Untitled - citizen hylbom blog

706 SOUTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS
Chace was first a Whig, then a Free-soiler, and
later, from the date of the organization of that
party, a Eepublican. He worked persistently
for good roads and good schools. Desiring a
school in his own neighborhood, he built a
schoolhouse and hired the teacher himself. He
always interested himself in useful inventions
and took great pleasure in the inventions of
speedy transit, like bicycles
and automobiles.
When eighty-nine years of age he would ride
in an automobile and never complain of too
great speed whatever it might be.
On April 28, 1845, Mr. Chace was married
to Esther Taber Freeborn, daughter of Jonathan
and Esther (Taber) Freeborn, and they
had a married life of more than sixty years;
their twenty-fifth, fiftieth and sixtieth anniversaries
were appropriately celebrated. Mrs.
Chace, his constant companion in work and
travel, died Nov. 20, 1905, aged eighty-two
years, and he never recovered from the loss he
then sustained. In 1884 he had retired from
active work, and moved to Swansea. After
his wife's death he became a member of the
household of his son Charles, and there, after
a gradual decline, passed away Sunday evening.
May 19, 1907, in his ninetieth year. Until
a very few months before his decease he walked
every morning to the railroad station in South
Swansea to get his daily paper, and he also
attended church quite regularly. He kept informed
on all current topics, and, with a remarkable
memory, recalled historical facts and
statistics with wonderful accuracy. He was a
member of the American Peace Society, and
kept fully abreast of the progress of peace and
arbitration movements in all parts of the world.
But alive as he was to the movements of men,
he seemed resigned as he neared the close of
life, and, indeed, desired the time when he
should be called hence. Like the Apostle Paul
he could : say "These hands have ministered
unto my necessities and I have not been chargeable
to any of you," and also that he had
"fought a good fight, had finished his course,
and had kept the faith."
To the Rev. Obadiah and Esther Taber
(Freeborn) Chace were born four children, as
follows: Charles Anthony, born Dec. 23, 1846;
Emma Rogers, born May 22, 1853, who married
Edgar W. Chace, and died Jan. 6, 1906;
Walter Freeborn, born Feb. 28, 1858; and
George Mahlon, born April 3, 1864.
In 1898 Mr. Chace published a book of
poems dedicated as follows : "To Augustine
Jones, Principal of Friends' School, Provi-
dence, R. I., where I first learned to frame
words in metre, I dedicate this Book." In the
preface he says: "The fir«t that I remember
of any serious thought of rhyming was when.
I was about seventeen years of age. A phre-
nologist examined my head, and said in a very
slighting kind of way, 'I guess he can't write
poetry much.' I was rather skeptical in regard
to the new science, and so I thought I
would try to prove whether it were true. Thefollowing
is the result of my first effort." The
titles of poems in this little volume are : The
Seasons; The Slave's Lament; Ocean; Slavery;
Composition ; Lines Written in an Album ; To
My Cousin ; Snow Storm ; A Large Rain ; Dedication
of Farmers' Hall ; Lines Found in an
Old Note Book; Welcome; Written for the
Women's Foreign Missionary Society; Birth-
day Party ; Re-Dedication of a Church built
in 1743 ; Lines AVritten for the Ninetieth Birthday
of Deacon Peck, of Rehoboth; Christian
Endeavor Social; The Clambake of 1872;,
Christmas Carol ; Missionary Social 1845-
;
1895, Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary, Obadiah
Chace and Wife; For the Experience Social;,
etc. In 1891 he wrote the following poem:
In the name of the old Wickapimset
And Swansey the more modern word
We welcome Mead Kelsey our brother
And servant of Jesus, our Lord.
From his home in the broad Carolinas,
Or prairies or leas of the West,
He may find in his new habitation
His seasons of labor or rest.
The ministers ancient and modem.
Who found in this parish their homes,
Were Buflfintons, Braytons and Chaces
And rather more recently Jones.
But we welcome our wandering brother
From his journeys of labor and love,
With his doctrines as broad as the ocean
And bright as the regions above.
By the graves of our worshipping fathers,
Now resting in silent repose,
Who witnessed in ways that are simple
And buried their faithful in rows;
In this house where the voice of thanksgiving
Has often been heard in the air,
And the times when the whole congregation
Arose and uncovered in prayer.
The chan^jes in manner of travel
We may not attempt to conceal.
From old-fashioned saddle and pillion
To electrics and automobile.
So we welcome our laboring brother
To a service as varied and free,
As the winds that sweep over the mountains
And play on the waves of the sea.
*
And we welcome his loving companion,
To the hearts and homes of our friends,