McCallister - Lida McCafferty - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

On the morning of the 4th day of September, 1899, occurred the death of Lida A. McCallister, wife of Marshall S. McCallister, resident of Shannondale. Death resulted from cancer of the stomach and bowels. Interment was at Shannondale Cemetery on the evening of the 5th. The funeral was directed by James H. robbins, of Crawfordsville, a playmate of the deceased during childhood days and a life long friend. The deceased had been a long a patient sufferer, had battled bravely for life, but the enemy was one no earthly power can conquer, and death with a merciless hand cut her down, thereby robbing earth of one of its kindest, truest, purest and most noble women. She was a brave defender of all that is just, an unconquerable enemy to evil, a true emblem of purity and kindness, and faithful practicer of charity. Her life has with good deeds been filled to overflowing and she is worthy of and we fondly hope is now enjoying the greatest reward, the most perfect happiness that is to be found beyond the grave. Left to mourn are a husband, a son, Orion W. McCallister, two brothers, George and Elbert McCafferty, one sister, Lucy Rutledge, and a host of kind, true, loving friends.  At 2:30 o’clock Tuesday evening, Sept. 5, heart broken relatives and sorrowing friends gathered around her bier to perform the last sad duties due the dead. The floral offerings were profuse and beautiful. The casket was of solid oak, nicely finished and beautifully trimmed. In accordance with the request of the deceased she was clothed with a light cream colored robe. On her face was no trace of her awful suffering, but instead was an expression of peace and content, a pleasant look which seemed to betoken pleasant dreams. After singing, a brief obituary and prayer at the house, the procession moved slowly and silently to the cemetery, where, by loving hands, she was tenderly placed in the vault. She was borne to her final resting place by six lady relatives, three of whom were cousins and three sisters-in-law.  The deceased was the daughter of Elbert and Rebecca McCafferty and was born two miles east of Crawfordsville, on the 19th of September, 1850. Later the family moved near Shannondale and, in that village and vicinity she spent the days of her youth. On the 2d of March, 1872, she was united in marriage with Marshall S. McCallister, of Shannondale. They immediately went to Fremont County, Iowa, and there established their first home. In 1875 there was born to them a son, who still survives. After seven years’ residence in Iowa, they returned to Indiana in 1879 and purchased eighty acres off the west side of the McCallister homestead, where they resided till 1895, when they moved to Shannondale, the present home. The deceased has been in very poor health for a long time and has had constant medical attention since May 23, the attending physician being Dr. N. E. Mills, of Shannondale. When ‘twas seen that she was steadily growing worse, Drs. Owsley and Noe, of Thorntown, were summoned. On the 1st of August, she was operated on by Dr. Eastman and son, of Indianapolis, assisted by Dr. Mills and Dr. Cowan, of Crawfordsville. She was cared for by a trained nurse from Dr. Eastman’s sanitarium till she had recovered from the operation, when she was again placed in the care of Dr. Mills and Mary Holloway, of Crawfordsville, who had nursed her for weeks before the operation. The operation was successfully performed and extended her life several days but it was not possible for either medicine or surgery to cure her.

The remaining two of that broken family circle wish to thus publicly express their heartfelt thanks to friends and neighbors for their tender care of the deceased and for the kindness and sympathy they have shown toward the bereaved during this, their greatest grief. -s