From the Marckel Scrapbook...
MRS. TILDEN DEVAULT
“Mrs. Tilden DeVault died suddenly Friday morning at about
7:45, at her home on West High street.
Mrs. DeVault was making arrangements to attend the Napoleon Fair, and
was stooping over assorting some clothes. She was suddenly seized with a dizzy
spell, staggering backwards and died before a physician could be summoned. The physician pronounced the death due to paralysis,
this being the third stroke.
Mrs. DeVault was born December 12, 1841, and last December
celebrated her sixty-ninth birthday.
About forty-five years ago, she was married to William Wright, from whom
she was divorced and who now lives in New York City. Wm. Troxell, her second husband, has been
dead about twenty-three years. About seventeen years ago, she married Tilden
DeVault who with one daughter, Mrs. Gideon Archambeault, survives her. A sister, Mrs. George Ball of Broadway, two
brothers, Robert Merrihugh of Auglaize street and Henry Merrihugh of Gray
street also survive.
The funeral arrangements have not yet been made, but the
funeral will probably be held Sunday.”
“The funeral of Mrs. Tilden DeVault will be held Sunday
morning. The cortege will start at 9:00 from the late residence. The services will be held at 10:00 at the
Dunkard church. Rev. Flory will
officiate. Interment will be in the
Conkle cemetery.”
JOHN J. CRAINE
“John J. Craine, one of the best known residents of Defiance
county, died very suddenly at his home on North Clinton street Monday evening
during the supper hour. He was seated at
the table, conversing with his family, when his head was observed to droop
forward. When no answer came to the
question of what was the matter, his wife and daughter rushed to his side to
find him dead. His sudden death, caused
by heart failure, coming without any premonition, is a great shock to the many
friends, and the sorrow-stricken family, has the sympathy of all.
Mr. Craine was born June 9, 1856, in Monroe county, Mich.,
but when seven years of age, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. James Craine, moved to
Defiance county, locating in Tiffin township.
There Mr. Craine made his home until two years ago when he built himself
an attractive home on North Clinton street, having retired from his farm.
In 1878 Mr. Craine was married to Elizabeth
Gruber, who with two daughters, survive.
The daughters are Mrs. Flora Ingle, of Tiffin township, and Miss Blanche
Craine, living at home. Mr. Craine’s
aged mother is also living.
Mr. Craine was one of the most active workers in the
Defiance Sunday School association. For many years he was a teacher and
superintendent at St. John’s M. E. Sunday School in Tiffin township, and during
the time he made his home in Defiance, he was one of the teachers in St. Paul’s
M. E. Sunday School. Throughout his life
he was a faithful and conscientious member of the Methodist church.
Politically, Mr. Craine affiliated with the Republican party
and he served as assessor and clerk of the board of education in Tiffin
township. Several years ago, he was a candidate on the Republican ticket for
clerk of courts and at the last election in November, he was defeated for
county treasurer by a very narrow margin.
The funeral occurred Thursday morning at 10 o’clock at the
late residence on North Clinton street and 11 o’clock at St. John’s church in
Tiffin township with Dr. W. W. Lance and Dr. Harshberger of this city
officiating at the services. The interment
was in the cemetery adjacent to the church.”
JOHN JAMES CRAINE – (a second obituary)
“No greater shock has come to the city of Defiance, and the
surrounding country, than when the phones began ringing on every hand a little
after 6 o’clock Monday evening, Feb. 7th, to announce the sudden
demise of one of the most estimable citizens of Defiance county, John James
Craine.
Mr. Craine was the son of James and Elizabeth Craine,
natives of the Isle of Man, and consequently, of sturdy Scotch-Irish
stock. He was born to them June 9th,
1856, in their home near Petersburg, Monroe county, Mich. Here he lived with his parents until he was
seven years of age, when they removed with him to Defiance county, where he has
resided ever since, a period of 48 years.
Mr. Craine was naturally of an inquiring mind, and he was
ambitious for an education. He secured
all the common schools of his county could afford, and then pursued his studies
farther in the Stryker and Evansport high schools. And when the curriculums of the schools
within his reach could do no more for him, he secured the textbooks which led
him farther in to the mines of knowledge, and delved there for himself. Thus he became a man of intellectual strength
and considerable learning. Putting his
attainments at once to use, he began teaching at the early age of 19 years, and
for twelve consecutive winters was known as a most successful leader of
youthful minds through the intricate walks of the search for knowledge.
 |
| Elizabeth Gruber Craine |
In his 22d year of age, he wooed and won the heart of a most
estimable and worthy young woman, Miss Elizabeth Gruber, and on the 13th
day of November, 1878, they were happily joined in marriage. These two young lives started out upon the
marital sea, to keep their way onward in the course of prosperity and
usefulness. But they did not, like some,
try to breast the storms, and ride the waves of life’s restless sea independent
of Divine help.
Soon after their marriage, Mr. Craine went into the
fellowship of the United Brethren church, under the ministry of the Rev. George
Denius; and, he and his devoted wife walked side by side in the ways of the
Lord; and they not only prospered, but their two lives blending as one, for
over 32 years, they have dwelt together in the holy affiliations of one
another’s love.
Three children were born to them. The first, the Lord took at its birth. Two daughters lived to gladden the parents’
hearts, and grace the home. One is now
Mrs. Flora Ingle, of Tiffin township, Defiance county. The youngest, Miss Blanche, is yet in the
parental home, a gracious comfort to the sorrow-stricken mother, in their
mutual bereavement.
