Martha Gibbs Whiteside, born April 12, 1863, in Hardin County,
Ill., near Elizabethtown. She was the youngest of a family of
7 children, 3 sons and 4 daughters of Joseph and Elizabeth Gibbs.
She was left an orphan when only 5 years old. At age eight,
she was taken into the home of Uncle Frank and Aunt Minerva S.
Barger, near Eddyville, this county, with whom she remained until
married to John H. Whiteside, at the age of 21 years, on Mar.
27, 1884.
To this union 10 children were born; Arthur Clinton, John Herbert,
and an infant that was unnamed, preceded her to the beyond. Surviving
are: Lula, the oldest, and Elvada, the youngest daughter, the
only children still in the home; Mrs. Compton, and Gorda Whiteside,
of Eddyville, Ill.; Miss Sarah Whiteside, a teacher in Johnson
City School, Mrs. Leonard, of Columbus Junction, Iowa; Mrs. Etta
Bowman, of Carterville, Ill. All of these children were present
except Pearl.
She professed faith in Christ at the age of 18, and later joined
the C. P. Church at New Liberty.
Sister Whiteside suffered six weeks of untold pain and underwent
an operation for abscess of the liver, bearing it all with Christian
fortitude. She leaves to mourn her loss; a true companion, 7
dear children, 4 grandchildren, 1 brother, Joseph Gibbs, of Advance,
Mo., and a host of relatives and friends.
Should we not all thank God for the blessed life that has just
passed away and for the bright testimony left behind? Her last
words on earth were, "Blessed Lord, take me." Can we
realize that as she closed her eyes to the scenes of earth her
vision was opened to the beautiful home of the soul?
Funeral services were conducted on the 6th at her old home church
by Rev. J.T. Davidson and T. B. Holloway, after which the body
was laid to rest in New Liberty Cemetery.
____ A FRIEND AND BROTHER.
A card of thanks from John H. Whiteside and children.
Old Tanyard-Will Bowman and wife ( Etta ) of Carterville, who
had been attending the bedside and funeral of the latter's mother,
Mrs. J. H. Whiteside, for two weeks, left for home Sunday.
Old Tanyard-Miss Sarah Whiteside has given up her school at Johnston
City and will stay at home with her father, J. H. Whiteside.
Copied ---Pope County Illinois Herald-Enterprise Newspaper
Abstracts Vol. 1 Page 24.
Compiled by Bonnie Skaggs