January 23, 2011

Albert Bishop (1838-1865)



Albert F. Bishop, a resident of Freedom in Portage County, Ohio, was 
my husband's great-great-grandfather. He suffered an untimely death
146 years ago this week, as noted in the Portage County Democrat:

“Died.
BISHOP—in Freedom, on the 28th inst., of consumption, Albert F. Bishop,
son of F. and S. A. Bishop, aged 26 years.
         The deceased was an excellent young man, and bore his long and
painful illness with Christian composure and resignation, and leaves
behind him as a testimony, for the comfort of surviving friends, his
expression of unshaken confidence in his salvation, through the
atonement purchased by the blood of Christ. He selected a text for his
funeral sermon, Psalms 93:4. Though I walk through the valley of the
shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me; thy rod and thy
staff they comfort me. He requested Rev. William Potter, to preach the
sermon.
         Thus in early manhood has passed away a kind and dutiful son, an 
affectionate and loving husband and father, leaving behind him the savor
of a good name.
         He leaves a wife and one child, and parents and brothers and
sister, to mourn this sad bereavement, but not to mourn as those who
have no hope, for in his case hope is full of a blessed immortality.”


It appears from his obituary that Albert fought consumption 
(tuberculosis)for quite awhile--long enough to reach a stage of 
acceptance and plan his own funeral service. He would have been too 
sick to fight in the Civil War, which ended shortly after he lost his own 
battle. His widow, Augusta, now faced raising their five-year-old son, 
Theodore, alone. She was just 24. Both she and the country had some 
healing to do over the next few years.


Citations:
Albert F. Bishop obituary, Portage County Democrat (Ravenna, Ohio), 1 February 1865, p. 2, col. 8. (Transcribed August 2010 by Shelley Bishop)
Freedom West Cemetery (Freedom, Portage County, Ohio), Albert F. Bishop marker, lot 91; photographed by Shelley Bishop, 2009.


Related Posts:
More Questions than Answers: Augusta Bishop
The Final Days of Fitch Bishop
Lettie A. Bishop
The Short Story of Walter H. Bishop
Walter F. Bishop, Aged 20 yrs.

3 comments:

  1. I really like the "match-up" of the marker and the obituary. And the stone is so beautifully legible. Not always the case, as we all know.

    ReplyDelete
  2. We had several ancestors that were victims of consumption. It seemed to be so prevalent.
    Regards,
    Theresa (Tangled Trees)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks for your comments, Malissa and Theresa! I agree, it seems consumption claimed a lot of my ancestors. Albert's stone has held up better than any of the others in the family plot. I think they bought the best stone they possibly could for him.

    ReplyDelete

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