gukavonobit

The Penfield Weekly Press
July 19, 1907

In Memory of Mrs. J. Gukaven

Transcribed and submitted by Beverly Carter

Harriet Evans was born in Luzerne county, Pa., Feb 27, 1828 and died at Penfield, Pa July 9, 1907. Her father was William Evans and her mothers maiden name was Eliza Snyder. The family was of Welsh descent. The ancestor, Sir. John Evens, was of the nobility in Great Britian. But a strong trait of the family has ever been love of justice, and Sir John came over and fought for the American Colonies in the Revolution. On the birth of the Prince of Wales, present King Edward of England, Queen Victoria proclaimed amnesty to such offenders as Sir. John, but his records had been burned, and his descendants are thus stopped from their inheritance.

In 1845, Harriet Evans married Jocob Payne, in Luzerne county. Three children were born to this Union, Rachel, Mrs. James H. Callahon, Margaret, Mrs. Henry Glass and William J. B. These survive her, and are living in or near Penfield.

In 1854 Hiram Woodward came from the Lehigh River to Bennets Branch, and with him came fourteen men, two of whom were Jocob Payne and James Guckhaven. When the party reached their destination near Weedville Jacob, with a log for a table, wrote a letter back home, which was mailed at Caledonia and was a week on the way.

In 1857, Mrs. Payne and the children came to this valley. The same year, while cutting down trees along the highway from Penfield to Clearfield, Jacob Payne felled a tree against a dead hemlock and the latter came down and killed him. On May 20, 1860, by Justice Barney Weed, of Elk county the widow was married to James Guckaven, and for nearly half a century the two lived in happy union, which death has now broken.

For many years the family lived on a good little farm on Mt. Pleasant. Then they sold that property and buying one in Penfield have since resided here. For thirty years both of these people have been faithful and valued members of the Methodist Episcopal church, enjoying and professing an experience both positive and happy.

The departed was a woman whose character commanded respect and admiration. Her mind was strong, intelligent and just. And she was great of heart and soul.

As wife, mother, friend and helper she never shrank nor shirked. No toil service nor sacrifice, was beyond her willingness and her strength to undertake for those who needed of her help.

She was permitted to nearly round out four score years of earthly life and to generally have fairly good health. A few months since she accidentally fell, and since then she suffered until the end came.

Ours is the loss, but we hope and trust that hers is the gain. Her life moved along a lofty plane of ideal and endeavor and we believe she has gone to the city which hath foundations, to "Shining tablelands where God Himself is Sun moon and stars." And in her well-lived career, her loved ones, nough bereft and sad indeed have heavenly.

The funeral was on Thursday afternoon from the Penfield Methodist church the service in a room where so often her positive and triumphant Christian testimony had been given. Rev. F. C. Buyers, assisted by the pastors, Rev. Morrison and Rev. Collins and W. L. Joyce, director, were in charge. Interment was in Penfield Cemetery.

Contributed by Bevery Carter for use by the Clearfield County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/~clearfield/)

Clearfield County Genealogy Project Notice:

These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format, for any presentation, without prior written permission.

Return to Huston Township Home Page