was born March 28th 1856 in Carroll county, Ill., and died at 8:30 o’clock a.m. at the Augustana Hospital, in Chicago, September 7th, 1890, at the age of forty-three years, five months, and ten days. She was the eldest of two daughters of Henry and Phebe Smith
She was married to Simeon J. Fletcher, on April 15th, 1875, with whom she lived a quiet happy life. No children were born of the union. Her father, mother, and only sister, Gertrude, have preceded her to the other world. Her mother died , March 5th, 1893. Gertrude died November 28th, 1893. The father died September 23rd, 1896. Sister Viola united with Brethen church, February 25, 1894 of which she continued a faithful member until death. She had been a great sufferer for several years but was very patient and even in the last trying ordeal from which she never fully rallied she was calm and resigned.
There remains to mourn her loss a husband and George J. Smith, a cousin, who was raised in the family since he was five years old, and whose loss is that of a sister, so near must she have seemed to him. All who knew her and the departed father, mother and sister, bear testimony to the high esteem in which whey were held in the community. Her Christian grace and humility were quietly seen in considerate acts of helpfulness to those about her, and her quiet influence was ever felt in the work of her church, be it charity for the poor, or support for the missions, her assistance came unsolicited. Many blessings from her kindly heart took on tangible form into help rendered to the poor through our Chicago mission, which will fall under the promised blessing of the Lord. “in as much as ye did it unto the least of these my disciples ye did it unto me.” Thus passes out of this work and into a better one, the last member of a family who settled in Carroll county, Illinois, in 1853, who have lived nobly, prospered and have been honored and loved by a multitude among who she lived and moved as an example of practical Christian love and patience.
The funeral services were held in the Brethern church in Milledgeville, Ill., at 2 o’clock p.m., Saturday, September 9th, 1899, conducted by Rev. J. J. Rapp, of the M. E. church, where after which the remains were laid to rest in Bethel cemetery.
Contributed by Bunny Horton
On December 23, 1900 Simeon Fletcher married Emma Smith, daughter of Charles and Sarah Elizabeth Trout Smith. It is believed that E. Viola and Emma were cousins
