Obituary of Hannah Barnett Lee, 1903:
The angel of death visited the house of Mr. Moses G. Lee of this place Friday evening, April 3rd, and called from this world to paradise, his beloved wife and companion, Hannah Barnett Lee. The deceased was born in Montgomery county, Virginia, November the seventh, 1825. She was taken suddenly very ill Tuesday morning of March the 24th, while at the home of her son, Dr. C. B. Lee and remained there during her illness of eleven days.
She suffered much, but bore her suffering with Christian fortitude and when the light went out it left a beam of infallible peace upon the patient face. She lived a quiet, unassuming Christian life; a life that has made the world better for its having been lived. The noble and most beautiful lives are often those which the world at large knows least of. Such was the life recently ended.
Rev. J. Walker of Union X Roads, assisted by Rev. Gibson, preached an appropriate funeral sermon over the remains at the M. E. church Sunday morning at 10:30 o’clock. A beautiful tribute to her life and character was paid her by Rev. Gibson when he said: “I have known her personally for fifteen years and I never learned ought [sic] against her.”
Besides her aged companion she leaves three sons to mourn her loss. Dr. C. B. Lee of this place, Dr. M. H. Lee of Bearden, and Mr. J. Shelton Lee of Thurber, Texas. All her sons were present during her illness.
I will not bid the relatives and friends to sorrow not, but they may not sorrow “as others who have no hope.”
There is much to comfort them. She had lived to a good old age and filled up the measure of a good life. She has left the priceless heritage of a good name and an example worthy of imitation. She has left the gate ajar, and from her home in the skies she beckons us to follow.
“No stream from its source flows seaward, how lonely soever its course, but what some land is gladdened. No star ever rose and set without influence somewhere. No life can be pure in its purpose and strong in its strife and all life not be purer and stronger thereby.”
One Who Loved Her.
Scarboro, Tenn., April 7th, 1903.
Clinton Gazette, April 11, 1903
[Transcribed by Stephanie A. Hill with no corrections of spelling, grammar or punctuation from microfilm at the Clinton Public Library.]