A Sudden Call To God.
Cartersville Shocked Over the Sad Death of Mrs. Warren T. Akin.

[see Cartersville American April 13, 1886.  Nee Libbie Shelman, niece of Dr. Steiner of Georgia.]

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April 29, 1886

In Memoriam.

At a meeting of the Rector, Wardens and Vestrymen of the “Church of the Ascension,” held on Easter Monday, April 26th, the following preamble and resolutions were adopted:

Whereas, it has pleased our Heavenly Father to take from our church, by the hand of death, our organist, Mrs. T. Warren Akin… [Article continues.  See Cartersville American April 13, 1886.]

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The Cartersville American
April 13, 1886, page 3

Mrs. Dr. Henery, of Jacksonville, Fla., came up yesterday to be present at the funeral of her sister, Mrs. T. Warren Akin.

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A Sad Death.
Mrs. Thos. W. Akin Passes Away Sunday Morning.

Our little city was shocked beyond expression on last Sunday morning when it was announced that Mrs. Thos. Warren Akin was dead.  The sad news spread rapidly and by 8 o’clock it was known in every house in the city.

On last Saturday Mr. Akin had some professional business in the Justice Court at Euharlee and was forced to attend.  When it attendance upon this court it was customary for him to take Mrs. Akin with him.  On last Saturday he expressed a desire to have her accompany him as usual, but she declined with regrets, saying that she did not feel well enough to go.  After Mr. Akin left Misses Cleo and Maggie Shelman, who are cousins of the deceased, came in town and spent the day with her.  They found her in the best of spirits and the same bright, sparkling woman she always was.  When Mr. Akin returned she met him at the gate with a bright happy smile and as vivacious as ever.  After supper the family, consisting of the husband, wife and two children, occupied the sitting room until 10 o’clock reading.  The children had retired in the room adjoining and as was customary with Mr. and Mrs. Akin before retiring, they went into the children’s room to see if they were all right.  They found the children in bed but not asleep.  Mrs. Akin lay down on the side of the children’s bed and Mr. Akin sat and talked with her and the children for a short while, but feeling fatigued from his trip remarked that he would go to their room and go to bed.  Mrs. Akin replied that she would come soon.  Mr. Akin retired and soon fell into a sound sleep.  He awoke early next morning but finding that she had not come to bed thought that she had slept with the children.  Upon going into their room he found she was not there.  He then went into the sitting room and found her on the sofa dead.  The deceased had been troubled with heart disease and has not been well for the past six weeks or more, and would at times suffer great paroxysms of pain and would suffer greatly from nervousness.  At these times her physicians had prescribed first one anodyne and then another to be used at the moment.  As it was only necessary to have something that would act readily, and from the effects of which one could easily recover, chloroform was found to be the most efficacious.  It is supposed that after Mr. Akin retired she was seized with one of these paroxysms, and not wishing to disturb him went into the sitting room and began to alleviate her suffering by inhaling chloroform as she had frequently done before.  But becoming more under the influence of it than she expected she let the bottle fall and spilled the contents on her arm and pillow.  Chloroform has a peculiar effect upon persons with heart disease, and the heart become thus naturally interfered with, in its tremendous effort to throw off the cause ruptured a blood vessel, from the effects of which she immediately died.

The deceased was a daughter of the late Mr. T. P. Shelman, a Methodist preacher of considerable note in his day, her mother being a sister of the celebrated Dr. Steiner, of Augusta Ga.  She was reared in the Methodist Church but afterwards became an Episcopalian and so remained to her death.  Her love and devotion to her church was truly beautiful.  Her character was everything that goes to make up the character of a truly good Christian woman. In conversation she appeared to great advantage.  She possessed all the accomplishments of her sex, was brilliant vivacious and witty.  She was an idol among her friends, a loving wife and devoted Christian mother.

Verily! Verily! “death loves the shining mark.”  The Great Master in his mysterious way is working out the good of his children, and is gathering up the jewels for the mansions above.  We thank God for a life that leaves such a noble example and sweet pleasant memory.  May God bless and comfort the bereaved husband and family.

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April 27, 1886
Page 3

In Memoriam.

Died in Cartersville, Ga., April 11th, 1886, Mary Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas P. and Henrietta Shelman, and wife of Thos. Warren Akin. [Article continues, see issue of April 13, 1886.]

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May 4, 1886
Page 3

Resolutions of Sympathy.

At a meeting of the rector, wardens and vestrymen of the Church of the Ascension, held on Easter Monday, April 26th, the following preamble and resolutions were adopted.

Whereas, it has pleased our Heavenly Father to take from our church by the hand of death our organist, Mrs. T. Warren Akin… [Article continues, see issue of April 13, 1886.]

[Note: Mrs. Akin is identified in different articles in the Cartersville Courant and this paper as Mrs. Warren T. Akin, nee Libbie Shelman, and as Mary Elizabeth Akin]