While Brother Craine knew how to be firm in the defense of
what he deemed right, yet he was a man of peace, so when the strife arose in
the denomination he had chosen for his church home, on the question of
Fraternities, he transferred his …Society, of the Methodist Episcopal church,
and of this church he has remained a worthy and consistent member ever
since. In this church he has held
responsible official positions. He has
ably filled the offices of class leader and steward, but his eminent success
has been a worker in the Sunday school.
As a superintendent, he excelled, and for a number of years he
superintended the school in St. John’s
society. At the time of his death, he
was the assistant superintendent of St. Paul’s Methodist Episcopal Sunday
school in Defiance.
He was urged at frequent times, to accept the
superintendency, but for reasons best know to himself, and doubtless very good,
he constantly refused. But he consented
to be the assistant, and at the same time was elected teacher of the Ladies’
and Gentlemen’s Bible class of the school, in which he took great interest; and
his ability as a teacher soon attracted to him a large and regular body of
interested members.
He loved Sunday school work and was a well informed Sunday
school man. He enjoyed the sessions of
the state, county and township conventions, and when a delegate was one of the
most useful members. He was seldom absent from the meetings of the
board of the local school. He was
present at the meeting of the board the Sunday afternoon before his death. In all Sunday school enterprises he was a
leading figure. In arranging to take up
and adopt the graded system of study in the St. Paul’s school he was a most
valuable help. He inaugurated and taught
the Bible Study class. His ability as a
teacher was richly enjoyed by those who joined this class, but the treacherous
state of his health frequently forbid his meeting it.
He was a regular attendant upon the services of the church
and the day before his sudden call, he was at the church first to meet with and
teach his class, and after this he sat with his companion in his pew and was an
interested listener and worshiper in the congregation; then, in the afternoon
he was at the church again to meet the Sunday school board. He loved all the services of God’s house and
in every service, he was ready to do his part and fill his place. Though still retaining his membership in the
St. John’s Society, he was an able and active worker in the St. Paul’s church,
Defiance, and will be greatly missed.
Mr. Craine was politically a Republican. Several years ago, he was a candidate on the
ticket of the Republican party for clerk of the courts; and at the last
election in November, he was defeated for county treasurer on a small
margin. No doubt, had his candidacy
been at an election where the voting population was better represented, he
would have been elected with a handsome majority. And had he been, Defiance county could have
boasted of one of the most capable treasurers in the state. He has been assessor and clerk of the board
of education in Tiffin township and both places he filled with ability.
He was a man of more than ordinary mind and genius. In all deliberative bodies with which he …
kept the drift of how matters were going, until at an opportune time, he would
modestly rise and throw what light he had on the question involved, usually
leading the deliberations to a satisfactory conclusion.
His occupation wholly after his 31st year was
that of a tiller of the soil until two years ago when he left the farm and
removed to Defiance, and in the comfortable and pleasant home he built on North
Clinton street, he and wife and daughter Blanche lived in happy composure
together.
Mr. Craine was the only son of his parents and since his
father is already gone to his long home, in Brother Craine’s departure, the
perpetuation of the name of Craine ceases from the calendar of the family, save
as history. His fond mother still lives,
and with his loving wife and devoted daughters, has sustained a heavy shock
which, were it not for the assurance of his readiness to go, would be without
alleviation.
Brother Craine was a very companionable man and he gathered
about him many friends whose companionship he greatly enjoyed. Being a man of steady ways, he was never
vacillating, but whether you found him on the street, or in the church, or
home, he was always the same. Though he
never surrendered a principle or compromised the right and was firm in its
defense, he was always cordial, affable and courteous, even to his most radical
opposers. He was a man of good judgment,
and careful in all material interests.
He never dealt in uncertainties.
He preferred small certainties to great speculative uncertainties. Therefore, though he made no leaps and bounds
in material gains, he steadily prospered.
This same trait characterized his religious life. He did not believe in spurts, followed by
dullness and indifference; but in steady advancement, striving to make each day
equal to, at least or an improvement on the one gone before. He was interested in every reform movement
and deprecated the disposition, so prevalent, to violate law and trample under
foot the sanctity of the holy Sabbath.
He was made in the kind of material we need in the officials
of every municipality. Men of integrity
and strong moral convictions. And having
the courage of their convictions. Such a
man was John James Craine. The church
and community loses a good and useful man in his demise. The family a loving and kind husband and
father. The mother a devoted and dutiful
son. And all relatives and friends a
worthy and honorable member of their affiliated ranks.
For some days Brother Craine had been slightly
indisposed. But it was not sufficient to
keep him from his regular duties. At the
board meeting of the Sunday school on Sabbath afternoon he showed no sign of
weariness, but took an active part in the business of the hour. But after the board adjourned, the janitor
asked him how he was when he answered, ‘Oh, not very good, Dell; I guess I’ve
got the grippe.’
(He was)…around as usual and went over to the church to attend a
funeral that he supposed was at two o’clock in the afternoon, but which had
been at ten o’clock in the forenoon.
After leaving the church, he visited the places where he had various
errands and after spending a little time in social chat with his friends in one
of the business houses of the city, he went home feeling a little better, as he
remarked to a friend on his way. Shortly
after arriving home, he sat down with his family to the evening meal and while
engaged in cheerful conversation, his head suddenly fell forward and without a
word or groan, ‘he was not, for God took him.’
His sojourn in the flesh was 54 years, 7 months and 27 days…”
This obituary was written by Wm. W. Lance, pastor of St.
Paul’s M. E. Church, Defiance. The very
top of the paper was missing a first line, hence the missing portions.
