The Daily Oklahoman
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
April 13, 1909
page 5

OBITUARY

Mrs. Mary Van Antwerp, aged 74, died in Purcell on April _. Her husband, T. S. Van Antwerp, died about three years ago at their home in this city at 701 West Pottawatomie. He was seven years her senior. Their remains are resting side by side in Fairlawn cemetery.

Both are natives of New York, where they were married, and soon after marriage moved to Illinois, where they lived until 1876, when they moved to Texas, where they resided until the opening of Oklahoma to settlement. They made the run on April 22, securing a valuable claim about five miles south of Oklahoma City. This claim they developed into one of the most delightful farm homes in Oklahoma. Buildings were substantial, slightly, neatly painted, fences always in repair, crops clean of weeds and well tilled; flowers and blossoming shrubs smiled a welcome while luscious fruits flourished in ample orchards. Ten years ago they moved into the city and built an elegant home-like home with ground sufficiently around to allow them to develop, on a reduced scale, all that had made their farm home a rural paradise. Here was ten more years of living and loving - 10 more years of duty doing or duty done. These people lived more than their three score years and ten - lived usefully. lived worthily, lived so that the world was better for their having lived. They were highly respected and much loved by all who knew them - and their acquaintances were many.

Nine children survive this worthy couple. All were at the bed-side of the mother in her last sickness. All are married and have families. Perhaps never did nine families more completely prove the truth of the saying: "Like begets like," for the law abiding, the honor, the loving kindness, the all round merit which make for blessings and benefactions characteristic of the parents are found steadfastly abiding in the children.

Some one has said with truth that "the virtues of the parents are visited upon the children." So while father and mother Van Antwerp are sleeping with the great majority, they yet live in their children - their spirit animates the living and will impress for righteousness the coming generations.