Medlock, Susan Upton (Mrs. Joseph W.)
4/18/1929
March 9, 1851-April 18, 1929 |
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| Susan Frances Upton, daughter of Rev, and Mrs. Thomas J. Upton, was born in Marion county, Georgia, March 9, 1851, and died in Alexandria, La., April 18, 1929. In ancestry, education and marriage she was wonderfully blessed. Both her father and mother came of the finest Georgia stock, the Upton and Wheeless families being among the first families of the State. Her father, Rev. Thomas J. Upton, was one of the pioneer Methodist preachers of Louisiana and rendered a great service towards establishing and extending Methodism in the Southwest. She was educated In Mansfield, Mt. Lebanon and the old Louisiana Female College at Minden. Great emphasis was placed on the study of the classics at that time. She reveled in these studies, especially the study of Latin in which she became very proficient. Her education was such as to give her a remarkable versatility in every phase of life. During her school days she acquired the habit of study. She cultivated the taste for good literature. The habits of her youth became the habit of a life-time. She was a great reader and student and was vitally alive and interested in the current events of the day, and remained so through her nearly fourscore years, even to the end of life itself. On Jan. 30, 1871, she was happily married to Rev. Joseph W. Medlock, a member of the Louisiana Conference. For twenty-two years she was the faithful wife of this loyal Methodist preacher. Her first experience as queen of the parsonage was probably on the Castor or Lisbon circuit. She later occupied the parsonage homes at Lin Grove, Ringgold, Alexandria, South Bossier, Vienna, Homer, New Iberia and Minden. In the death of her husband at Minden in July, 1893, in the fourth year of his pastorate there, she was left a widow with eight children, some of them in their infancy. The following children survive her: Mrs. H. B. Miller, Wilmette, Illinois; Mrs. Tom Lee, Atlanta, Georgia; Mrs. A. H. Trotter, New Iberia, La.; Miss Bertha Medlock, New York City; Mrs. J. M. Burnett, Alexandria La.; Mrs. Mary Horton, Alexandria, La. Her surviving brothers are: L. L. Upton, Slaughter, La.; D. P. U. Upton, Lafayette, La.; T. J. Upton, New Iberia, La. Her sisters, Mrs. Gussie Rhodes, Gibsland, La., and Mrs. W. T. Burnett, Minden, La. In the memoir of her husband I found these words: “The God who doeth all things well will care for the widow and orphans of his servant, causing waters of consolation to flow ever from the desert rock, and making all riches to abound towards them.” This prophecy was fulfilled. For thirty-six years she was mother and father to her children. Only a woman of her ability could have met the issues of life as she did. Her task was not an easy one, yet she set her hand and heart to it, and with wonderful patience, persistence, bravery and fortitude she performed it well. In the midst of difficulties and deprivations she provided well for her family, giving special emphasis to education and religion. She was a-good citizen and made her contribution to the social life in which she lived. She loved her church and was ever faithful and loyal to its services and institutions. W. W. Holmes |
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| Source: Annual of the Louisiana Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, Pages 121-122, 1929 | |
