Obituary of Martha (Foster) Halsted--from a newspaper called the Tribune. (Clipping found at Lowell Public Library in LH file--"Vital Statistics," Vol. 1, p. 70.)
GONE TO REST
Mrs. M.A. Halsted an Estimable Lady Called to her Heavenly Home
Martha Cornelia Foster was born in Bradford, Pennsylvania, September 12, 1824. She removed from the place of her birth to Cleveland, Ohio, where she resided four or five years when she removed to Dayton, Ohio. It was while she lived at Dayton and at the age of 17 years she made a public profession in Christ and united with the Baptist Church and from that time until her death she remained faithful to her early vows. On May 14, 1842 at Dayton she was united in marriage to Melvin A. Halsted to which union three children two sons and one daughter were born; the daughter dying when quite young. In 1845 she came to Lowell to join her husband who had preceeded her some time before. Mrs. Halsted with her husband made two trips to California by water, remaining there two to three years each time. She also made a trip to Utah where her husband was engaged in the mining business. While she made these trips and remained away from Lowell considerable of the time since she first came here, yet she has always considered this her home from the time of her first settleing here in 1845.
She was a noble woman of that kind of which the wise man said "The heart of her husband does safely trust in her."
When the Baptist Church was organized in Lowell she with her husband was among its early members.
During a long and active married life of 57 years she was a true counselor and helpmeet of her husband. To those who knew her, knew her but to respect as a woman of the truest type, one that was ever ready to lend a helping hand to those in need, Truly a good woman has fallen. Her sickness was of long duration and at times she was a great sufferer but she bore it all with Christian fortitude until the end came which occurred February 18, 1899. Her age was 74 years, 5 months and 6 days. She leaves her husband, two sons, Wm. N., at Vidette, Kansas, and Theron H., in Boston, Mass., one sister, Mrs. James Brannon, Lowell, and one brother T.H. at Fresno, California, together with a large circle of relatives and friends to mourn her departure to that better land. Her funeral took place from her late home Tuesday at 10 o'clock a.m., Rev. John Bruce officiating. Interment in the West Creek cemetery. The TRIBUNE extends to the bereaved family and friends its sincere sympathy in this their hour of sorrow.
The following undated, unidentified newspaper article was found in a copy of Helen Craft's Scrapbook at the Lowell Public Library:
In Memory of Mrs. Halsted
Dear wife and counselor your chair is vacant now. Oh the weary solemn silence is the house without you here. Strange to wake at midnight and not hear you breathing near; nothing but the old clock ticking and it sounds so lone and drear. What is home without you wife? 'Tis the earth without its verdure. My life is withered to the bone, but soon I will leave this dreary desert, and we'll meet with the good Shepherd where the lambs have gone before. Oh the strange oppressive stillness when you come to me no more. E.H.