Sandi,
This is a handwritten obituary of my g-grandmother; you probably cannot use
it. We have not been able to determine the author, but I think it must have
been one of the step-children.
Mary Yaeger Knab Bailey
Mary Bailey, daughter of Frederick and Magdalena (Koenig) Yaeger, was born
in Marion County, Ohio, Nov 28th, 1858, and departed this life at the
Randolph County Hospital at Winchester on the evening of April 16th, 1930,
aged 71 years, 4 months and 18 days. She was of a family of seven children.
George, Frederick Jr. and Magdalena were born in Germany. A stillborn babe
and a child that died at the age of 18 months, and Mary and Philip were born
near Marion, Ohio.
While very young she came with her parents to Jay County, Indiana, where she
grew to womanhood and received the meager education of the Common Schools of
that date. She spent her entire life in Jay County and saw much of the
inconvenience and hardship of the early days in the county. She was a strong
vigorous woman and fought the battle of life heroically and uncomplainingly
to the end.
April 9th, 1878, she was united in marriage to Louis Knab. To this union
were born one son and four daughters. In the order of their birth they were
Caroline, Sarah, Frederick, Emma, and Anna. Caroline and Freddie passed away
aged fifteen and thirteen years, respectively.
On Aug 5th, 1892, she was bereft of her companion and with her family of
little ones she bravely met the responsibility of motherhood single-handed.
December 23rd, 1896, she was united in marriage to Peter Bailey of near
Brice. To this union were born two children, a son and a daughter, named
Philo and DeEtta. She is survived by the following children: Sadie, wife of
Harvey Bailey of Wayne Township; Emma, wife of Isaac Myers of Noble
Township; Anna, wife of Russell Greaf of Wayne Township, Philo Bailey of
Noble Township, and DeEtta, wife of Clarence Stoner of near Farmland.
Besides the children she is survived by the following step-children: Charles
Bailey of Bearcreek Township; James Bailey of Adams County; William Bailey
of Noble Township; John Bailey; and Mary O. Caster, wife of Harley Caster,
both of Bearcreek Township. There are nineteen surviving grand-children,
four great grandchildren, and eighteen step-grandchildren. One brother and
one sister also survive, they being Philip Yaeger of Cleveland, Ohio, and
Mrs. Magdalena Sommers of Ft. Wayne, Indiana.
She was received into the fellowship of the Christian Church in Salamonia in
August 1901 and remained a devoted and consistent member of the organization
to the day of her death. She had no fears at the time of departure, and to
her the surgeon's knife had no terror. She had made her peace with her God
and all was well. She could say with St. Paul, "For me to live is Christ,
and to die is gain."
The family has lost a noble mother and protector, the community a good
neighbor and citizen, and the church one of it most loyal supporters.
A precious one from us has gone,
A voice we loved is tilled;
A place is vacant in our home,
Which never can be filled.
God in his wisdom has recalled
The boon his love has given;
And though the body slumbers here,
We hope the soul is safe in heaven.
Funeral services were conducted in the M. E. Church in Salamonia April 19th
at 2:00 P.M. by S. A. Armstong assisted by the Rev. Mrs. Mills, pastor of
the Mississinewa Christian Church of Randolph County. The funeral cortege
then went to Green Mound cemetery of Ft. Recovery, Ohio, where internment
was made by the side of her first husband and with her two deceased children
to await the resurrection morn.
Card Of Thanks
We want to thank our friends and neighbors for their many kind words and
deeds in helping us in the time of our affliction. We also want to thank the
quartet of the Christian Church for their consoling messages in song.
The children and step-children