Dinah LaFave Baxter

born 1816

died October 11, 1894

Dinah La Fave was born in Canada in 1816.She married Seymour Baxter in 1834. They moved to the United States in 1849. Together they raised twelve children. No record exists of schooling, but all of the Baxters could read and write, as evidenced by their letters and financial records.
According to the diaries kept by her daughter Lena, Dinah was cooking, cleaning house, sewing, canning produce and "burying" (berry picking) right up until a month before she died.

Lena's diary entry for Thursday, October 11, 1894:
"rain nearly all day. my dear old mother breath her last at 3 in afternoon. oh what a sad and lonely day....oh can it be possible she has gone."

and from Saturday, October 13 entry:
"rain nearly all day. what a day fore a funral. my dear old mother is gone. what shall we do without her."

Obituary

Mrs. Dinah Baxter, one of the oldest residents of Palermo, died at her home on the afternoon of October 11th, 1894, in the 78th year of her age, surrounded by her children and friends. The death of Mrs. Baxter deprives us of one of the noblest characters in our community. Her life was made up of industry, humility, charity and a fond devotedness to her family. She was a long sufferer, but her death was one of peaceful resignation to the will of her Maker so that she could well exclaim with the inspired writer, "O death, where is thy sting! O grave, where is thy victory?"