STINSON, Melvin

Date of birth:  20 Nov 1892 – Johnson County, Indiana
Date of death: 21 Aug 1893 – Hopewell, Johnson County, Indiana

The Franklin Democrat, Friday, September 1, 1893,
Volume XXXIV Number 8, page 6 column 2

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OBITUARY.

Died Monday morning, August 21, at three o’clock, at Hopewell, little Melven [sic], infant son of Joseph and Eta Stinson, aged seven months. He had been a sufferer for many weeks lying almost at the point of death, until Monday morning, when God in his all wise providence saw fit to relieve him from suffering and take him to that home above where pain and death cannot enter, for our Savior has said “Suffer little children to come unto me forbid them not for of such is the kingdom of Heaven.’

Speak gently, tread softly,
No word must be said

Our home is all lonely
For baby is dead.

It was in the bright summer
We laid him to rest,

And placed all so gently
The turf on his breast.

A bunch of sweet flowers
As there could be found,

Was placed in his coffin
And on top of his mound.

Like the flowers he faded,
With life scarce begun

And angels, bright angels,
Escorted him home.

Note: The Johnson County Indiana WPA Birth Index, 1882–1920, referencing Book H-12, page 267, records that a white male infant was born to Joseph Stinson and Mary E. Franks [sic other entries give her maiden name as Fraker] on 20 Nov 1892.

Submitted by Mark McCrady, Cathea Curry and Lois Johnson