This Week in Texas Methodist History  July 9

Daniel and Jane Poe Die in San Augustine  July 11, 1844

In the mid-19^th century death was a constant companion, and religion provided much comfort to dying patients.  A conventional “good death” narrative grew up among Christians of the era.  A “good death” was one in which the dying person remained true to the assurance of eternal life even though the body may be wracked with pain and fever.  In July 1844 Daniel and Jane Poe died on the same day, Thursday the 11^th. 

Littleton Fowler had just returned from the General Convention in New York City and brought with him a letter from Adam Poe, Daniel’s brother.  Adam was a prominent preacher in Ohio and is best known to us today for his editorial work on many MEC publications of the era.  

In 1854 James Finley wrote Sketches of Western Methodism and included the “good death” scene.  Here it is

When he closed his sermon, he gave out the 

first two lines of a hymn, and stepping down from the 

stand, approaching the Doctor with his hand on his tem 

ple, he said, " Doctor, I feel as if my head was bursting." 

The Doctor perceiving that he had a violent fever, 

assisted him to his carriage, and took him to his house, and 

by prompt attention, through the afternoon and night, he 

thought him better next morning, and took him home. 

On Sabbath afternoon his wife was taken worse, and his 

two eldest children were violently attacked with the 

same fever. On Tuesday evening the Doctor told him 

his wife must die. About the same time Rev. L. Fowler, 

having returned from New York, where he had been at 

tending General conference, brought him a letter from 

his brother, and spoke to him of the probable division of 

the Church. He read his letter, and laying it down ex 

claimed, "0, must Methodism be rent in twain!" He 

was unable to see his wife, as they were lying in separate 

rooms, and said to Brother Fowler, "Tell Jane to

 commend her soul and her children to God. If I live Fll do 

the best I can for them, if I die I want Adam to come 

and get them." He grew rapidly worse, and on Wednes 

day morning he was told that he too must die. He 

immediately commenced giving some direction about his busi 

ness, requested Rev. Lester Janes to write to his brother, 

and request him to come and settle his business, pay all his 

debts, and bring his children to Ohio. In the midst of 

these efforts, his mind wandered, and he complained of 

excruciating pains in his head and of choking. In this 

condition he remained till morning, when brother Fowler 

returned and found him dying. He took him by the 

hand and said, " Daniel, you are going !" He answered, 

in a whisper, " Yes I" Brother Fowler asked, " How do 

you feel?" He replied, "Happy, very, very happy!" and 

expired. His wife had conversed, after being informed 

that she must die, with brother Fowler on her spiritual 

prospects, and asked him to pray with her; and while he 

prayed she was powerfully blessed. She then had her 

children brought to her, and commending them to God 

in a few words of prayer, gave them her last kiss, and 

handed them to friends standing around her bed, saying, 

"Take care of them till their uncle Adam comes for 

them." She knew their father was dying too ; and though 

she was one of the most affectionate mothers we ever 

knew, she seemed to give her children to her heavenly 

Father without a single distrustful fear; and then in 

bright and joyous vision of her home so near, she shouted 

glory ! till her voice sunk to a whisper; and she breathed 

out her happy spirit into the arms of the Blessed, who 

waited to bear her to heaven. They died within forty 

minutes of each other, and were buried in one coffin, 

immediately in rear of the Methodist church in 

San Augustine. "Lovely and pleasant were they in their lives, 

and in their death they were not divided." .  

Adam Poe came the following January to get the Poe orphans and take

them back to Ohio.  He was accompanied by Bishop Edmund Janes who

was coming to hold the Texas Annual Conference in San Augustine.

This was the conference at which the Texas Conference was divided at the 

Trinity into the Western Texas and Eastern Texas Conferences (later the 

Texas and East Texas).  The Janes in the passage above refers to Lester Janes, 

nephew of Bishop Edmund Janes and president of the short-lived 

college Methodists had started in San Augutine.

I have written elsewhere that in the 1930's Rev. C. A. Tower exhumed a few 

leg bones, presumably those of Daniel and Jane and reburied them in

McMahan's Chapel Cemetery.  Over twenty Methodist ministers 

attended that service, and after the service they laid plans for a new 

church building at McMahan's.