Excerpt from the Alamance Gleaner
Contributed by Nora Jackson

Message from Nora
Also in the interest of sharing, I have decided to try contributing
Obits/death notices from this newspaper. (Mark [Murphy] has inspired me.) I have
chosen 1916 as a starting year, and will pick up earlier issues as they come
available. These are transcribed exactly as written. Due to the sometimes
poor condition of the microfilm, asterisks (*) will be substituted for
unreadable letters. Hope these help someone!
Nora Jackson

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The Alamance Gleaner - June 28, 1883
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Death of an Aged Lady.
Elizabeth Gant, relict of Jonathan Gant, died in Graham at the residence
of W. F. Jones, Esq., her son-in-law, June 24th, 1882. She was a daughter of
Henry Trolinger, and her mother was a sister to Joseph Thomas, who was a
distinguished preacher of the gospel and known as the "White Pilgrim." She
was the mother of seven children four of whom are now living. She was born in
December, 1791, and was 91 years, 5 months and 24 days old at the time of her
death. For many years she was a member of the Christian Church at Providence.
When Washington retired from the Presidency she was five years old. She
lived under every Presidential administration --during all the expansion of
our government--all its material progress--all its struggles--all its
triumphs.
"Thou shalt come to thy grave in full age, like as a shock of corn cometh
in in his season." W. S. LONG.

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SUICIDE OF A PROMINENT CITIZEN.
It was currently reported some weeks ago that Col. John A. Mebane, a well
known and highly respected citiz of Riedsville, was suffering from partial
insanity, but the matter seemed not to be generally known. On last Thursday,
however, he was reported missing and further intelligence announced that he
could not be found, and that it was believed that he had in some way
destroyed himself. After long and excited search he was on yesterday found in
the Wade mill-pond, 3 miles S. W. of Riedsvile. As yet we are without the
details of the affair. It is said that near where he entered the pond a
letter was found addressed to Mrs. Mebane, but its contents are not known.
The body was brought up to Benaja station this morning for burial.
More than two years ago Col. Mebane was sorely bereaved in the death of
his only child a promising girl of fourteen, and after her death he dwelt
much in thought of his great loss. This bereavement, no doubt, had much to do
with the subsequent failure of his reason. The case is particularly
distressing. If we mistake not, Col. Mebane was married three times, his last
wife being Miss Walker of Rockingham. He was a man of considerable
intelligence and of fine address and had been both merchant and school
teacher.
---Workman June 25.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Good Man Gone.
Dr. W. C. Tarpley died at his home in Company Shops, N. C., June 19,
1883. For nearly five years he had been confined to his room by failing
health. He had lived beyond the term allotted men ordinary, being in his 82
year at the time of his death.
Dr. Tarpley was married three times, and leaves a wife and three
children, twenty-eight grand children and twenty-six great grand children
behind him.
In all the relations of life Dr. Tarpley was a good and true man. The
poor never appealed to him in vain, and the church of which he was a member
always found him willing and liberal to help forward all her enterprises. He
was for many years a member of the Christian Church at Providence.
During his active life and especially during his last illness he spoke of
possessing a lively christian hope.
Many relatives and friends gathered at old Providence to place his body
away to await the resurrection.
Funeral by W. S. LONG.

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The Alamance Gleaner - July 12, 1883
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---Drowned--- John Perry son of Ben Perry, about 13 years old, was drowned at
Glencoe factory last Saturday. The mill is stopped at noon for dinner, but on
this occasion the wheel could not be stopped; so the head-gates had to be let
down and the water shut off from the water-house. When the water had run out
of the water-house the boy was found caught in the wheel, having one leg and
one arm cut off. He was missed about 9 o'clock, but no serious alarm was felt
about him. The water-house is kept locked and besides the door there is only
a small opening large enough for one to go through. A coroner's inquest was
held which said that the boy came to his death by accidental drowning.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An Upright Man.
Daniel Anthony died at his home in this county on the 24th of June, 1883,
in the seventy-first year of his age. He was in all the relations of life
strictly an upright man. No more truthful and honest man lived. His character
was marked by strong individuality, absolute candor and positive sincerity.
No man ever questioned the motive, the word or the honor of Daniel Anthony.
He was a plain, blunt man, who never occupied a doubtful position. He had
opinions and expressed them; he had principles and lived by them. With him
there was no excuse for any word or action that was not strictly truthful and
candid, bold and honest. No evasion, no reservation, no duplicity, were ever
tolerated by him. He was industrious and frugal, he was just and upright with
his fellow man; and he loved and feared his God. He was a professed
christian--a member of the Lutheran church at St. Paul; and none who knew him
ever questioned the sincerity of his profession. He was twice married, and
leaves five children of his first wife, all grown up men and women, worthy of
their father. His second wife is a childless widow. He has passed to his
reward. While truth and honor are cherished as virtues, the name of Daniel
Anthony will recur to the minds of those who knew him as one whose life
illustrated those virtues. He lived an honest man and died a christian. 
[end]

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The Alamance Gleaner -March 3, 1887
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Died.
Robert Elwin McCauley, son of Dr. J. W. McCauley and Nancy McCauley, died at
home, Feb. 25, 1887, aged 24 years, and was buried at Union Sunday afternoon,
Feb. 27. He was a member of the Christian church. His schoolmates, and his
acquaintances bear testimony to the purity of his life and the generosity of
his nature. After a lingering illness of more than a year's continuance he
died in great peace, assuring all that he enjoyed a blessed hope of a happy
resurrection unto life eternal. May the Lord comfort and sustain the bereaved.
[end]

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May 08, 2002