Person:Lydia Priest (3)

After a lingering illness Lydia Whitcomb departed this life, Sunday night, Sept. 25th, 1898, at 10:05 o'clock. She was born in New Hampshire, August 27th, 1804, hence at the time of her death was 94 years and 20 days of age. When 14 years old - 80 years ago - she was converted, through the instrumentality of the Christian church. Until 26 years ago, she was a member of the Free Will Baptist church, since which time she has been a faithful and consistent member of the M. E. church. In 1825 she was married to Aretas Whitcomb, with who she lived happily for 63 years. She was the mother of four children two of whom survive, Mrs. Boblett of this city, and Mrs. Hotchkiss of Colorado.

Grandma Whitcomb knew much of the hardships of a pioneer life. She has traveled, practically, across the continent in a wagon, leaving New Hampshire many years ago on her western journey. She was in Wisconsin in an early day in the history of that country, having cooked in the first hotel ever erected in the city of Milwaukee. She has been a resident of Washington for 28 years.

The funeral services were held in the First M. E. church last Tuesday at 1:30 p. m., the pastor, Rev. J. W. Kendall, officiating. The sermon, an impressive one, reviewed the life of the deceased - her long Christian service, and the beautiful lesson taught by those years of unselfish devotion and fidelity to the Christian cause - if the reward was limited to the labor performed in the Master's vineyard, what a glorious reward would be hers.