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Agnes Renwick
b.29 Dec 1835 Clarke, Durham, Ontario, Canada
d.20 Feb 1933 Sycamore, DeKalb, Illinois, United States
Family tree▼ (edit)
m. 23 Feb 1813
(edit)
m. 22 Mar 1858
Facts and Events
From the Sycamore True Republican; Wednesday, February 22, 1933; Page 1 & 2: Mrs. A. Bryan Dies At Age 97 Sycamore's Oldest Citizen Succumbs MAYFIELD PIONEER Funeral Services at Home of Daughter, Mrs. James Shaw, 137 Mason Court, Thursday Afternoon. -- Interment at Ohio Grove.Bold text Mrs. Agnes Bryan, one of DeKalb county's oldest pioneers and Sycamore's oldest resident, aged 97 years, answered the summons of the Grim Reaper on Monday evening, Feb. 20, at 10 o'clock, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. James Shaw, 137 Mason Court, in this county. She had been confined to her bed but four days, when she slipped quietly and peacefully into that Greater Sleep. Mrs. Bryan is another outstanding pioneer of Mayfield township, over whose life history there lingers a touch of reverence for the nobility of her womanhood and an added veneration for her long span of years. Near Century Mark Although the milestones of her earthly pilgrimages had son nearly reached the century mark, the sunset of her life was measured not alone by years, but by those finer and deeper attributes of character which endeared her to all whom she has known in the intimate associates of her lifetime of four score and seventeen years. Her home, with family and friends about her was Mrs. Bryan's greatest pleasure in her abundant life. She was able to read without glasses, and kept well-informed on the live issues of the day. She possessed an apt power of acquisition and her remarkable retention of memory was the admiration and marvel of all. She retained an active interest in life and proved herself an enviable companion for wither youth or age. Rare Gift of Friendship Her gift of friendship becomes, with her passing, a rare and priceless heritage which will be cherished by family, friends and neighbors as a treasured memory of her sweet dignity, her kindness of manner and her keen appreciation of life and its blessings. Agnes Renwick was born Dec. 29, 1835, at Orono, Canada, and died in her ninety-eighth year in Sycamore on Feb. 20, 1933. She was the last of 16 children, being next to the youngest child of Mary Wiel and Walter Renwick, prominent DeKalb county pioneers of Mayfield township. The family resided in Canada during the early years of her life, removing to Canada Corners in Kane county in 1842. She lost her mother at the tender age of seven years, at the age of 12, it became her duty to assist her sisters in the care and responsibility of the home. She was married March 22, 1858, to William Bryan of Pierce township. After a year's residence in Pierce township, Mr. and Mrs. Bryan moved in 1864, to Mayfield township where they made their home until Mr. Bryan's death. For the past 19 years, Mrs. Bryan had lived with her daughter, Mrs. Shaw in this city. She was a member of the Methodist church of Sycamore. Suffered Broken Hip. Six years ago last October, Mrs. Bryan suffered a fall which resulted in a broken hip. She rallied from this unfortunate accident in a manner most remarkable for one of her years. She has received the most solicitous and devoted care through the years from her daughter, Mrs. James Shaw, who survives, George Bryan, a son, of Randolph, Neb., and Walter Bryan of Sycamore, also survive. Funeral services will be held at the late home Thursday, Feb. 23, at 2 p.m., Rev. H. S. Roblee, officiating. Interment will be in the family lot in Ohio Grove cemetery. The True Republican is indebted (Continued on Page Two) to W. H. Bilney, Sycamore's well-known historian, fir the following article, which was written in its entirety by Mr. Bilney, when Mrs. Bryan had reached the advanced age of 93 years, Dec. 28, 1928. Let us go back about 124 years; the scene is in Bonny Scotland, the land of the mistletoe, the heather and the thistle. Numerous castles, among them Andrew Carnegie's "Scibo Castle,," also the late Queen Victoria's beloved Balmoral Castle in the countryside. Near Dunfries (sic) lived a lad and lassie - Walter Renwick, age 29, who thought that "it is not good for a man to be alone." and Mary Weil, age 20 and an orphan, who agreed with him. So they both agreed to "love, cherish and obey" until death do them part. They also remembered the Biblical injunction to multiply and replenish the earth. Children Born In Scotland Now let us see how well they kept their vows: In due time a baby boy was born, died, not named. Walter Renwick, being of Scotch thrift and honesty, plodded on and on with his farm work, while Mary, the young bride, attended the household duties. One by one the little ones came until there were thirteen little Renwicks, eight boys and five girls, living. The father had little hope of anything better than being a "hewer of wood and drawer of water" very likely after reading Elizabeth Barrett Browning's beautiful poem, "The Cry of the Children" of which I quote a few lines: "They looked up with their pale and sunken faces, and their looks are sad to see, your old earth, they say is very dreary, our young feet, they say, are very weak. Few paces have we taken, yet are weary, our grave rest is very for (sic) to seek?" Immigrated to America Now Walter and Mary decided to come to the new world, so they took their 13 little ones, six boys and seven girls, and boarded a sailing vessel in June, 1835. After a voyage of eight weeks or 56 days, or 1,244 hours, they landed in Canada in August. On Dec. 29, 1835, five months after landing, a new baby girl was born, called Agnes. 'Ere long a boy babe was born, the last of 15, eight boys and seven girls, 15 living, all at home. In 1842 they came to Canada Corners, Kane county, and lived in a log cabin of one room and a loft above. In 1844 they settled near maple Park. Mrs. Agnes Bryan, the 15th child of this family of 16, is the only living survivor. She was married to William Bryan in 1858. After living in Pierce, a short time later they came to Mayfield in 1863. Mrs. Bryan has lived in Sycamore some 15 years with her daughter, Mrs. James Shaw, at 137 Mason Court. One son, George, lives in Randolph, Neb., and Walter or "Watt" in Sycamore. She has four generations living. Age of Children 1,173 Years. Father Walter Renwick, Brother Walter Renwick, Son Walter Bryan, Nephews Walter McMurchy, Walter Maitland, Walter Calhoun, Walter Renwick.
Mrs. Bryan will observe her 93rd birthday on Saturday, December 29. Of the family of 16, seven boys and seven girls, 15 of them grew to manhood and womanhood. All of them married and reared families. Their total number of children is 89; 48 boys and 41 girls. There was one pair of twins, Mrs. Adolph Julien and Mrs. Abner Calhoun. There have been seven golden weddings, including Mrs. Bryan's; the other six were Mary Riddle, William Renwick, Margaret Julien, James, Thomas and Robert Renwick. Two widows are living, Mrs. Tom and Robert Renwick. Of the 15 children there were no second marriages. As Mrs. Bryan is a follower of John and Charles Wesley, when Father Time calls as he is sure to all of us, Mother Bryan will greet him with a smile and her children will rise up and call her Blessed. My simple tribute to this noble soul will be: Soft may her body rest As on her mother's breast, Whose love stands all confessed 'Mid binding tears. But may her soul so white Rise in triumphant fight And in God's land of light Spend endless years
-- Wm. H. Bilney
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