STEUBEN REPUBLICAN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1899, page 1, column 1

   DIED in Chicago, Illinois, Friday morning, Feb. 3, 1899, Dr. Anna 
H. Rakestraw, aged 43 years, 11 months and 27 days.
   Deceased was born in Mahoning Co., Ohio, and was the youngest 
daughter of Caleb and Elezan Rakestraw.  She graduated from Hahneman 
medical college, Chicago, March 12, 1896.  For many years her health 
has not been good, and while taking her college course sickness had 
to be constantly battled against, and yet on her graduation day in 
the presence of hundreds of her fellow students, the president of 
the college made special mention of her work, and so deserving of 
such mention was she that it was loudly applauded by her fellow 
students.  After her graduation she settled in Salina, Kansas, where 
her success in the practice of her profession was almost phenomenal, 
as she was by nature fitted to her work, combining the skill of a 
mechanic, the discriminating power of a keen and cultivated 
intellect with the loving intuition of a brave, pure woman.  Within 
two years she had reached a practice that would have taxed the 
energies of one with a robust constitution, and in perfect health.  
During the winter of 1897 and the spring of '98 every hour had its 
call, so that by summer she was worn out in body, but with the 
reserve power of a heroic nature she hid from her closest friends 
her serious condition, and with a desire to know more in her 
profession, attended in June the American Institute of Homeopathy, 
at Omaha, Nebraska.  From this meeting she returned to Angola for a 
rest, but without benefit, and when it was no longer possible to 
keep from all the critical nature of her ailment, she went to 
Chicago and placed herself under one of its ablest physicians, but 
it was too late.  In her last hours her brother, O. F. Rakestraw, of 
Angola, and her sisters, Mrs. J. A. Dustman, of Coldwater, Mich., 
and Mrs. R. R. Gale, of Elwood, Indiana, and her cousin, Miss Mary 
L. Smith, of Salina, Kansas, with whom she had been closely 
associated for eighteen years, were with her to comfort and cheer.  
She had been a member of the Christian church from childhood, and 
was also a member of the W. R. C. and W. C. T. U.  The remains were 
brought to Angola and funeral services were held in the Christian 
church Sunday afternoon, Feb. 5., Prof. L. W. Fairfield, 
officiating.  Burial in Circle Hill cemetery.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

   Dr. Anna H. Rakestraw, 06 Feb 1855 - 03 Feb 1899, was the daughter of 
Caleb, 1821 - 07 Aug 1898, and Elezan Rakestraw, 1823 - 05 Nov 1874.
   Brother:  Oscar F. Rakestraw, 30 Oct 1849 - 24 Jan 1922, married Melissa 
(Cline) Rakestraw, daughter of Michael and Barbara Cline.

"Cemeteries of Steuben Co., Ind., 1990" by Audree Seibel Lewis, Vol. I, 
page 1480.