LAUDERDALE COUNTY, ALABAMA
OBITUARIES - INDIVIDUAL

RITTIE (HARDER) LINSEY
widow of Josiah Linsey

Submitted Aug 2002
by Cynthia E Chandler

          It becomes my painful duty to witness the death of my dear mother who departed this life January 22, 1897. She was born in Williamson Co., Tenn., March 8, 1807. She moved with her parents, James and Elizabeth Harder, to Alabama and married Josiah Lindsey, Oct. 26, 1823, Eld. David Landcaster officiating. All were Primitive Baptists. Her father was a preacher and he baptized her. She had serious thoughts about being a lost sinner at the age of 11 or 12. She joined the Primitive Baptist church at the age of 15 or 16; and she has lived a consistent member in full fellowship all along the line, ever ready to do her duty as near as she could and to advise and counsel with all that asked her, and did it with meekness and kindness. Her doors were always open to all the Primitive Baptists and to all she could aid. All that knew her loved her. She always filled her seat at church when she could: always stood firm in the faith and doctrine of the Primitive Baptists. She never wavered in the faith at all when the Baptists split. She was not sick very long. When death came she said “Jesus paid it all, and I am ready to go.” We could not understand all she said; we could understand, “Glory hallelujah, sweet Jesus” I feel like she fell asleep in Jesus. Oh! How much comfort it is to see our dear ones die in the Lord, and we can say “Thy will be done.” She was the mother of eleven children; eight girls and three boys. Five of the girls joined the Primitive Baptists, but two of them have gone on before her; and I have a father, mother and two sisters gone on before me, and I feel to have a hope that I will go to join that happy throng; The other children belong to the Missionary Baptists, except one, and he is not a member of any church. We lived with him. He was ever ready to take her to church when it was her meeting day. The children are all married but myself, and I was right with her in sickness and health for the last eight or ten years; and now she is gone. O! how lonely I do feel to go in her room, and her chair is vacant; and at church, there too is a vacancy that all the member see. But I feel like our loss is her eternal gain. Bro. K. F. Polk, the pastor of our church, spoke at the burial. His text was Rev. 14:13. Bro. Webb, pray for us that we may walk in our dear mother’s footsteps; and when death comes may we be ready to say “Jesus paid it all;” be ready to go and be with our loved ones that have gone on before. Brethren, sisters and friends, pray for me and my dear brother that he may do his duty and follow our dear Saviour in his commands. I feel so imperfect and weak; I need the prayers of all true followers of Christ.

Lord let the merits of thy death
To me, like them, be given;
And I, like them will shout thy praise
Through all the courts of heaven

Bro. Webb, may the Lord Bless you for publishing such a good paper.

Remember me.
ELLEN LINDSEY

(Primitive Baptist please copy)

A Mother in Israel

In traveling to and fro, and up and down in the earth, it was our privilege to meet sister Rittie Linsey, living near Elmo, Kauffman county, Texas, with her son Robert Linsey, who is an old soldier of the cross. She is now in her 85th year. She was born in Tennessee; her father moved to Alabama when she was 12 years old; when she was 15 years old she professed a hope and joined Mill Creek Baptist church, in Lauderdale county, Alabama, and was baptized by her father Elder James Harder, in May 1823. In October 1823 she married Josiah Linsey, who was a member of the Baptist church. In 1836 they moved to Mississippi, Itawamba county; which was afterwards divided and they were in the new county named Lee. They lived in Mississippi until 1869, when they moved to Kaufman county, Tex., where they lived happily together until August 1889, when brother Linsey was called home, having lived together for 66 years. Brother and sister Linsey had born to them eleven children and raised them all. Nine of them are still living; the two that are dead and two others are Primitive Baptists and six of them are Missionaries. Sister Linsey is in very good health at this time and is strong in the faith. She has been a consistent member of the Baptist church for nearly 75 years, says she was a Baptist before there was any modern missionaries, and yet Missionaries claim they are the Primitive Baptists. Brother and sister Linsey joined Elm Ridge church when they moved to Kaufman county, Texas, where he membership is now. Eld. K. F. Polk is the pastor of this church. We delight to meet such faithful Baptists as sister Linsey and hear them tell of their travels and trials, and how God in his providence has cared for them. May God strengthen this dear mother in Israel in her old age, and give her grace for every trial, and she shall be called home. May she in the triumphs of a living faith pass over the river and enter into the joys of her Lord, where there will be no more pain, sorrow, sickness or death, and parting from loved ones as it is here, but where the redeemed will forever sing the praises of Jesus their saviour.

Go to: Josiah Linsey's Obituary
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