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Parent Issue
Day
7
Month
March
Year
1902
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

A TRIBUTE OF RESPECT

Permit me, through the columns of your paper to offer a tribute of respect to the memory of the late Mrs. Botsford, a former well known resident of this city, whose recent death at the home of her daughter, Mrs. T. F. Graber, of Berkeley, California, was mentioned in an article which appeared in your issue of February 20.

In that article Mrs. Botsford was very justly spoken of as one of the pioneer educators of the city and vicinity, and as such her life and work demand more than a passing notice.

She was the daughter of Dr. William A. Copeland, for many years a surgeon in the British navy, and was born in Ireland, February 10, 1818, so at the time of her death on February 13, had just passed her eighty-fourth birthday. In 1821, while Mrs. Botsford was still very young, Dr. Copeland resigned his commission in the navy and came with his family to the United States, settling in the state of New York, where for the remainder of his life he devoted himself to the practice of his profession and also to the education of his children; since, at that time, the advantages of good schools were not as easily to be had as they now are.

Here, in the vicinity of her home and while yet in her teens, Mrs. Botsford began what was destined to be her life work of teaching.

She subsequently removed to Michigan and engaged in the same work near Ann Arbor, but after a time resigned it and was married to the late Mr. Elnathan Botsford. Mr. Botsford was himself a well known pioneer, one of the early settlers of Ann Arbor township, and resided for many years on what is still known as the "Botsford Farm," three miles east of Ann Arbor, on the Territorial road. Later in life he removed to this city and engaged in the mercantile business, in which he continued till the time of his death. He was a highly respected citizen and is still well remembered by some of the older residents here.

After a short married life of about two years, Mrs. Botsford was left a widow with one little daughter, Ada, and not long after her husband's death she again took up the work of teaching. From that time, for a period of twenty-five years, she was employed continuously in the schools of our city, most of the time as principal of the Fourth ward school. She is well remembered by her follow teachers and by many of her former pupils, now men and women in active life, as a most painstaking, efficient teacher, seldom or never absent from her post during all the years, and fulfilling the duties of her position with conscientious faithfulness and exactness.

Resigning her position here in the summer of 1881 she removed to California to reside with her only child, Mrs. Ada Botsford Graber, who, some years previous to this, had married and removed to that state.

Since then her time has been spent in the quiet retirement of her daughter's pleasant home: and here, amid the beautiful natural surroundings of that more favored climate, with a few congenial friends and her favorite books about her, her declining years passed happily and peacefully, till she sank at last. peacefully, to her final rest.

Mrs. Botsford was a woman of a strong personality, and had many noteworthy and. admirable traits of character. She possessed a fine mind, was a vigorous and independent thinker, and was gifted with keen perceptive and logical faculties.  Her naturally brilliant mind was cultured and enriched by extensive reading of the best both in ancient and modern literature.

She not only kept abreast of events in the literary world, but possessed also as wide a knowledge of current topics and events, always retaining a lively interest in what was transpiring in the world about her.

She was a fine conversationalist, never at a loss to express herself on all questions of the day, whether religious, political or social. She was gifted with a keen sense of humor, and a ready fund of wit and repartee which made her a most pleasant and entertaining companion; but she was withal a person of deep convictions on all moral subjects and always ready to defend her convictions on all suitable occasions.

Though never in any sense what is termed "a society woman," Mrs. Botsford was a kind friend and neighbor, and a genial and hospitable hostess, as all who have enjoyed her hospitality could testify.

She was a most devoted mother, and her life-long devotion was repaid in full measure by her daughter, Mrs. Graber, who was the constant, companion and stay of her mother's later years, and who with the bright young granddaughter, Miss Ada Graber, ministered to all her needs and pleasures till the end came, leaving them both to mourn her loss.

And so in the ripeness of years, after a useful life, most of which was spent in active work, another of Ann Arbor's early residents and honored educators, has passed to her rest and reward, --COMMUNICATED.