Mother of 12 Children, Ranging From 56 to 80, Dies In Alameda
ALAMEDA, June 5.- Mrs. Sylvia Hoover, who was possibly the oldest mother in California, died yesterday at her home here, four months before she would have reached the age of 116.
She succumbed to a stomach ailment started three weeks ago.
With her at the time of her death were seven of the 12 children born to her and her husband, the late Benjamin Hoover. At the bedside were the oldest son, Walter, who is 80, and the youngest, William, who is 56, and the sons and daughters, Rose Ella Hoover, James, Mrs. Martha Kimbrough, Dewitt Hoover and Mrs. Emma Lopez.
TWO IN MISSISSIPPI
Two others, George W. Hoover and Mrs. Mary Bacon, are in Mississippi.
Although Mrs. Hoover observed September 28, 1825, as her birth date, she actually never knew just how old she was because she was born a slave and no records were kept. Her family said that she might even have been older than 116.
She married Hoover in 1856, while both still were slaves, and they were separated for the first seven years of their married life. Both were freed by Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation.
The last great trouble of Mrs. Hoover's life was the knowledge that peoples once more were falling into slavery in Europe. Blind in the last years, able to do only a little sewing, she still kept up with the news.
BIBLE A HOBBY
It and her Bible were her last interests. She repeated her favorite words- the 23rd Psalm, again and again on her deathbed.
One of the high lights of Mrs. Hoover's "young" life was when she marched in a pre-election parade for William Henry Harrison. Another was the accomplishments of her husband after he was freed. "Uncle Ben" become a justice of the peace for his district and was the first freed slave to own his own land.
He died 47 years ago, and Mrs. Hoover came to California with her family in 1913. The family home is at 2019 Encinal Avenue.
In addition to the nine sons and daughters, Mrs. Hoover is survived by 35 grandchildren and 79 great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. from the Taylor Memorial Church, 12th and Magnolia Streets, with Rev. Charles Warren officiating. Interment will follow in Evergreen Cemetery.
ALAMEDA, June 5.- Mrs. Sylvia Hoover, who was possibly the oldest mother in California, died yesterday at her home here, four months before she would have reached the age of 116.
She succumbed to a stomach ailment started three weeks ago.
With her at the time of her death were seven of the 12 children born to her and her husband, the late Benjamin Hoover. At the bedside were the oldest son, Walter, who is 80, and the youngest, William, who is 56, and the sons and daughters, Rose Ella Hoover, James, Mrs. Martha Kimbrough, Dewitt Hoover and Mrs. Emma Lopez.
TWO IN MISSISSIPPI
Two others, George W. Hoover and Mrs. Mary Bacon, are in Mississippi.
Although Mrs. Hoover observed September 28, 1825, as her birth date, she actually never knew just how old she was because she was born a slave and no records were kept. Her family said that she might even have been older than 116.
She married Hoover in 1856, while both still were slaves, and they were separated for the first seven years of their married life. Both were freed by Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation.
The last great trouble of Mrs. Hoover's life was the knowledge that peoples once more were falling into slavery in Europe. Blind in the last years, able to do only a little sewing, she still kept up with the news.
BIBLE A HOBBY
It and her Bible were her last interests. She repeated her favorite words- the 23rd Psalm, again and again on her deathbed.
One of the high lights of Mrs. Hoover's "young" life was when she marched in a pre-election parade for William Henry Harrison. Another was the accomplishments of her husband after he was freed. "Uncle Ben" become a justice of the peace for his district and was the first freed slave to own his own land.
He died 47 years ago, and Mrs. Hoover came to California with her family in 1913. The family home is at 2019 Encinal Avenue.
In addition to the nine sons and daughters, Mrs. Hoover is survived by 35 grandchildren and 79 great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. from the Taylor Memorial Church, 12th and Magnolia Streets, with Rev. Charles Warren officiating. Interment will follow in Evergreen Cemetery.
