JOHN ALEXANDER MIDDLETON’S OBITUARY
By J. A. Russell. Pastor of Mt. Moriah Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Fuson, Wright County, Missouri
How we came by this obituary and who the author of the obituary is
important to me in the history of our family. Reverend J. A. Russell married
our grandparents, Robert and May Middleton. From this obituary, he knew
our family well as the pastor of the Mt. Moriah Cumberland Presbyterian
Church where our grandfather joined in 1880 and soon was ordained as a
ruling elder of the church.
The obituary is in J. A. Russell’s handwriting and was given to Emma
Middleton Martin, youngest daughter of John Alexander and Mary
Middleton. Also, she was a twin with Joe. Her husband, D.T. (David
Tandy) Martin was a witness at our grandparents’ wedding along with our
grandmother’s father. (I think Emma and Tandy as well as Robert and May
lived with John Alexander as he was ill and needed care as his wife had
passed on in 1889.
Emma married “Tandy” Martin in Fuson on August 1, 1900. She died in
1959 and is buried in Murray Cemetary, Carbon, Texas. Their children were
Perle, Ethel, Everett and Clara. Clara was born May 30, 1912 who had a
daughter named “Mickie”. Mickie married Joe Gaines and they have two
daughters, June and Gail and four grandchildren.
Mickie lived in Abilene when I lived in there, but we did know that we were
related until 1997 when my mother was visiting. I introduced mother and
said she was from Shallowater. Mickie had visited the Middleton family
many, many years before in Shallowater and knew that she had to be related.
We had only a couple of years to get acquainted as cousins before Jerry and
I moved in 1999. She gave me a copy of the obituary as a Christmas gift
one year (as well as a group picture of Grandfather’s brothers and sisters and
another picture with their families. This was probably taken at the triplet
Edna’s funeral as she died on January 30, 1924. She is buried in Carbon,
Texas.) As all of you know, we have heard stories about our grandfather on
his death bed, but this written obituary made it so real. How thankful we are
for J. A. Russell who wrote it and Emma who kept it. Because Mickie gave
me a copy, all of us have a copy, too.
(Continued on next page)
Pam and her mother have visited the Mt. Moriah Cemetary in Fuson, Mo.
John Alexander, Mary Oliver Pegram and Elmer, one of the triplets who
was found groaning in the orchard and died in 1896, are buried there.
Al the tombstones have a sun haloed by clouds above with a middle eastern
style homes beneath. Below the picture was the inscription: “In my father’s
house are many mansions.”
On top of John’s and Mary’s tombstone were inscribed:
Dearest loved one,
We have laid thee
In the peaceful grave’s embrace
But thy memory
Shall be cherished
Till we see
Thy heavenly face
On top of Elmer’s tombstone was inscribed:
Again we hope to meet thee
When the day of life is fled
And in heaven with joy
To greet thee
Where no farewell tears are shed