JOHN HAWTHORNE DEPARTED THIS LIFE   

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Funeral Services Were Held at Baptist Church Sunday Afternoon
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        John Hawthorne, than whom no man was better known or more universally respected, died at his home in this city last Friday.

        Mr. Hawthorne was born in White county, this state, in 1837, and where he resided until 1853, receiving his education in the schools of the county.  When 14 years of age he was stricken with typhoid fever, which rendered him a cripple for life.  After leaving White county in 1853 he came to Logansport, in this county and in 1860 received his appointment as postmaster under James Bucahanan and served continuously in the office through each administration up to 1891.  During this time he served as treasurer of Crook township for twenty successive years, making a most remarkable record.  In 1865 he was elected justice of the peace and served continuously in that office until 1891, when he resigned, after he had been elected county treasurer.  In 1890 he was elected treasurer of this county serving four years and in 1898 he was again elected for a term of four years, following which he served several years as deputy county treasurer and as justice of the peace in this township.

        His manner of treating all men and his staunch Christian character has endeared him to our entire citizenship.  He was a true Christian gentleman in every respect, believed in the universal brotherhood of man and practiced it in his dealings with mankind.  Here he has raised to honorable an and womanhood, an estimable family of children, who are among our best citizens.

        Funeral services were held at the First Baptist church at 1:00 o'clock last Sunday afternoon, conducted by Rev. G. W. Henson, assisted by Rev. T. B. Wright, after which the mortal remains were interred at the Odd Fellows cemetery.

        Below we print an obituary handed in by a friend of Mr. Hawthorn's containing a brief sketch written by r. Hawthorn himself and preserved by him for use at his death:

        John Hawthorne was born in White county, Illinois, March 5, 1837 and died at his home in McLeansboro, April 21, 196; aged 79 years, 1 month and 16 days.

        He was married to Margaret J. Nance, July 2, 1869.  To this union were born four children, namely Marshall T., Bessie, Bertha and Martha Emmer.  He also had one step-daughter, Minda Denny, all of whom, together with one sister, Lizzie Marquis, twelve grandchildren, five step-grandchildren and one great-grandchild, survive him.

        Brother Hawthorne became a Christian at the early age of 14 years.  The following is a description of his conversion as written by himself:

        "In the spring of 1851, when I was a little over 14 years of age, while languishing on a bed of affliction with a malignant case of typhoid fever, and after returning to consciousness, my beloved father talked to me concerning the welfare of my soul and I became interested about the matter and I asked him to pray for me and he knelt down at my bedside and poured out his soul to God in prayer for me, and I also prayed, and during that prayer that sweet peace that cannot be described came into soul and I felt that all was well with me, and I have continued to feel so all through these years.

        "I want to say right here that I never knew any man that I thought was a better man than my father, and I also had a good Christian mother and I shall be with them and other loved ones in heaven when this is read."

        "I joined the Baptist church at old Beaver Creek in October, 1856, and was baptized by Elder James M. Sneed."

        "As to what my life has been I will leave for my friends to say."

        "The above was written by myself, August 8, 1909."

        All who were acquainted with Brother Hawthorn know that in deed and in truth he was a Christian, faithful and true, running his race with patience, ever looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of his faith.

        He never though of his church work as a burden for it was ever a labor of love.  It was his delight to magnify the message of his Master.

        As suggestive of his fidelity to his Christian work, we may say that for forty consecutive years he attended the annual meetings of the Fairfield Baptist Association, twenty-five years of which he acted as clerk of that body, missing in that time one meeting and that on account of sickness.

       "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation, that saith until Zion, they God reigneth."

        As to his friends, their welfare pleased him and their cares distressed him.  To them his heart, his love, his grief's, were given.  But all his serious thoughts had rest in heaven.

        Brother Hawthorne for many years held offices of trust, among which were school treasurer, justice of the peace and county treasurer, all of which were filled with honor to himself and pleasure to his friends.

        But on his moved to meet his latter end and all his prospects brightened to the last, his heaven commenced ere the world has passed.