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Elizabeth Grafft Kramer
Death of an Aged Lady—Mrs. Adam Kramer
One of Our Earliest Settlers, Passed Away
Elizabeth Grafft was born in Butler county, Ohio, May 22d, 1823, and died at her home near Morley, Jones county, Iowa, Oct. 17, 1902, aged 79 years, 4 months, and 25 days. She was married to John Ristine, Jr., Dec. 17, 1839, in Butler county, Ohio. In 1843 they moved to Iowa and located on the farm where she spent her life. Four children were born to them-J. G. Ristine, Mary Farnham, Margaret Byerly and Leandora Tallman, all of whom are still living. Dec. 17, 1850, her husband departed this life, leaving her with four helpless children. She faced the emergency without a murmur. In 1854 she was married to Adam Kramar of Jones county, Iowa, who still survives her. To them were born four children--J. W. Kramar, David Kramer, Etta Graul, and Alona Kramar, all of whom are living excepting Alona, who died in infancy.
As to the religious views of the subject of this sketch her neighbors would be good witnesses. The writer here of who is past 62 years of age and who has been intimately associated with her, will say that she has all of those 62 years been a faithful worker in the M. E. church. She started with $50 the subscription which made possible the erection of the church from which she was borne to her burial. Her living children are all thankful for the religious training given them by a loving mother.
Funeral services were held at the Morley Methodist Episcopal church, conducted by the pastor, the Rev. H. E. Wilcox, assisted by the Rev. Nathan Potter, a life-long friend of the family. The sermon, founded upon the words, "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from hence forth," was a clear unfolding of Scripture teaching concerning the immortality of the soul and immortality of blessedness to them who, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, shall be found "in Him" at "the great day" and an immortality of nonblessedness to them who refuse to respond to the love of God as revealed in the gift of His son, "that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life." A short address by Elder Potter was a loving tribute to the memory of the deceased and was freighted with words of comfort to the bereaved.
A large congregation, far beyond the capacity of the church, had assembled to drop their tear of sorrow and sympathy and to look once more into the face of one, who, like Abraham, was the "friend of God" and also every one's friend.
Bro. Kramar was supported in his sorrow by the presence of his children, the only one absent being John. Most of those present were accompanied by their families. The body was laid to rest in the beautiful little cemetery beside the U. B. church at "the Center," from which it shall respond to God's call and come forth to a glorious resurrection.

Submitted by: Margaret Byerly Filbin.
Note: For more information about the Grafft Family you can download Family History: Hans Graf Family descendants: Lancaster County, PA, Early Generations & Later Generations by Allen Donald Tallman at the Lancaster, PA USGenWeb Archives.

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Last updated on Friday, 16-Apr-2021 16:55:46 MST