ying father at baptisms, weddings, funerals or other offices
that fall to the minister's wife, sister was always ready to take her
place and see that all was well at home. She taught in the public
schools, gave music lessons, was German teacher, organist on Sunday
and teacher in the Sabbath school. Her life was always full of duties.
She had also been father's secretary and attended to all of his
correspondence in his absence. Never complaining, always there to
attend to all the duties devolving upon her, she was a happy spirit
of the home, as much missed as mother or father. She was my pattern
and guide and if I have ever achieved anything to merit commendation
during my life I owe all my best to her. She was my first music
teacher and I have never deviated from her principles of voice
placement. By so doing I am able to sing today with a correct
knowledge of perfect tone production and able to impart to others the
same tonal art that I have given to hundreds of pupils that have come
under my supervision during my many years of successful teaching in
California. Being so widely known and loved by all who knew her, when
she was buried the schools were closed and the children, two by two,
marched in procession and every conveyance that could be procured at
that time was used so that all who wished to honor the beloved could
do so. All the dear friends who were the instigators in procuring the
first piano for her were in the procession and were most sincere
mourners for the loved musician who always gave them so many hours of
real happiness.

She was the leading spirit of the pleasures which they had so many
times enjoyed in their loneliness away from their homes in the East.
The music that was rendered by our family was the only diversion and
happiness that came into their lives in the early fifties when the
world seemed to be populated by men alone, all seeking the one aim--to
get gold and go back rich men and then enjoy wealth and ease and
comfort and make amends for the struggles and deprivations they had
suffered. Now the spirit of this cherished friend had passed out to
join the Choir Invisible, and a befitting burial was given her as a
memorial of the affection in which she was held by those who owed her
so much of real happiness in the severe struggles of the pioneer life
when we were but a small colony of the first white women and men in
the City of Stockton.

[Illustration: Sacred to the memory of Mary Kroh-Tr