The Deaths of Silas and Martha Stout

Silas passed away in 1887, and Martha in 1891. This page includes Silas' verbal/handwritten will, Martha's obituary, and a letter written to Lewis Stout on the death of this father.

By Dave

Sep 29, 2020

In the last year of his life, Silas made a verbal will. Somebody wrote it down, on a large piece of paper. His wife and all of his children (and their spouses) who were present signed it. The paper was folded up, and Lewis wrote its title on the folded part, as shown above. The document was included in the family archives.

It is interesting to note that Silas made sure that their adopted daughter May was made an equal heir with the other children. The full text of the will is transcribed below.

On the 18th day of 2nd month 1887 father makes the following statement concerning his property in the presence of mother and five of his children.

That he claims only 40 A. Of the land here the remainder together with the live stock and farming implements having been transferred to Lewis; that he desires Mother to own and control his land together with the household goods during her lifetime after which they are to pass to the children; that he desires Lewis to buy the other children’s interest in the land when mother is done with it; that he desires May to heir a portion equal with the other children.

We, the undersigned agree that we are satisfied with this statement.
Elma S. Thomas
J. J. Small
Anna J. Stout
Lewis E. Stout
Carrie Stout
May F. Hollingsworth
Mira Small
Albert Stout
Martha Stout
Chas. Stout (8-30-1890)
Emma G. Stout (8-30-1890)
J.L. Thomas
Edwin Stout

Martha Stout’s Obituary
Silas’ Thoughts on his 69th Birthday

Seventh month 17th, 1884

This day being my 69th birth day or the 68th anniversary thereof, completing my 68th and entering upon my 69th year.

Solemn thoughts this morning whilst I have been looking over my father’s family record. Being that I have lived several years longer than any of the family who have died, I praised the Lord this morning for his wonderful goodness to me and my family, who are all living except one little granddaughter, wonderful indeed, and this morning I enter upon my 69th year with new vigor and zeal and desires to serve my Heavenly Master better during the remainder of my days though few they may be.

Silas Stout

Letter to Lewis Stout on the death of his father

Charley Stout, a cousin of Lewis, wrote the following letter to Lewis when he heard that Silas had died. The letter says quite a bit about Silas. (The full text is transcribed below the scanned page.)

Frankfort Ind.
2/27/87

Dear Lute;

With deep sadness we heard of Uncle’s death 6th day evening, but it was too late to go on the train to Russiaville that day. But I intended to go up on the freight the next morning. But this bad weather, then is no dependence to be out in it and if I had undertaken it, I likely would not have reached London in time for the funeral and might not have gotten back here for school tomorrow, and as this is the last week of the term and all the reviews and work to bring up. I could not well miss a day. It was a great disappointment to me and I could hardly give it up. But indeed I was with you in sympathy.

So vividly I remember twelve years ago when a similar calamity fell on my young life, and you so kindly and sympathetically came from school and sat by my side in that sad hour and I remember when all was over Vet said to you “Charley has no father now,” and for the first time I fully realized that the awful fact was true. A thousand times I have thought of you as you sat by me there, and though but a boy seemed to feel such sympathy for me. And oh, I regret so much that I could not be with you in your sad trial to make you feel that indeed I could return the sympathy. But in spirit I was with you all last week, for I felt from what mother wrote me that the Angel of Death was hovering over your unbroken household to rob it of its counselor and support through these many happy years. I cannot tell you, Lute, my feelings. I know full well the many, many sad times that will come to you, when you will long for Father’s counsel in the little affairs of life, of society & church, as well as in more important crises. Then & not till then will you full feel your loss. But you have the maturer judgement of manhood and will not feel many things no doubt that I have felt.

But please feel that you and all the family have my deepest sympathy. Your family has indeed been wonderfully favored with life and health. Long years ago it was founded in this, then wilderness country. A new one has begun in Heaven, and may God only grant that it may sometime be an unbroken one there, as it has been here. The chain that binds you to the better life, the Great Beyond, is now much stronger than it could ever have been before.

Uncle has been a power in school, society and church, and he will be sorely missed for many years. But his good work can never cease nor be forgotten among those with whom & for whom he has worked. As one by one, the supporters of all the good work that has been accomplished in this country in the last forty years pass away, the demand grows more urgent for us to step nobly to the front and try and take their places. I fear many of us will fall far short of filling those places as they should be filled.

Please give our sympathy to all your family, and especially to Aunt Martha. We who have grown up and gone out from home, have other households of our own, other lives to live for and other ambitions to carry out. But to our mothers, whose children are all gone from under their immediate care, whose life companion is gone, whose ambitions are all of the past, and whose future hopes are only for the Other Life – to these life is a very different thing from which it is to us and we do indeed owe them a debt of kind attention and loving care that we can never pay them. We do feel very deeply for Aunt in her deep affliction, but what a comfort it must be to feel that her life has been spent in kind attentions & assistance to those she loved, and that beyond all shadow of doubt a glorious reuniting with loved ones in a happier world is only a little ways ahead. May God’s richest blessing and sweetest comfort rest on her and on you all.

I expect to go up to London and stay a day or two with Mother next week and I hope to get to see you.

Aff.,
Charley

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