The Obituary's of Marion Leathem, nee Large

1919 Friday 8 August Molong Argus

We regret to have to announce the death of Mrs Marion Leathem, proprietress of the Molong “Express," which took place at the local Hospital at about 1 p.m. on Tuesday, at the advanced age of 77 years.

The deceased lady, who had been ill about a week, developed an abscess on the throat that grew so rapidly that Drs Kennedy and Howse decided to operate for its removal.

The operation was performed on Thursday of last week, and was apparently successful, the patient being considerably relieved for a time, but subsequently the abscess took a more malignant form. Which quickly affected the sufferer's whole system, and bronchial symptoms accentuated the trouble.

All that was possible was done to relieve the patient, and a trained nurse was inconstant attention, but she gradually sank, and passed peacefully away, as above stated.

The late Mrs Leathem was the third daughter of the Dr Wm. Large, M.R.C.S. (Dudlin.), and was   born at Belfast, Ireland, June   15th, 1812. The family removed to Australia, where the deceased arrived when six months old.

They landed in Victoria with the well-known Wrixon family, to whom the deceased was related, Mrs Large being a daughter of Colonel Wrixon of the Irish Guards, and a cousin of Sir H. Wrixon, an ex-Attorney-General of Victoria.

After practicing his profession in Victoria for five years, Dr Large came to the Wagga and Tumut districts. Mrs Leathem received her education at the Ladies' Seminary, Wagga, and in her young days took a keen interest in Sunday School and Church work, as well as in social matters.

Deceased was married to Mr Henry Vale Leathem at All Saints' Church of England, Tumut, by the Rev. J. C. Byng.

Mr and Mrs. Leathem resided at Tumut for some years, and then removed to Gundagai, and subsequently in 1876 they came to Molong, and started the “Express." Mr Leathem died of pneumonia on July 9, 1879, leaving his widow with a family of six young children.

The deceased lady thus had a difficult and strenuous burden placed upon her shoulders of rearing a family and conducting a newspaper, but she was a woman of-indomitable courage and resource, and faced many difficulties and trials which would have broken the heart of many a man let alone a woman.

However, she faced her difficulties with determination, aided by hard work and shrewdness, and succeeded in keeping the business going until the sons grew up and were able to assist her.

Although not able through infirmities during latter years to take any active part in the management of the paper, her advice was of great advantage to the management.

The venerable lady was of a kindly and charitable disposition, and was highly respected by all who knew her. She was a loving and devoted mother, and will be greatly missed by her sons, who have been associated with her in the office all their lives. She took a keen interest in politics, and could put forward her views with lucidity and conciseness.

Two daughters and four sons survive the deceased, viz. :

Madams Jas. Johnston (Dilga) and Mrs. Doherty (Millthorpe),  and Messrs. Charles," William, John, and Frederick; also a number of grand-children and one great-grandchild, Sapper Leathem (Wallace Henry), who has just returned from the war, is a grandson.

The deceased was one in a family of 12, and the sisters and brothers who survive her are Madams W. H. Glover (Hay), M. W. Bassett (Ascot Vale, near Griffith) and Williamson (Grafton) and Messrs’ John Large (Cootamundra) and Thomas Large (Hay).

The body was removed from the Hospital to St. John's Church on Tuesday afternoon. The funeral took place 0n Wednesday after noon, and was preceded by a brief service by the Rev. J. A. Poole in the church, Mrs Bamford presiding at the organ.

The funeral cortege was large and representative, and ‘testified to the high esteem in which the fine old lady was held; The remains were interred in the C. of E. section of Molong cemetery.. Rev. J. A. Poole read the burial service. Mrs Kingsland conducted the funeral arrangements.

The proprietors of the ARGUS and staff extend their sincere sympathy to the bereaved family.

A memorial service for the deceased lady will held at St. John's Church on Sunday night.

At the Municipal Council meeting on Tuesday night the Mayor moved that a letter of sympathy be written to the Leathem family in connection with the demise of their venerable mother. 

In doing so his Worship paid a high tribute to the worth of the late Mrs. Leathem.

He had known her for years, and a more charitable woman never existed, and she was at all times anxious to help the sick and needy. She had reached a good old age (77 years), and had reared a respected family, one of whom (ALd. John Leathem) was a member of that Council.

She had been a devoted mother and would be greatly missed by her family, to whom the sympathy of the Council was extended.  

Deceased was a woman of strong personality, and despite the many difficulties and reverses she had met with in her younger days she had always conquered them.

Deceased had one to her peaceful home, and death was a debt they would all have so pay sooner or later. He wished to express the Council's and his own sympathy with the bereaved family in their irreparable loss.

The motion was passed, the Aldermen standing.

1919 Forbes Times (NSW : 1912 - 1920) Aug 12 1919

Our sympathy to the Messr's Leathem. Bros, of Molong, whose mother, Mrs Marion Leathem, widely known in the west as proprietress of the local "Express"' newspaper, passed away at Molong on 5th instant at the advanced age of 77 years. She was a lady of an eminently kind disposition and was much beloved by the Molong people.

 1919 Friday 15 August Molong Argus

MEMORIAL SERVICE.

There was a large congregation at the memorial service to the late Mrs. Leathem at St. John's Church on Sunday night. All the members of the family were present.

The Rev. J. A. Poole preached an appropriate sermon from the text "He that believeth in Me hath everlasting life." In his discourse he referred to deceased's good qualities patience during suffering, and courage in facing the difficulties of life.

Suitable hymns were rendered, including the deceased's favourite hymn, "Nearer my God to Thee."

