Sad are our hearts, our home is lone,
Since Emma from our threshold's gone
To kindred dear, to schoolmates true,
Dear Emma, we all mourn for you.
No Doctor's skill, no human power,
Could stay death's hand or parting hour;
But suffering no more racks your breast,
Your work is done- you are at rest.
Yes, Emma, you are free from pain,
Our loss is your eternal gain -
For here on earth you'll ne'er return
While we are left to weep and mourn.
We cannot think you are gone for aye
While we toil on and watch and pray;
We feel you are in that home above
Where all is joy, and peace, and love.
We'll greet you here on earth no more
Until we meet on yon blest shore;
But in that world so bright and fair
We some day hope to meet you there.
( Written by Mrs. Nancy Whitemore )
Many years ago I found this little poem at an auction in Lee County IL. It was once beautifully framed with dried flowers and lace.
But now the glass and frame were both broken, the flowers and lace dirty and tossed about. It was just lying there on a hayrack - nobody wanted it.
So I rescued it, and have placed it here, hoping some member of little Emma's family will find it. I have no idea why I've felt the need to keep this poem but through the years
I'm read and it again and again and always wondered who she was and wondered what could have caused her untimely death.
Now all these years later, with the help of Margaret Mangers, we have found little Emma's family. Margaret found them on the 1880 Fenton Township Census for Whiteside County. Emma was the oldest daughter of Christian & Anna (Buehler) Schwenk who were married on the 1st of November 1872 in Whiteside County (Christians name spelled Schwink on the license & Anna's named spelled Haber). Emma had an older brother John (1873), and a younger sister named Katie (1873) and a younger brother named Noah (1879). She also had three half sisters named Lizzie (1867), Annie (1869) and Mary (1870). Annie Buehler was first married to Christian Haberer 15 December 1865 in Whiteside County. The census spells the girls names as Havener.
Emma is buried in the Fenton Cemetery. Also buried there is a little brother named George born 1 February 1874 - died 2 February 1874. Christian Schwenk died 9 September 1919 and his wife Anna died 14 January 1926 in Whiteside County.