Tag: Tennessee

Mary Frances Barbee Was born October 30 1844. She was 73 years, 3 months and 2 days old at the time of her death, February 1, 1918. She was a consistent member of Corinth Church for more than 40 years. 

She was married to N.H. Hart, June 30, 1962. Of this union were born 11 children. Seven sons and 4 daughters, all now living, grown, married, settled members of the church. 

On February 2, a short funeral service was conducted at the home by her pastor, Reverend Whitefield and concluded at the grave in the old Hart graveyard, where she was laid to rest. It was a touching and beautiful sight to watch six of her stalwart sons gently lower the lifeless body of their mother to the grave. She had lived to a good old age and died as she had lived, loved and honored by all who knew her. This is a short history of a good woman that has paid the last debt and gone to her reward. 

I was asked to assist the preacher in the funeral service, but on account of the inclement weather did not get there, so will write about what I should have said, not as an obituary, but as a small tribute to her memory. 

More that 70 years ago when I was not much more than a babe and about the time she was born, my father moved to but a little more than a mile from her father’s home. Here a real and pleasant acquaintance began that has lasted all these years since. She was a great favorite in school, and in fact with all who knew her. 

Nearly 40 years ago I settled as a doctor in sight of her home. Some of her children had grown up and others were unborn. I watched the younger children grow up and attended any of them when sick and for almost all these years was the family physician, a relation, perhaps next the preacher, the most sacred. 

A 3^rdof a century ago, when I married her niece, who loved her almost as she loved her own mother, she became to me “Aunt Fannie” and I reverenced her almost as much as much as did my own dear aunts that went to their homes many years ago. There were 3 traits in Aunt Fannie’s character that I wish to mention her as predominating more I think than in any person I have known. They were industry, unselfishness, and appreciation. She always wanted to be doing something, wanted to be at work and to show her unselfishness at work for someone else. 

First, of course, it was her family, her children; next her relations then her neighbors. I wish I could know how many of those have some little piece of her handwork as a keepsake, that they will now appreciate more now that she is gone. It mattered not how small and insignificant the present from her husband, children relatives or neighbors she showed keen appreciation of her countenance. Can you wonder that she loved everybody? Because everybody loved her. All these years I have known her I can call to mind now word about her but in praise. 

She was the youngest daughter of a large family and survived them all except one brother, the youngest child of the family, who though living in a distant state, came often to see sister Fannie whom he adored. 

A good woman has died, and may Heaven’s Blessings rest on those left behind. 

Oak Lawn, Feb 2 1918 H.S.