Mary Elizabeth Hawkins Fancher

One by one our friends are passing away and it is with hushed spirits and saddened hearts that we record the death of Mrs. Reuben Fancher, one of the noble women of our town. Mary Elizabeth Hawkins, daughter of William and Angeline Hawkins, was born in Genoa, Cayuga County, New York, March 4th, 1835. She was baptized by Rev. W.H. DePuy, D.D., on Feb. 17th 1856, and on Sept. 28th, of the same year she was received into the Methodist Episcopal Church in full membership.

She was the oldest of eight children, three of whom preceeded her to the life beyond. Her mother died in Buffalo, July 19th, 1863 and her father in the same city, July 20, 1878. She was married in the city of Buffalo to Reuben Fancher, on Aug. 17, 1859, by Rev. Sanford Hunt, D.D., who for many years was senior agent and manager of the Methodist Book Concern in New York City, and who died about one year ago. She was the mother of four children, one of whom, Flora M., died in infancy, Oct. 11, 1865. Immediately after her marriage she came with her husband to the vicinity of Crown Point and later moved into town. Here she triumphantly closed her life on earth, Monday, Jan.11, 1897, at 4 o'clock p.m. having nearly completed the sixty-second year of her life.