  *1919Evening News (Sydney, NSW : 1869 - 1931)

Mrs, Marion leathem Veteran Newspaper Proprietress .

The death occurred at Molong. at 77, after a operation, of Mrs Marion Leathem, widow of Mr Henry Vale leathem who established the Molong Express in 1876, Third daughter of Dr Wm. Large MRCS of Dublin.

Mrs leathem was brought by her parents to Australia from her birth place when she was six months old,  Dr. Large practice in Melbourne for some time and then went to Tumut to live, his stay there was not a long one and he soon moved to Wagga, where he become well known.

It was here that Mrs Leathem was educated, and in 1866 she married at Tumut, she resided there  with her husband for some years, and after a short stay at Gundagai they made the long journey to Molong by coach in 1876.

In the same year the "Molong Express" one of the oldest papers in the west, was started by Mr leathem.

Three years later he died from pneumonia, and Mrs leathem was left with six children, Assisted by her Brother-in-law Mr J E Leathem, she conducted the Express, for several years until her eldest son was able to render her the assistance she required.

For the past 40 years he has continued to do so, and the efforts of mother and son have been conspicuously successful.

Until within a week Mr Leathem continued to take an active part in the management of the paper, she is survived by four sons and two daughters, 21 grandchildren and one great grandchild.  

*1919Leader (Orange, NSW : 1912 - 1922)

THE LATE MRS. LEATHEM.

AN APPRECIATION.

So live that when thy summons comes to join The innumerable caravan which moves to that mysterious realm where each shall take Her chamber in the silent halls of death,.

Thou go "not like the quarry slave at night, Scourged to his dungeon—but, sustained and soothed by an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave, like one that wraps the drapery of her couch about her, and lies down to pleasant dreams. • '

—William Cullen Bryant.

Death happens along in our midst from day to day, and with unvarying hand mows low 'the strong and the weak, the rich and the poor, alike; virile youth does not escape unscathed, and grey old age pays in   full measure the ruthlessly-exacted   penalty.

To have lived a life rich in its goodness, and noted for its kindnesses; to have earned 'the warmest regard of all sorts and conditions of men—to have done and been all these things is to have made oneself ready a smiling and willing victim for the time when the Grim Reaper pays his fateful call.

This, surely was the case with the late Mrs. Marion Leathem, whose long residence in Molong had made of her a part of the place itself, and news of whose demise last week of a surety brought the flood of hot salt tears to the eyes of those who had enjoyed the pleasure of her acquaintance.

She had been one of Molong's pioneers her late husband, Mr, Henry Vale Leathem, having   stablished the first local newspaper, "The Express"," as. Far back as 1856..

In the years that passed with measured tread she learned much of the vicissitudes of country life; but she was ever cheerful, ever kindly, ever ready to help any and every good cause—no cloud ever presented, itself beneath which she could not see a silver lining, and her cheerful optimism extended itself to all with in the scope of her wide influence.

The writer of this brief, hurried and very incomplete tribute has good reason for holding In high esteem the memory of this good old lady, I for the reason 'that when he came 15 ' years ago as a stranger into a strange land, she acted with characteristic chivalry and generosity towards a  rival in business; and, with her sons, made less weary and trying than would otherwise have been the case of the lot of the newcomer.

Then began a friendship which grew; and was daily made more pronounced;   and no visitor to the good old town of Molong in the days that are to come will more keenly miss the generous welcome the cheering words, the honest hand-grip, of the late Mrs. Leathem than will he. 

She was of the stuff of which philosophers are, made—

"A woman of cheerful yesterdays "And confident to-morrows."

She could tell in her own quaint  fashion rare stories of the daring  days that had gone—of the hardships and the sorrows, and of the  pleasures and the successes which  followed closely on 'their heels. She had a merry mood that was essentially her own, and was kind to a fault.

Above all, she spoke her mind—and she had one to speak, keen and alert and nimble to the very last, as was also her physique to but a short while before her demise.

"Her acts will be the best portions of her good woman's life." Of this aspect of Mrs. Leathem's character it is idle here to speak, for the reason that it is known publicly to no small extent; but even to a larger degree will it be cherished in the grateful hearts of those many folk who enjoyed her benefactions, and who, beside the giver herself, were the only ones who shared the secret which she so sturdily and so consistently preserved.

To die is the lot of all, To die in the odor of sanctity, beloved of everyone, surrounded by a family whose members anticipated and satisfied her every wish—as Mrs Leathem's did—is to go hence in peace, and to leave Death shorne of all of its so-called terrors.

Her Long life was spent in useful labour, and in her home-circle she will be missed by these who, above all others in the community,'

knew best her worth, and loved her to the last. She has gone before to that silent shore, honored and mourned as a good woman should be, there to— 

"Sleep the sleep that knows no breaking

Morn of toil, nor night of waking— Till the sun grows cold and the

Scars are old, and the leaves of the Judgment

Book unfold."

Aug. llth, 1919.

J.C.L.F.

1920 27th May Western Champion (Parkes, NSW : 1898 - 1934)

The Molong "Express" has been transferred from the estate of the late Mrs Marion Leathem to Messrs C. J. V. and J. H. V. Leathern, sons of the founder of the paper and of the late owner.

The "Express" was established in 1876 by Mr H. V. Leathem, assisted by Mr J. E. Leathem, his brother. In 1879 he died, and the business was carried on by Mr J. E Leathem till 1881, when the late Mrs Leathem became proprietress.

She controlled the paper continuously till her death in August of last year.

*1921. December, Molong Express and Western District Advertiser

LEATHEM Memorial. Amongst other memorials erected in Molong Cemetery was one to the memory of the late Mr, and Mrs. LEATHEM.