Mrs. George Cress

In Benton Twp, Paulding Co OH, there lives an aged lady, quite blind, and almost past her four-score years and ten, whose life is worthy of mention in this time of patriotism, valor and war. Mrs Geo Cress has resided in that particular locality of our county for many years and, as long ago as back in the early 50s, she ministered to the wants of the ministers or itinerant preachers who first pushed their way into the then almost total wilderness. Her Christian patience, kindness and generosity in those early days, made the Cress home known far and wide and gave to the mistress of it, the love and respect of all who passed through the portals of that humble cabin. She gave four (4) sons to her country's cause, when the life of the nation hung in the balance, two (2) of whom perished on the battlefield, a third died from exposure shortly after his return, and the fourth, who lives to comfort her and give her a pleasant home in her declining years. When her sons departed for the war, her parting admonition was to never turn their backs to the foe, and when the sad news came of the death of the first one, and then the other, and again when the third was called soon after his return home, not a murmur passed her lips. It was patriotism to her country, heroism to her country's cause and the true bravery of American motherhood that made her bear her loss like a heroine, and not a lack of motherly love or affection, for while her sons were in the field almost every mail bore affectionate tokens of some kind between mother and sons. So it was in her own terrible loss. Although deprived of her sight for years now, not a soul has ever heard one single murmur from her lips, although a woman of great intelligence, and one who must feel the cross most bitterly. To her mind her sons died in a noble cause, the loss of God's sunlight was God's will, and the loss of her husband many years ago was a dispensation of Providence. These facts relative to the beautiful character of this aged and saintly heroine are brought to the observation of the DEMOCRAT by the great admiration for her borne by one who has been her friend and neighbor for many years and who believes that not all good things to be said of one should be reserved until after death. Mrs Cress now makes her home with her son, Wm T Cress of Payne. At the extreme age of almost 90 years, she is intelligent, a patriot and heroine still in the eyes of all who know her.