MRS. MARTHA TETLEY

A noble woman, a good mother, a devoted wife and a faithful friend was lost to the community with the death of Mrs. Martha TETLEY, who died at her home, 5 miles south of Farmington, of pneumonia, at 9 o'clock Thursday morning, January 10th [1918], after an illness of ten days at the age of 68 years.

The funeral was held Monday from the Christian church, in Farmington, of which she was a member, the service conducted by her pastor, Rev. J. M. Bailey, in the presence of a large concourse of friends and relatives. Interment was in the Masonic cemetery in Farmington. Owing to the bad weather and the impassable roads it became necessary for about fifty friends and neighbors to join in shoveling the snow off the road so the funeral procession could get to town.

Martha Gay was the daughter of the late W. T. and Elizabeth S. Gay. She was born in Plymouth, England, and came with her parents to America at the age of three years. The family settled at Bellevue, Ohio, where they lived until in 1860 when they moved to St. Francois County and settled on the farm where she died. During the Civil War the family moved to Ironton. Just after the close of the war she was united in marriage to the late John TETLEY after which she farmed where she had lived before going to Ironton. She continued to reside on the farm until her death. Her husband preceded her in death about 16 years. She leaves five children, as follows: W. D., of Douglas, Ariz.; Elizabeth (Mrs. John A. Weimer), of Farmington Route 6; Robert, of Sikeston; Lena (Mrs. Lawrence Williamson), of Fredericktown; and Trixie (Mrs. John Cartee), who lived on the home place. She also leaves one sister, Mrs. Ann TETLEY, of Farmington, and two brothers, W. T. Gay of Ironton, and J. H. Gay of Elvins, also a number of grandchildren. All of her children were with her when she passed away except her two sons.

Mrs. Tetley was truly one of God's noble women. Her illness was contracted while ministering in the sick room of a neighboring home. For a great many years she had been a devoted member of the Christian church. She was a mother greatly beloved by all her children and grandchildren; a neighbor who had few equals; a true friend in time of need. She will be sadly missed in her home and the neighborhood.

[The Farmington Times, January 18, 1918]

LEAD BELT NEWS, Flat River, St. Francois Co. MO, Jan. 18, 1918

"News From Elvins" column:

John Gay tells us that the funeral of his sister, Mrs. Martha Tetley, who died at the old Tetley home near Knob Lick, Thursday, Jan. 10, and was to have been buried at Farmington, Saturday, had to be postponed until Monday, on account of the extreme cold. Sunday about 40 men in and around Knob Lick, cleared the snow from the road, the entire five miles from the Tetley home, to Farmington, thereby making it possible for the funeral party to make the trip on Monday.