Obituary of Adeline Davison died 27 May 1906 Bellingham, Washington USA

(from Whatcom County Obituaries at http://www.rootsweb.com/~wawhatco/obits/obitd.htm)

MRS. ADELINE DAVISON DOWNIE
The death of Mrs. Adeline Davison Downie at the home of her daughter, Mrs. T.[F.] C. Plantz, 2507 Eldridge avenue, on last Sunday at 3 o'clock, is an incident which deserves special mention. In 1853, Miss Adeline Davison came to Vancouver, B.C., from Prince Edward Island, and a few years later met and became the wife of Major William Downie of California. Major Downie came to the Golden State in '49 and cleaned up a fortune in the Sierras when forty ounces of the yellow metal represented a fair day's work. Downieville was named after this pioneer, and he became a familiar figure in all the coast cities.

Through all the hardships attendant upon the life of a miner, Major Downie remained loyal to all the substantial qualities of manhood which he had embraced in his youth. When he died in 1894 his body was interred in the pioneer burial ground in San Francisco, and his picture occupied a conspicuous place in the recently destroyed Pioneer building in that city. Major Downie had a companion of grace and strength of character in his wife, whose remains were interred in Bay View cemetery yesterday. She shared the hardships peculiar to pioneer life. She was happy when her husband was a man of fortune, but none the less so when his wealth was swept away. She is survived by a daughter, Mrs. T.[F.] C. Plantz, in this city, and a son, W. J. Downie, of Oakland, Cal. Margery and Frederick Plantz are the only surviving grandchildren. The funeral service, conducted by Rev. William Orr Wark, pastor of the First Congregational church, there was a large attendance of the friends of this woman, who, in her seventy-ninth year closed a life of rare goodness.

(From The Bellingham Reveille, May 29 & 30, 1906) Submitted by site coordinator.

[This obituary is not entirely accurate as Adeline's daughter, Adeline Bell Downie was still alive at the time of her mother's death; mother and daughter are buried in the same plot in Bellingham Cemetery and commemorated on the same small stone there. Adeline Bell Downie died in 1944 in Prescott, Arizona.]

Death Certificate of Adeline Davison

The informant on Adeline's death certificate was her daughter Flora and for some unaccountable reason, Flora entered the name and birthplace of her own father, William Downie, instead of her maternal grandfather, understood to be Charles Chipman Davison, born 22 August 1792 in Nova Scotia [based on information supplied by Sheila Stewart]. There is an extensive Davison family tree on the Prince Edward Island Register website (opens in a new window), though none of the information is sourced.

Standard Certificate of Death State of Washington Register no 1306
Place of Death County of Whatcom City of Bellingham No. 2507 Eldridge St
Adeline D. Downie
Female White
Date of Birth Mar 6, 1828
Age 78 years, 2 months, 21 days
Widowed
Born Prince Edward Island
Name of Father William Downie [sic]
Father’s birthplace Scotland
Maiden Name of Mother Nancy McNeil
Mother’s Birthplace Nova Scotia
Occupation Housekeeper
Informant Flora E. Plantz, Bellingham
Date of Death May 27, 1906
I hereby certify That I atttended deceased from Mar 19 1906 to May 27 1906, that I last saw her alive on May 22 1906, and that death occurred, on the date stated above, at 2:50 P.M.
The Cause of Death was as follows: Carcinoma of stomach About 9 months
(signed) JR Baynton M.D. May 27, 1906 address Bellingham, Wash
Place of Burial or Removal Bay View Cemetery
Date of Burial May 29, 1906
Undertaker W.H. Mock & sons Bellingham

[transcribed from an image of the certificate downloaded from Family Search]

Obituaries of Adeline's daughter Flora and her father in law William A Plantz

PLANTZ, Flora (d. 1914)

Mrs. Flora Plantz, age 50 years, wife of Mr. Frank C. Plantz, residing at 2507 Eldridge avenue, passed away at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Graham, 2220 Lynn street, at an early hour Tuesday, May 5th, after an illness of only a few hours, death being due to cerebral hemorrhage. Mrs. Plantz has been a resident of Bellingham for the last twenty-five years. She was a member of the First Congregational church, of Sehome chapter No. 17, Order of the Eastern Star, and of the Heather club of the Scottish society. Those who survive are husband, Mr. F. C. Plantz; one daughter, Mrs. R. L. Graham; one son, Fred Plantz, all of Bellingham; a brother, Mr. W. _. Downie, of Oakland, Cal., and a sister, Mrs. A. D. Hardin, Latouche, Alaska. The remains are being cared for at the funeral parlors of Undertaker Harry O. Bingham, 1319 Dock street. Funeral announcements will be made later.

(From The Bellingham Herald, May 5, 1914) Submitted by site coordinator.

 

PLANTZ, William A. (d. 1914)

WM. A. PLANTZ ANSWERS LAST ROLL CALL
There will be one less veteran to march in the ranks of the Grand Army of the Republic next Saturday. William A. Plantz, 83 years old, was stricken with apoplexy at the family home, 2507 Eldridge avenue, this morning at about 9:30 o'clock. He has been fairly active for a man of his age and was preparing to go up town to see the circus parade when he was stricken. Death came within a few minutes. Just a few days ago, Mrs. Frank Plantz, daughter-in-law of the man who is now dead, was stricken in the same house in practically the same manner. Mr. Plantz has lived here about fifteen years. He leaves two sons, Frank and Charles, and two grandchildren, Mrs. W. R. Graham and Fred Plantz. There are also two surviving sisters, one living in Illinois and one in Oregon. William A. Plantz, aged 83 years, passed away suddenly at the home of his son, F. C. Plantz, residing at 2507 Eldridge avenue, May 26. Mr. Plantz had resided in Bellingham for the past fifteen years. He was a member of the J. B. Steedman post No. 24 Grand Army of the Republic. He is survived by two sons, Frank C. and Charles A. Plantz, of Bellingham, and two sisters, one residing in Ashton, Ill., and one of Aurora, Ore. There is also two grandchildren, Mrs. R. L. Graham and Fred D. Plantz of Bellingham. The funeral service will be held Friday, May 29, at 2 o'clock p. m. from the funeral parlors of Undertaker Harry O. Bingham, 1319 Dock street, Rev. Warren Morse, pastor of the First Congregational church, officiating. Interment will be made in the family plot in Bay View cemetery, according to the ritualistic burial service of the Grand Army of the Republic, conducted by the officers of the post of which Mr. Plantz was a member. The funeral car will leave from 2507 Eldridge avenue at 1:45 for the convenience of relatives and friends

(From The Bellingham Herald, May 26 & 27, 1914) Submitted by site coordinator.