Mother of 12 Children, Ranging From 56 to 80, Dies In Alameda
ALAMEDA, June 5.- Mrs. Sylvia Hoover, who was possibly the oldest mother in California, died yesterday at her home here, four months before she would have reached the age of 116.
She succumbed to a stomach ailment started three weeks ago.
With her at the time of her death were seven of the 12 children born to her and her husband, the late Benjamin Hoover. At the bedside were the oldest son, Walter, who is 80, and the youngest, William, who is 56, and the sons and daughters, Rose Ella Hoover, James, Mrs. Martha Kimbrough, Dewitt Hoover and Mrs. Emma Lopez.
TWO IN MISSISSIPPI
Two others, George W. Hoover and Mrs. Mary Bacon, are in Mississippi.
Although Mrs. Hoover observed September 28, 1825, as her birth date, she actually never knew just how old she was because she was born a slave and no records were kept. Her family said that she might even have been older than 116.
She married Hoover in 1856, while both still were slaves, and they were separated for the first seven years of their married life. Both were freed by Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation.
The last great trouble of Mrs. Hoover's life was the knowledge that peoples once more were falling into slavery in Europe. Blind in the last years, able to do only a little sewing, she still kept up with the news.
BIBLE A HOBBY
It and her Bible were her last interests. She repeated her favorite words- the 23rd Psalm, again and again on her deathbed.
One of the high lights of Mrs. Hoover's "young" life was when she marched in a pre-election parade for William Henry Harrison. Another was the accomplishments of her husband after he was freed. "Uncle Ben" become a justice of the peace for his district and was the first freed slave to own his own land.
He died 47 years ago, and Mrs. Hoover came to California with her family in 1913. The family home is at 2019 Encinal Avenue.
In addition to the nine sons and daughters, Mrs. Hoover is survived by 35 grandchildren and 79 great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. from the Taylor Memorial Church, 12th and Magnolia Streets, with Rev. Charles Warren officiating. Interment will follow in Evergreen Cemetery.
ALAMEDA, June 5.- Mrs. Sylvia Hoover, who was possibly the oldest mother in California, died yesterday at her home here, four months before she would have reached the age of 116.
She succumbed to a stomach ailment started three weeks ago.
With her at the time of her death were seven of the 12 children born to her and her husband, the late Benjamin Hoover. At the bedside were the oldest son, Walter, who is 80, and the youngest, William, who is 56, and the sons and daughters, Rose Ella Hoover, James, Mrs. Martha Kimbrough, Dewitt Hoover and Mrs. Emma Lopez.
TWO IN MISSISSIPPI
Two others, George W. Hoover and Mrs. Mary Bacon, are in Mississippi.
Although Mrs. Hoover observed September 28, 1825, as her birth date, she actually never knew just how old she was because she was born a slave and no records were kept. Her family said that she might even have been older than 116.
She married Hoover in 1856, while both still were slaves, and they were separated for the first seven years of their married life. Both were freed by Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation.
The last great trouble of Mrs. Hoover's life was the knowledge that peoples once more were falling into slavery in Europe. Blind in the last years, able to do only a little sewing, she still kept up with the news.
BIBLE A HOBBY
It and her Bible were her last interests. She repeated her favorite words- the 23rd Psalm, again and again on her deathbed.
One of the high lights of Mrs. Hoover's "young" life was when she marched in a pre-election parade for William Henry Harrison. Another was the accomplishments of her husband after he was freed. "Uncle Ben" become a justice of the peace for his district and was the first freed slave to own his own land.
He died 47 years ago, and Mrs. Hoover came to California with her family in 1913. The family home is at 2019 Encinal Avenue.
In addition to the nine sons and daughters, Mrs. Hoover is survived by 35 grandchildren and 79 great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. from the Taylor Memorial Church, 12th and Magnolia Streets, with Rev. Charles Warren officiating. Interment will follow in Evergreen Cemetery.
