A Good Woman - Gone.
Mrs. William Houck Passes Away at a Ripe Old Age.
There occurred yesterday at the home at 126 West Sixth Street the death of Mrs. William Houck. Death was the result of old age and was not unexpected, as the children had all been summoned several days ago. Mrs. Houck was in her eighty-first year, a good round old age. The Houck family is remarkable for longevity, as the husband, William Houck is still living and is also in his eighty-first year. For forty-eight years there has not been a death in the family, one of the ten children having died in infancy.
Mrs. Houck was born and raised to young womanhood in Bladensburg, Ohio. There she was married to William Houck and before leaving the home town, the ten children of the couple were born. Nine of the ten children are still living, one having died in infancy as has been stated. In 1871, Mr. and Mrs. Houch moved to Macon, Illinois, leaving three of their children married in comfortable homes of their own in Bladensburg. In 1881 they moved again, this time to Larned, Kansas, where they resided until 1890, at which time they came to Newton, as their son C. M. C. Houck was at that time ticket agent for the Santa Fe here. This has been the family home continously since their removal here in 1890 and in the twelve years a host of friends have been attracted to the old lady by her sweet Christian character. Mrs. Houck was an active and enthusiastic member of the Christian church of this city with which institution she has been identified since childhood. Mrs. Houck had a most remarkably peace-loving disposition. One of the sons bears testimony that he never saw his mother angry.
Three of the children, Dr. R. M. Houck of La Salle, Illinois, C.M.C. Houck of Raton, New Mexico, and Miss Sylvia, were at the bedside when the mother passed away. Thos. H., George W., and Mrs. Sophia Donahue all of the old home town of Bladensburg will be unable to attend the funeral. Mrs. Viola M. Donahue of Decatur, Illinois may come and it is understood that Wm. M. Houck of Hebron is enroute to Newton. The funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 from the house, the Rev. L. M. Wiles of the Christian church officiating.
