Anna Evans was born in Lancaster, North Wales, England, March 19, 1838. She died near Gray, Iowa, November 7, 1914, aged 76 years, 7 months, and 19 days. Her parents brought her to America when she was three years old. She was married to William Lewis May 10, 1858, in Waukesha, County, Wisconsin, and lived there until 1878 when they moved to Carroll County, Iowa, near Templeton. They lived there until 1895, when they moved to the present home in Audubon County near Gray, Iowa.

To Mr. And Mrs. Lewis were born seven children: Jennie A., the wife of Charles Tucker, of Dedham, Iowa; William R. Lewis, who lives on the home place with his mother; Thomas C. Lewis, of Goldfield, Nevada; John A. Lewis, of Manning, Iowa; May E., the wife of S.S. Hudson, who died May 1893; George W. Lewis, of Reno, Nevada; Sarah Elizabeth Lewis, who lives with her mother; Bertha A., the wife of J.A. Rule of Arion, Iowa. There are five grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

William Sr. her husband died March 21, 1908. Mrs. Lewis united with the Presbyterian Church when, she was but thirteen years of age. When they came to Iowa in 1878, she united with the Methodist Church. She was faithful to the vows of the church, cheerful in doing the work of the church, and too much cannot be said of her devotion to everything that was good, to the limit of her strength and ability and means. No book to her was comparable with the Bible. On Sunday evenings she always read from the Psalms, and directed her habits, her conversation, and her duty as "it was written."

Her neighbors and the church are living witness of the blessed fact that she died as she had lived, patient, thoughtful and loving to last.

Her heart was a mother's heart. She gave to her children the best she could command that invokes sacrifice which a mother gives when new life is born, followed by days of patient, toil and care and love and patient instruction, won from the children the fullest devotion and knowledge that Mother is the best friend and she died in the knowledge that they appreciated some of these things that had been done for them.

The angels have paused long enough to write upon the hearts who knew her this one sentence. Anna Evans Lewis' life has been a success.

The funeral was held Monday from the home. Hundreds and hundreds of old time friends and neighbors gathered to pay their respect to the departed one. Rev. Lyles of Manning conducted the church services. The Gray choir assisted by Mrs. Freeman of Audubon sang a number of church songs. Kind hands took the body to Cameron Township Cemetery, where it was laid at rest.

In Memory of Mrs. William Lewis
It was a bright November morning,
In the autumn of the year,
When the birds were going southward,
And the leaves were brown and sear,
That a brilliant band of angels,
Left their homes to visit earth,
And they hovered oe'r our cottage.
Singing of the "second birth."
On a couch of snowy whiteness,
Sick of life and tired of earth,
Lay our darling mother,
Waiting for the break of day;
For the angels then were coming,
Pain and sorrow to subdue,
And they took our darling mother,
To their home beyond the blue.
Now when twilight gathers round us,
And the stars are in the sky,
Gently down her shining pathway,
Comes our mother from on high,
And in silent whisperings tells us,
Of her spirit home above,
Where she, with holy angels,
Dwells in purity and love.
When temptations round me gather,
Oft methinks I hear her say,
"Brother, let the spirit teachings,
Lead thee in the better way,"
Weep not, sister, weep not brother,
Tears no more your eyes shall fill,
Weep not son, weep not daughter,
I will be your mother still.
Sent in by Mrs. James Aikman.