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Obituary for Orinda H. Church as copied by Fred A. Dawson of Indianapolis, IN, on 4 Mar 1940. He does not indicate where the obituary was originally published. The transcription below by Richard Brady Williams on 28 Mar 2012.

Transcription

Orinda H. Church, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth Church, was born in Orange County, Vermont, in the year 1804.

She came to Indiana in the year 1825, and began her life work, that of teaching school, in Liberty, Union County, Indiana. She taught there and in adjacent counties until about 1835, when she came to West Liberty, Henry County. Teaching there for a time she finally located in Knightstown, purchasing the little home in which she had resided for about forty-eight years. During most of the years of her active life she continued to teach, and many a man and women of Knightstown whose hair is silvery with age have been her pupils and some can doubtless remember of striving hard through a restless day to attain the honor of wearing home at night bright silver half dollar which was the reward for good behavior. She was truly a pioneer teacher. She was a successful teacher, winning the respect and love of pupils, and parents, and the name of Aunt Rinda will ever be remembered in Knightstown.

For a number of years she resided in Greenfield and Cumberland, where she engaged in the mercantile business, evidencing to the world by her industry, and business ability, the fact that sex need not determine the pursuit in life.

She was a woman of great energy and firmness of purpose, always interested in earnest topics of the day, conversing fluently on almost any subject. She was noted for her kindness to the sick and afflicted, and wherever her care and sympathy was needed, Aunt Rinda was sure to be found.

She was charitably inclined towards her fellow beings, having few enemies, if any, but many friends.

She was baptized and became a member of the M. E. Church in Woodstock, VT, at the age of eighteen. It is not known that she brought her letter from that church, but in the year 1853 she united with the M.E. Church in Cumberland, during the pastorate of Rev. S. Campbell, and subsequently her membership was transferred to Knightstown where she has been an acceptable member for many years, always being found in her place in church when health permitted. The last years of her life have been years of suffering. Three years ago last June she became entirely helpless, since which time she has been watched and cared for by the sister, who today is rewarded by the consciousness of duty well performed.

Aunt Rinda was a patient sufferer, scarcely ever murmuring, though at times her sufferings were intense, [illegible] often saying: "The will of the Lord be done."

On the last Monday evening a few Sisters met with her and engaged in prayer, at which time she expressed her hope in Christ. On Tuesday her disease took on a different turn, and she sank into a stupor, and she never fully aroused; and on Saturday, August 30th, 1884, at 1 o'clock p.m. the Master said, "It is enough, come up higher." A Friend.

Funeral services were held in the M. E. Church, Knightstown, Ind., on Sept. 1st, 1884, conducted by the Pastor. Appropriate remarks were made by Mrs. Vie Heaton, Mrs. Robert Scott, Mrs. W. B. Gray, Mr. Henry Vestal, and Mr. J. W. Heaton.

Copied Indpls Ind March 4, 1940 Fred A Dawson