Posted on: Hancock Co. Il Obituaries Forum Board URL: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Il/HancockObits?read=146 Surname: Davis ------------------------- Obituary Carthage Illinois August 6, 1920 Mrs. Mary Francis Davis, nee Thompson Mrs. Mary Francis Davis, passed away at her home in this city Friday July 30, 1920. The following sketch of her life written by herself was found in her Bible and was read at the funeral services, which were held at the Christian Church Sunday afternoon, at 2:00 o'clock, Rev. H.L.Hope of Bowen officiating. "I was born in Anderson County, Kentucky in 1844, lived there until 1850 and moved with my parents to Hancock County, Illinois, and lived here all my life. When I was seventeen years old I was married to James Knoxford (Polk) Davis and there were nine children born to our union. They all died in their infancy but four. I had four boys left and then came the great blow. My husband was taken down with that dreadful disease comsumption and after long suffering he passed away and I was left with the four boys, and but one that was big enough to do anything and one of them an invalid. Well my oldest boy and myself set out to work in earnest and we did make it all right but he did not live quite two years after his papa died, until he died and left me all alone to struggle through this unfriendly world, and when those two boys got old enough to take that dreadful disease they were taken from me. My friend how do you think I lived through that blow, OH, it was God's will that I should live for I had not done what he had for me to do. I had not had enough suffering on this earth. Well I will try to be patient and to the end, for it is not long for me to wait. There is only one thing I do dread and that is the last struggle before the end of time with me. OH, what joys there will be in that blessed home up yonder when I meet my dear ones, when I cross the river of Jordan and land on the other bright shore where we meet to part no more on that bright shore where we never say good-bye."