At the home of her daughter, in Chicago, Ill., after eleven day's suffering, of typhoid pneumonia, Keziah Ayars Davis fell asleep in Jesus Nov. 20, 1887, in the 70th year of her age. She was the daughter of Barzilla and Ada Ayars Davis, and was born Dec. 25, 18__ at Stoe Creek, Cumberland Co., N. J. At the age of fourteen she gave her live to the service of God, and united with the Shiloh Seventh day Baptist Church. July 26, 1838, she married Jeremy Davis. Later she removed her church membership to the Marlboro church, to which she belonged many years. She, with her family, moved west in 1853, and lived for some time at Walworth, Wis. In 1856, they settled on a farm at Byron, Minn. Here her husband died Sept. 26, 1863, leaving her with six small children, when she, with unusual faith and courage, took up life's burdens alone, providing and caring for the family then solely dependent upon her.
She was a constituent member of the Trenton (Minn.) Church. In January, 1871, she moved to Alden, that her younger children might have better educational advantages; then to Chicago in 1873, which has since been her home. She was a member of the Alden Church from 1871 to 1877, when she united with the church at Walworth, Wis., that being the nearest church of her faith at that time, and remained her church home until her death. Hers was a life of usefulness, and she was ever ready and glad to do any service for her Master. She passed away very peacefully surrounded by all her children, to whom she had talked freely of her departure. Shortly before her death she said, 'What I look at now is the beautiful visions I have, and the precious promises my Saviour has made. It is so beautiful to go an be with Jesus. The only uneasiness I have in this matter is that my children will feel so badly, but I hope you will not continue to cry.' Very brief services were held at her home, Nov. 22d, conducted by Rev. J. W. Morton, who read 2 Cor. 5: 1-9. The remains were then taken to Walworth for burial.
Funeral sermon by the pastor of the Walworth Church from John 14: 2, last clause.
