Died-At our home in Gardner, Kansas, of paralysis, on Tuesday, June 25, 1901, at 8:20 a.m., our beloved mother, Eliza H. Elston, aged 66 yrs. 7 mos. and 23 days. The remains were taken to Olathe where the funeral services were held in the Presbyterian church on Wednesday, at 2 o'clock p.m., conducted by Rev. A.V. Strout, after which she was laid to rest beside her husband in Olathe cemetery.; Eliza H. Lapham was born at Auburn, Maine, Nov. 3, 1834. In 1853 she was married to Enoch Howland of Topsham, Me. In the spring of 1854 they came to the Kansas Territory, stopping awhile in Lawrence, living in the first house built in Lawrence, (a sod house) with the family of the late Major Abbott of DeSoto. Her husband took a claim now, adjoining the town of Vinland. There was born to them on this claim, a son, Sanford P., the present editor of the Gardner Gazette. The Kansas troubles breaking out, she endured with her husband, mother and two brothers, all the hardships and dangers of frontier live incident to the Kansas border war, at one time subsisting for six weeks upon meal grated from sod corn without salt or any other article of food, being cut off from supplies by bushwhackers. She bakedthe meal and water cakes for rations, molded the bullets for the men, who under the leadership of John Brown and Jime lane, defended the Coal Creek settlement against the raids of the guerrillas and stood ready with her rifle to fight for her home to the last if need be. On account of ill health she with her babe went back to Me., alone, part of the journey being made on a southern steamboat up the Missouri river, where she was threatened with being lynched on account of her open advocacy of the cause of freedom.; After the first Territorial election her husband followed her to Maine. In 1861 there was born to them a duaghter, Mary Z., who is now deceased. In 1862 he enlisted in Co. I, 16th Maine Vol. Infantry, and after 34 months of active service, was killed at the battle of Hatchie's Run, Va. After his death dhe returned to Vinland, Douglas Co, Kansas to her mother's, Mrs. Ladd Dow. In 1868 she embraced the christian religion and was buried with Christ by baptism and ever since has been a faithful and earnest christian, holding to the doctrines of the Christadelphian Ecclesia.; A few years later she went to labette Co., took a claim and again experienced the hardships of frontier life, afterwards being joined in marriage with John Elston, a well known and honored christian gentleman, and resided in the counties of Labette, Douglas and Johnson. In 1898 she was again left a widow, her husband dying after a long illness, through all of which he was attended by his ever faithful wife, and his children all loved her for her faithful and unceasing care of their father. Since that time she has been making her home with us, and at intervals with her grand-daughter, Mrs. Katie Roe of Kansas City, Kansas.; A kind and loving mother has gone to rest after a long period of human suffering. We did all in our power to make her last days here comfortable, and while we mourn her loss, we cannot help but feel that what is our loss is her gain, and that she has entered upon that peaceful rest.; Mother, peaceful be thy sleep and glorius thine awakening.; The Gardner Gazette, Thursday, 27 Jun 1901"