John died in 1801 in Virginia. In 1817, Margaret moved to Clark County, Ohio with son, James Leffel, to be close to her other children who had moved into Ohio three or four years earlier. Margaret died 5 Jul 1829 and was buried in the Bethel Cemetery, Clark County, Ohio.
Here we are trying to decipher the small engraving on the bottom of the headstone.
We will take all the help we can get in deciphering the message on the headstone.
Give it a try.
Partial transcription:
Lifes labor (done) as (sinks) the (clay/day)
Light from its load the spirit flies:
While heaven and earth combine to say
____ blest the rightous when he dies
2 comments:
I found it by Googling the first line. It's from a hymn. Here is the link - http://www.hymns.me.uk/how-blest-the-righteous-when-he-dies-funeral-hymn.htm
My name is Garrett Smith and I am one of the many great grand children of Jess and Mabel. My grandmother was Leona May. I am in the process of transferring the video tape of Great Grandma's dedication after she died to DVD and thought I would punch her name into Google to see what came up. You must be a cousin of my mom's, Clara Sue.
From a hymn called, "How Blest The Righteous When He Dies." This hymn was written by Mrs. Anna Letitia Barbauld (1743-1825), the eminent English poetess.
Below is the text to the hymn:
How blest the righteous when he dies!
When sinks a weary soul to rest,
How mildly beam the closing eyes,
How gently heaves th’expiring breast!
So fades a summer cloud away;
So sinks a gale when storms are o’er;
So gently shuts the eye of day;
So dies a wave along the shore.
A holy quiet reigns around,
A calm which life nor death destroys;
And naught disturbs that peace profound
Which his unfettered soul enjoys.
Farewell, conflicting hopes and fears,
Where lights and shades alternate dwell;
How bright th’unchanging morn appears!
Farewell, inconstant world, farewell!
Life’s labor done, as sinks the clay,
Light from its load the spirit flies,
While Heav’n and earth combine to say,
“How blest the righteous when he dies!”
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