My Family Tree

Died Aged 9.
Newspaper clippings:

Circa Jun 6, 1883: Kankakee, Illinois — Miss Ruthie Chatfield is quite sick of blood poisoning from the effect of measles. It has settled in her legs below the knees. (Unidentified news clipping from Kankakee, Illinois, found in Chatfield Bible)

Circa Jun 11, 1883: Kankakee, Illinois — Miss Ruthie Chatfield is having a very sick spell with Bilious remittent fever; we are in hopes she will soon be better. (Unidentified news clipping from Kankakee, Illinois, found in Chatfield Bible)

Friday, Jun 15, 1883: Kankakee, Illinois — The terrible monster, death has again entered our midst. Little Ruthie Chatfield was called from this earth Friday, the 15th, at ten o'clock. The funeral was held at the house on the following Sabbath, Rev. Misener preaching the funeral sermon. The bereaved parents have the sympathy of many friends. She was loving, kind and true. God has called the Ruthie to his own dear loving arms, where there will be no more sickness, pain or sorrow. Peaceful be thy silent slumber in the grave. Farewell. (Unidentified news clipping from Kankakee, Illinois, found in Chatfield Bible)

[Obituary] Sunday, Jun 17, 1883: Kankakee, Illinois — Died, Ruth Ann CHATFIELD, on June 15th, aged nine years, one month and six days, at her home, of spinal meningitis, after 18 days of terrible suffering. During intervals of two or three days she would rally, when we would have hopes of her recovery, but on the ninth day her symptoms becoming more alarming her physician, Dr. Caldwell, was summoned to her bedside. Then, after spending one night and a day, he said to her mother: "Annie, you will have to give up your little girl; I have done all that human power can do. If she lives it will be a higher power than mine. But still she lingered on. Conscious most of the time, she recognized all who came to see her until five hours before she her death. When she was first taken sick she told her mother it was not very nice to live in this world, there was so much suffering. On the ninth day she said, "It is so nice to live this way." Her Sunday school superintendent asked: "Are you happy and do you love Jesus?" She answered: "Yes sir." Every little while she would call, "papa, papa, mama, mama." She had about twenty-five sinking spells. Sometimes it seemed almost impossible to bring back the breath of life which had fled, but now she is at rest—gone no more to return. We can go to her but she cannot come to us. Even the heavens seemed to weep to-day. She had so many dear friends; every one that saw her seemed to love her. She leaves a dear little brother, eighteen months younger, who mourns her loss. There were about two-hundred near and dear friends present to-day, at the funeral, coming from far and near, to pay their last tribute of love to the lamented one. Rev. Misener spoke beautifully of the departed one. His text was 2d Samuel, 12th chapter; 22d and 23d verses. A few weeks ago, while Rev. Misener was visiting here, little Ruthie came to him with two little Sabbath cards; one was: "Behold the lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world." The other was: "God shall wipe away all tears." She asked him the meaning of them and he explained it all. She seemed to grasp his meaning and understood all about it. We miss the, thou loved one, throughout the long day. (Unidentified news clipping from Kankakee, Illinois, found in Chatfield Bible)