Wednesday's Child - Emma M. Bailey

Emma M. Bailey

1867-1873 6 years old

Daughter of George H and Emma Jane (Gaisford) Bailey

Buried in the Old Beatrice Cemetery, Beatrice, Nebraska

Wednesday's Child - Gertha Mable Smith

G. Mable

dau of W. D. and M. R. Smith

Died August 3, 1890

Aged 9 months

"We loved this tender little one

And would have wished her stay

But let our Father's will be done

She shines in endless day"

"G" stood for Gertha, but the way her name is on this tombstone I would guess they called her Mable.  Her parents, "W. D. & M. R. Smith" are William Dixon and Mary Rebecca Smith.  Mable was their fourth child, her older siblings Elizabeth, Andrew and Clara survived her.  She was also survived by her maternal grandfather John McGrath.  Her short life would have been recognized in the 1890 Federal census if it had not burned.  This very hardy monument, which has lasted over 125 years, stands as a tribute to her in the Stockham Cemetery, Stockham, Nebraska. 

Wednesday's Child(ren) Bertha Roscoe and Her Brother

Bertha Roscoe

Jan. 22, 1899

Sep. 27, 1900
Aged 8 months, 5 days

Infant Son

Dec. 31, 1899

Jan. 3, 1900
Aged 3 days

Children of George & Mary Roscoe

Buried in the Swan Cemetery, Saline County, Nebraska

Wednesday's Child - In Memory of Pearl

Red Cloud Chief, March 24, 1899, pg 1 Col 2-3

Pearl L. Frase, daughter of Mrs. Minnie Frase was born near Pleasant Hill, Nebraska, December 31, 1892, died at her home in Red Cloud, last Wednesday, March 15th, 1899 of spinal disease, aged 6 years, 2 months and 15 days.   She was a noble, Christian child and much loved by all who knew her.  The funeral services were held in the M. E. church Friday morning, March 17, 1899, conducted by Rev. Hussong assisted by Rev. Darby.  The remains were laid at rest in Pleasant Hill cemetery.  Sister Frase and little brother George have the sympathy of the entire community.   

IN MEMORY OF PEARL

There's a pair of little hands

Laid to rest forever more,

Those two pearly dimpled cheeks

Whose rich blossoming is o'ver;

Death has closed two little eyes,

That will no more smile or weep;

Tiny windows of the soul,

Little Pearl has gone to sleep.

There's another bud removed,

Ere it felt the blight of sin,

Through the doors the angels made,

Little Pearl has passed in.

Far beyond the azure skies,

Where the tiny star eyes peep, 

From all earths sad doubts and fears,

Little Pearl has gone to sleep.

The dainty garments wrought with care,

Through happy hours for love's sake,

Are laid away for one more fair,

Than mother's hands can make.

How could we bear this heavy cross,

The loneliness, the cruel pain,

Did we not know our earthly loss

Was her eternal gain.

She will awake in fairer lands,

Where the angel's voices sing,

There the flowers shall expand,

There shall love's perfection bring.

She has reached the golden shore,

Through the river cold and deep,

Angels bore her softly there,

Little Pearl has gone to sleep.

  -- Her Teacher, C. M. Mummel

Wednesday's Child - Cecil Marvin Roscoe

Cecil Marvin Roscoe, youngest son of William and Lena, died when he was 5 years old. This poem is engraved on his tombstone in the Oak Grove Cemetery in DeWitt, Nebraska:

A loved one from us has gone

A voice we love is stilled

A place is vacant in our home

Which never can be filled

His name is not right in his obituary and the months and days of age differ from his tombstone.  From the DeWitt Times-News, DeWitt, Nebraska, Thursday, March 22, 1906 

"OBITUARY  Died March 19, 1906 at the home of the parents in Clatonia, W.H. Roscoe, Son of William and Lena Roscoe, after a sickness of two weeks, age 5 years, 6 months, 13 days. Cause of death, pneumonia.

On Wednesday (March 21), after a short service at the house, conducted by Rev. Williams, Congregational pastor of DeWitt, the body accompanied by friends and relatives was lovingly laid to rest in the DeWitt cemetery."

Back in August, in my post "Stone Binge" I told about how I had recently gone back to the Oak Grove Cemetery in DeWitt and did not find the Roscoe family tombstones that I had taken photos of years earlier.  My bad.  After contacting the very helpful cemetery caretaker there, I am embarrassed to say that I was wrong - the stones are all still there! Even better than that, she told me that there was one unmarked grave in the family plot. I have an idea who that is but she didn't have the name to confirm it.  

William and Lena had a son Charles who was living with them in 1910 at age 19.  After that I had no idea what happened to him.  He was never mentioned as a survivor in the obituaries of his parents or any of his siblings.  For years I searched for this Charles in census records and couldn't find him.  With access to the Beatrice Daily Sun online I just happened to find out what happened to Charles.  Normally, it's a fun thing to find someone when you've been looking for them for a long time.  In this case, it was sad. Charles killed himself drinking poison in 1914.  He was buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, apparently never given a gravestone. 

Wednesday's Child - Mann children

Lafayette Mann was 15 when he died December 29, 1881.  He is buried beside his parents in the Kilpatrick Cemetery near Plymouth, Nebraska.  Four other children of William and Nancy Mann died while the family lived in Princeville, Illinois.   

• Corrine - born/died February 16, 1864 
• Stephen A - born August 25, 1869, died by June, 1870 
• Carrie - born January 11, 1875, died in infancy
• Elsie - born/died August 1880   

They would be buried somewhere in Peoria County, Illinois, but I don't know if they have any markers on their graves.  Most likely the cemetery would be the Princeville Township Cemetery, but cemetery listings I have found so far don't list these children.  

I have had the tragic experience of losing an infant niece and nephew.  It seemed so unfair to have it happen twice in our family.  William and Nancy Mann dealt with the loss of 5 children.  

Wednesday's Child - Linden Shroy

Little Linden was laid to rest beside his Great Grandmother Rachel McGrath in the Grace Cemetery in Cozad, Nebraska.  His Great Grandfather John joined them 3 years later. Linden's parents were Elmer and Rebecca Shroy, his grandparents were Levi and Minnie Patterson, Minnie was the daughter of John and Rachel.  Elmer and Rebecca Shroy moved to Aberdeen, Washington. 

It seems obvious that the grave marker was placed no earlier than 1909 and maybe not until 1912 or later.  The dates on the marker for Rachel's birth date and John's birth year are wrong.  I'm wondering if I ever find out John and Rachel's marriage date, it might be in March.  John and Rachel will be my next couple of posts.