Eliza Saunders, daughter of Deacon Dennis and Margaret Saunders, was born in Berlin, Rensselaer County, N. Y., June 1, 1829, and peacefully fell asleep in Jesus at 1 a.m., October 26, 1909.
She was the first of four children. The second, Lyman, has been dead a number of years. The third, Electa Saunders Stillman, departed this life a few days less than a month ago. The fourth, Crysanthia (Mrs. Melworth Stillman), survives, and is an honored neighbor among us. When three years of age, in 1832, her parents moved to Little Genesee, Allegany County, N. Y., where at about the age of fourteen she professed faith in Jesus as her personal Saviour, as a result of which her faith in him has grown stronger as her years have multiplied. In 1846 the family moved to Farmington, Fulton County, Illinois, where two years later, on March 20, 1848, she was married to S. O. Griffin. This marriage was blessed in the birth of five children: Charles Truman, Edgar A., Uberto S., Lyman H. and Gertrude Griffin Maxson, the last three of whom survive. In 1859 Mr. and Mrs. Griffin moved from Farmington, Ill., to Pardee, Kansas, where they became constituent members of the Pardee Seventh-day Baptist Church. About 1878 they moved to Nortonville, which has since been their home, and from which the husband and father was called to the home above on September 16, 1901.
Hers has been a life of buoyant cheerfulness and faith in God. Until the infirmities of age overtook her, she delighted to entertain company and this was especially marked during any special work, or meetings of the church. Few persons have carried a mirthful, cheerful spirit into advanced age as she did, and it was a source of pleasure to old and young to have the privilege of her company. Her health has been declining for several months past, but she met the inevitable bravely and without murmuring; and even after she was unable to speak in connected sentences, she said to her pastor, with almost a hallowed glow of peace upon her face, “It is all right.” M. B. K.
