(Info submitted by Karen Phillips #46884884)

Married John R. Cravens 1 Feb 1844, Jefferson Co., IN
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New York Times
25 June 1903

MRS. JOHN R. CRAVENS died at her home in Madison, Indiana, on Tuesday, in her eighty-first year. She was Drusilla Lanier, a daughter of the late J.F.D. Lanier of this city. Six of her children survive her. The funeral will be on Friday at Madison.
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23 June 1903

(Top of article missing)
Closes a Long, Honored and Useful Life

IN A QUIET, PEACEFUL, DEATH.

After a prolonged illness, varied by intervals of partial restoration, and temporary arrest of disease, Mrs. Drusilla Cravens, widow of the late Hon. John R. Cravens, passed peacefully away shortly after nine o'clock this morning, exchanging the earthly tabernacle for the house note made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Death intervened not so much because of any specific disease, but rather on account of nature's exhausted powers. For she came to the end of life "in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in his season." Her death leaves a large void in the community, and a circle of relationships and interests will feel the loss of her presence and influence. Mrs. Cravens came of a noble lineage. She was endowed by nature with an inheritance that all might well covet; a vigorous physical life, a well balanced mind, and an equally well balance and forceful character. Added to these were an early training and gracious influence developing in her a rare and beautiful type of womanhood, wifehood, and motherhood. She had deep, strong positive convictions. There was in her no leaning to the follies and fripperies of the world. Her tastes and sympathies were for the purest and best things in life. She was strongly domestic in her tastes. Her heart was centered in her home. As all her children will cordially and lovingly bear witness, she was a queen there. The mother of a large family, all the wealth of maternal interest, love and care were given to her children.

Of quiet, unassuming habit and graceful mien, she was the embodiment of a beautiful womanhood. She loved simple surroundings.

Accustomed to abundance and wealth, she yet preferred a simple home life with its genuine refinements and grace of natural surroundings to all the more forms of ostentation and fashion. Moving in the circles of wealth and culture and gracing any social surroundings that she entered she yet sought out and made friends among the humble, the lowly, and the poor. She had a large measure of the spirit of sympathy, and helpfulness, and benevolence. A great deal of her benevolence was done in such a quiet unostentatious way that few knew anything of it save the recipients.

But she was a actively identified with other public charitable and benevolent institutions, like the Drusilla Home for aged women, the Orphans' Home, and the King's Daughters' Hospital. The first of these has, for years, engaged her heart and hands. She loved her church and, until recent years of broken health, was a faithful attendant on its worship and a generous giver to its support. In fact she always had a helping hand for the poor and needy, and every appeal for a good cause received a ready response from her.

Her beautiful home on Fairmount, through the long years her presence has graced it, has been the scene of many delightful social gatherings. She and her husband, the late Hon. John R. Cravens, were conspicuous types of the earlier citizens of Madison, ornaments to their day and generation worthy of being reverenced and (part of article missing).....

...not lost but gone before. ... heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, write, blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: yea saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them."

The chldren: John Paul Cravens (deceased), Robert Cravens, James Lanier Cravens, Alexander Cravens, William Jackson Cravens, Elizabeth Gardner Cravens, Charles Cravens, Joseph Marshall Cravens, Mary Louisa Cravens, Drusilla Lanier Cravens, Franklin L. Cravens (deceased), Margaret Winslow Cravens (deceased).

The grandchildren: Anna L. Rott, Joan P. Cravens, daughters of Mollie R. and the late John P. Cravens; John C. Sage, Drusilla Sage, children of Johna nd Mary L. Sage; Charles C. Davidson, William R. Davidson, children of Dr. W. r. and Mrs. E.G. Davidson; Ridgeway Cravens, Drusilla Cravens, children of Franklin Cravens; Margaret Cravens, daughter of Alexander Cravens.

Further notice will be given as to the time and place of the funeral. No flowers.
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23 June 1903

DRUSILLA LANIER CRAVENS

In the death of Mrs. Drusilla Lanier Cravens, Madison loses a most gracious presence and distinguished personality. No woman has ever occupied quite the place in our local social world as Mrs. Cravens. A daughter of one of the most prominent, wealthy and widely known of our earlier peioneer merchants and bankers, Mr. J. F. D. Lanier, she was wedded in her youth to a grandson of the founder of the city of Madison, and a gentleman of talent, worth and distinction.

The families of John Paul and J. F. D. Lanier were thus united, and with them other old and honored families of Madison were associated by ties of blood and marriage. Dr. Robert Cravens, of Virginia, died at too early an age to leave his impress upon the community, but it is not too much to say that his only child, John Robert Cravens, amply filled the measure of influence, esteem and popularity in the county.

What a noble union that was, celebrated in the old Lanier homestead on Second and Elm streets in 1844, when John Robert Cravens and Drusilla A. Lanier were married.

The couple--young, handsome, endowed by nature with the choicest gifts of mind and character--immediately became the center of a wide circle of devoted relatives and friends.

The home they established has been a house beautiful, hospitable, generous--the founatin of kindnesses, charities, blessings--widespread and incalcuable in this community.

Who that in his boyhood or girlhood knew the Cravens home will ever forget it or cease to cherish the memory of the elegant, lovely woman who was its center, its charm and inspriation?

Never in France, Nor in the Old Dominion, was there a more stately beautiful lady--one properly proud of whom all about her were proud and full of admiration and devotion.

In the person, character and life of the deceased, for whom this entire community mourns, was assembled the fruitage of all that family, breeding and wealth can confer.

The sun shines day and hight, comes as of yore, but a great shadow has fallen on many hearts, and (remainder of article cut off).