Beckwith, William L.

Passed: 1942-05-24

Age: 80

Source:

Death Notice:

Obituary Date: 1942-05-24

Information: Funeral services for W. L. Beckwith, well known retired farmer of Cottageville, were held from the Cottageville United Brethren Church Tuesday morning at ten o'clock with the pastor, Rev. Roy Davis in charge and burial was in the church cemetery. Mr. Beckwith died at his home Sunday morning following a paralytic stroke which he suffered on Saturday. He had been in failing health for several years but was able to be about until his final illness. He was 80 years old last September. Mr. Beckwith was born and reared near Cottageville and was a successful farmer until he retired because of his advanced age. His was one of the pioneer families in that section of the county and throughout his long life he himself was an outstanding citizen of the community. He is survived by the widow, the former Ella Sayre whom he married in January 1885, as well as a son, Glenn Beckwith and a daughter, Mrs. Lloyd Pinnell, both of Cottageville. One son, Ray Beckwith preceded the father in death.   2nd Article               FARMER WRITES OWN LIFESTORY--W. L. Beckwith Writes His Own Obituary For Funeral    When William L Beckwith, 80 year old farmer of Cottageville died last week there was not the usual gathering of facts and figures by relatives and friends as a basis for an obituary because Mr. Beckwith had himself written his own obituary and all that had to be added by relatives and friends were the time of his death and his age.    He wrote the obituary on January 27, 1925........The obituary which he wrote more than seventeen years before his death reads as follows:    Knowing myself better than anyone knows me, and desirous of the truth being told after death, I avail myself of this opportunity of writing my own obituary.    I was born on a farm two and one half miles south of Cottageville on the waters of Barr Run in Union District, Jackson County, West Virginia, on the sixteenth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty one.  My father became totally blind from cataract when I was eight years old.  This left me in care of the farm of 230 acres with limited means.  With a mother's help I did the best I knew how (many others might have done better), but seeing the situation and the responsibility resting upon me, I learned to be saving and not wasteful.  I availed myself of very few of the opportunities of pleasure, for my services were needed badly at home.  And my mother and I working together and oftimes denying ourselves of some necessities of life, and by gathering a little here and a little there and by saving from year to year managed to keep the taxes paid and the farm out of debt.  My schooling was also limited as aforesaid. Learning to read and write and some arithmetic.  And as I grew from boyhood to manhood it was a pleasure as well as a duty to take care of them the best I could.  My father died at the age of 81 years.  My mother at the age of 73 years.  My father was blind for twenty-eight years before his death.  The family circle has been broken to pieces,and like Job's servant, I am the only one left to tell the story.    At the age of 23 years, I was married to Miss Ella Sayre on the 15th day of January, 1885.  To this union six children were born.  Glenn E., Olevia M., Frank L., Ray and Elsie (being twins) and an infant son.  Frank departed this life at the age of one year and four months.  Elsie at two years and nine months and Ray at the age of twenty years.  In January, 1918, under the preaching of Rev.. Charles Ramsey at Antioch, I professed conversion, joined the United Brethren church and was baptized and since that time have been trying to live a christian life.  But I do not want anyone to think that I am without fault and made no mistakes, for that is common to our humanity.  If I have been of any benefit to my fellowman, I desire no praise for I was only doing my duty and should have been my pleasure to do so.  I lived continuously on the farm from birth, until I was past sixty-two years of age and by reasons better known to us that others, we moved to the town of Cottageville on the 27th day of December 1923, where we have since resided.    I have many friends in this town and community, and if they have any flowers for me let them be given during life in the way of good deeds, kind acts and words of encouragement that may help me along through life.  If the death angel comes for me in the season of flowers when the gardens are flowering with their fragrancce, and the wild flowers in the fields are nodding to and fro in the breeze and along the rippling brook, perhaps where I many times have quenched my thirst, and the Sweet William's perfume the air and either side the stone cliff, where moss and fern overhang, and if from these my friends wish to gather and place upon my casket in kind remembrance, I do not object.  If I die before my wife it is left entirely with her to say where I shall be buried.  If she dies first let my remains be lain by her side wherever that may be.  I shall appreciate anything my friends may do for me either in health or sickness that may be a help to me, but after death when my good friends have prepared the body for the grave, they have done all that can be done.  Then let my remains remain alone for from 24 to 48 hours, and take your rest.  I want no funeral sermon.  During my lifetime I have preached my own funeral.  Let it be good or bad.  And let my friends express themselves as they see fit.    Two of my favorite funeral songs are ""Shall We Gather At The River"", and ""We Are Going Down The Valley One By One"".  I hope to be buried in a homemade casket made partially by my own hands for I cut the timber in the forest, hauled it to the sawmill, and had it sawed for that purpose.  Oh death, where is thy sting. Oh grave, where is thy victory?    Written and signed by my own hand, this the 27th day of January 1925. William L. Beckwith