In Rev. Carvell's family Bible is is noted that "Mary Jane Z. Carvell died February 1, 1879 at 2035 Warnock St., Philadelphia, Pa. Age 40 years, 5 days." According to her death certificate, in my file, she died of "dropsy".
The following obituary appeared in The Church Advocate on March 5, 1879. The Church Advocate is a publication of The Church of God.
The following was taken from Newport News obituary, on microfilm at Perry Historians:CARVELL.,- February 1, 1879, at her residence, 2035 Warwick street, Philadelphia, Sister Mary Jane Carvell, consort of Elder J.M. Carvell, aged 40 years and 5 days.
The subject of this notice was born and brought up in Newport, Perry county, Pa. Her maiden name was Zigler (sic). In the year 1858 she was married to a young lawyer by the name of J. Don L. Gantt, by whom she had one child, a daughter, now a talented young woman. In the year 1863, it pleased God to remove out of this world her first husband. Thus in the midst of brightest hopes and opening buds, the blighting frost did its painful and distressing work. This dispensation of Divine Providence led her more closely to Christ and the study of his will concerning her, though a Christian and a member of a church. On investigation she learned that there were some things God required that she had not performed. Thus moved by her honest convictions of duty, in the summer of 1865 she was baptized and united herself with the Church of God, fully endorsing all her doctrines, and of which she was a faithful member until the day of her death. In thus becoming associated with the church, she became acquainted with Elder J.M. Carvell, then just starting out in his ministerial career, which acquaintance grew into an intimacy and resulted in their union for life, August 2, 1865. Here commenced the toils, anxieties and sacrifices which are the common lot of the itinerant preacher's wife, and which she was so eminently qualified to meet as a helper in the gospel ministry. She was an intelligent, earnest worker. In prayer she was powerful; as a public advocate of the Savior's love few women could excel her. It was frequently the writer's privilege to be present in large congregations where she told the story of the cross in such a way as to melt the entire audience to tears. Her conversation, privately and publicly, was about Jesus, and thus her influence as a Christian was felt wherever she went. As a servant of the Eldership she truly said, as all good itinerant preacher�s wives should say, �Where thou goest I will go;� and however endearing the relations may have been, yet for Jesus� sake, she made the sacrifice. Their first field of labor together was the Plainfield circuit. Thence to Bainbridge. From there to Palmyra circuit. From Palmyra to Goldsborough. From there to Altoona. At this place death visited their family and removed from their embrace their only son, James Edgar Carvell, aged one year, four months and three days. This was a severe stroke on the then failing health of Sister Carvell. From Altoona they went to Orrstown. Her health was growing more precarious. The first of April last they moved to Philadelphia, where the eventful and useful life of this good sister ended as calmly and peacefully as the setting of the evening sun. Though for quite a number of years she was a daughter of affliction, her faith in God�s promises never failed her. As unshaken in life, so with her dying breath she exclaimed: �The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.� Her life in Philadelphia was short, yet long enough to give the Church a high appreciation of her Christian integrity, as will be seen by the resolutions drawn by the Church, which I append to this obituary. The evening previous to the funeral services were held at the residence of the deceased, conducted by Elder C.D. Rishel, and the Rev. W.B. Wood, D.D., of the Cohocksink M.E. Church, which are spoken of as being very appropriate and interesting. On Wednesday, 5th, her remains were brought from Philadelphia, accompanied by her sorrow stricken husband and her two children; one by her first husband, and the other, a bright little girl, the only one living by her second; a young lady friend of Miss Rosa�s and Brothers Hershey and Bassler. Stopping a short time in Harrisburg, the Elder received many expressions of heartfelt sympathy from his brethren in the ministry, who learning of his bereavement, met him at the station. Here the writer joined the mournful party and accompanied them to Newport, Perry county, Pa., where a large concourse of sorrowing friends and acquaintances waited the arrival of the train that carried the lifeless form of her who was so well and favorably known from her infancy up. Her remains were then taken to the Presbyterian church, where the corpse was uncovered. At the head was placed a beautiful and artistically worked harp, on the base of which rested a pillow, on which the word �Rest.� was inscribed, - that for which she so much longed in her extreme sufferings. This was the gift of the Elder�s Bible class. On her breast rested a beautiful cross, a true emblem of that to which she clung in life and in death. The cross was the gift of the church. At her feet rested a beautiful wreath, presented by the choir, of which Miss Rosa is a member. After which the funeral services were conducted in the presence of a large and weeping audience by the writer, assisted by Elders Nicodemus and Grissinger and the Presbyterian and Methodist preachers of the town (names forgotten). Her remains were then deposited in the Newport cemetery, there to rest till the coming of the Master, whom she served so faithfully. �Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord.� Brother Carvell and his two daughters have the sympathies and prayers of the entire brotherhood in this their affliction, but above all, they have left to them the assurance that what earth has lost heaven has gained. Therefore they need not mourn as those who have no hope. May God bless him and those whom he has given him to care for, and on the blessed morning when he comes to gather his own may be all be in that happy number.
G.W. Seilheimer
Mary J.Z. Carvell deceased was a sister-in-law of AM, HC & JQA Gantt of this place, through having been married to the wife of their brother Joseph, also deceased, previous to her marriage to Carvell. Her remains were brought to this place for internment on Wednesday. Friends and the Rev. Selhemer of Philadelphia accompanying the funeral cortege, the latter officiating preparatory burial services being held in the Presbyterian Church previous to the departure for the Newport Cemetery where the mortal remains of Mrs. Carvell were laid to rest
Source of information:
Newport News, February 7, 1879, on microfilm at Perry Historians
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