

The funeral took place at Otterville on Thursday, Feb. 23, at 2 p.m., Rev. G. W. Shepherd, pastor of the M. E. church of Jerseyville, conducting the services. Rev. R. D. Miller of Petersburg who was expected to officiate, came as far as Roodhouse, but was taken very ill and was obliged to return; but remembered the bereaved ones by writing them a very comforting letter.

Jersey County Democrat, Thursday, Mar. 2, 1899

NOBLE. Mrs. Thirza Noble died at Otterville, IL, Tuesday, February 21, 1899 at 11:20 am, aged 70 years, and four months. Funeral services will be held in the church at Otterville, Thursday, at 2 o'clock pm with Rev. R. D. Miller of Petersburg officiating. Mrs. Noble was born in Devonshire, England, October 21, 1828. For some time past she has been making her home with Mrs. Theo. Dodson of this city.