Mrs. Littlepage Dead.
Mrs. Littlepage, a former well known citizen of Commerce, died at the home of her son in Erath County Thursday, September 2. The remains were brought to Commerce and laid to rest in the Shiloh Cemetery near the old home over in Delta county. She is survived by several children, one whom is Mrs. Tom Hamilton east of town, and was 74 years old.
At the request of the children, Captain W. E. Mangum, an old friend and neighbor of the family, conducted the funeral services.
The Commerce Journal (Commerce, Texas) September 10, 1909
Obituary
Mrs. Amanda Elizabeth Littlepage, nee Miller, was born January 25, 1835 in Hopkins County, Kentucky. Her parents moved to Hopkins County, Texas in 1844, and settled near Shiloh, Delta county-then Hopkins county.
In the early part of the summer she went on a visit to her daughter, Mrs. Matt McCombs, in Erath county, Texas, near Stephensville, where she departed this life September 3, 1909.
In 1851 she embraced religion at the old camp ground on South Sulphur, some three miles east of Commerce, and joined the Baptist church at Shiloh as a charter member with her brother, Mr. E. Miller, who still livers near the old church and only a mile from where their father settled 1844. They have been members all this time at the same place, having never moved their membership, and near the old Shiloh church in the cemetery she peacefully lies at rest with her husband, father, mother, several sisters and a host of friends and kindred.
In 1852 she was happily married to Mr. J. B. Littlepage, who proceeded her fifteen years to the Great Beyond. To this union was born four heirs who still survive them: Mrs. T. J. Hamilton of Delta County, Mrs. Matt McCombs of Erath county and Messrs Green and Robert Littlepage, the former of Jack county and the latter of Stevens county, Texas.
Truly she was one of the old pioneers whose passing away well deserves notice. A noble cross-bearing, christian woman. No husband ever had a truer companion, no children ever had a more devoted and tender mother, no community a better neighbor, always cheerful and content.
She was truly an angle spirit in her home. Her love glowed in her sympathy and reigne, in all her thoughts and deeds. Yet still her voice whispers from the grave and her sweet spirit still remains, for there is an enduring tenderness in the love of a mother for her children that transcends all other affections of the human heart. Her body rests in the old church yard but her spirit has returned to the God who gave it.
Yet her departed spirit still hovers over her loved ones and her affections overshadow their pathway and draws them by an unseen cord to herself in heaven. They have no mother now, she is dead. The sad sound comes like a voice from the sepulchre and involves the consummation of all the sorrow that could befall them. They may return to their old parental home, but mother is not there. Her chair is vacant. That voice is still and will no more cheer them. Those loving, smiling eyes will no more greet them. Sad! oh, so sad! There is no mother there. They are deprived of their most tender comforter and their wisest and safest counsellor on earth. For cold and lifeless is the heart which was once the seat of love and confidence. Dim and sightless are those once smiling eyes, whose radiant and enlivening orb beamed with intelligence and welcome. Closed forever and ever are those lips whose persuasive accents we have so often heard.
Thus closed a most beautiful and well rounded, long and useful life, so full of love and christian graces, leaving her four children and many grand and great-grand children, kindred and a host of kind and loving friends to mourn their loss. Farewell! Sister Littlepage, farewell! We hope we'll all meet her beyond the river where the surging billows cease to roll.
Having known her forty-five years and being a near neighbor a good many of those years I can truthfully say that I never heard any comment on this good woman but praise. After funeral services conducted by the writer by request of her children, her body was laid away in the old church yard to await the resurrection morning, where we pray her children and kindred will meet her bye and bye.
W. E. Mangum
The Commerce Journal (Commerce, Texas)-Sep. 24, 1909
Submitted by Cynthia Vorhis
