The Deceased A
Prominent Member Of
The Presbyterian Church
And Trustee Of The Public Schools.
Community Loses One Of Its Foremost
Citizens.
The Shock Felt By All. Over 50 Years
A Practitioner.
On
Monday afternoon this community was
shocked by the news of the sudden
death of Dr. R. L. Annan, one of
Emmitsburg's most respected and
foremost citizens. The end came
while the Doctor was in conversation
with Mr. Charles McCarren in
I. S. Annan's store about
twenty minutes after four and was
due to paralysis of the heart. With
but a slight hesitancy in his
breathing, hardly noticed by Mr.
McCarren, this venerable and beloved
man came to his end.
As he fell Mr.
McCarren supported him and called
for assistance. Physicians were
immediately summoned but nothing
could be done. The body was then
removed to his home where his
grief-stricken family had gathered.
Brief Sketch Of Dr.
Robert Lewis Annan.
Robert Lewis
Annan was born in this place on
February 22, 1831. His parents, Dr.
Andrew Annan, and
Elizabeth (Motter) were both natives
of Emmitsburg and they, as well as
Dr. Robert L. Annan, lived here all
their lives. In 1849, at the age of
eighteen he entered the Sophomore
class of Washington and Jefferson
College, Washington, Pa., from which
institution he graduated in 1852.
His preparatory education was
acquired in the select school long
maintained here by his and allied
families.
After leaving
college he began the study of
medicine with his father, completing
his course at the University of the
City of New York in March, 1855. He
then returned to Emmitsburg and,
associated with his father, began
the practice of his profession.
In 1869 he was
united in marriage with Miss Alice
Columbia Motter, a daughter of
Mr.
Lewis Motter. Mrs. Annan
died nine years after, in April,
1878, leaving five children, three
girls and two boys. He was married
the second time, in May, 1882, to
Miss Hessie Me. N. Birnie, who with
the children of his former wife and
the three children from this
marriage, survive him.
At the age of
thirty-nine Dr. Annan connected
himself with the Presbyterian Church
in this place and up to the time of
his death, when he was an elder, his
allegiance to this particular church
had-been pronounced, active and
firm. His charitable nature and
determined stand by that which he
considered his Christian duty, and
his munificent spirit makes his loss
particularly severe on this
denomination.
As a physician,
practicing in this vicinity for
fifty-two years, his loss cannot be
estimated. His clientele often
relying on his magnetic presence as
well as on his administered
remedies, will miss his kindly and
thoughtful attention and in some
cases the loss may be irreparable.
The interest Dr.
Annan manifested in all that
pertained to the welfare of this
community was early marked by his
fellow citizens and his advice was
eagerly sought and always valuable.
Some years ago he was made a
trustee of the public schools and
his energy was always used in the
best interests of that public
institution.
Dr. Annan is
survived by two brothers,
Mr. Isaac S. Annan and
Mr. Andrew A. Annan, one sister,
Mrs. Anna E. Horner, all
of this place, his widow, Mrs.
Hessie McN. Annan, three sons, Lewis
Motter, of Moline, Ill., Andrew,
living at home, and Rogers, of
Westminster, and five daughters, the
Misses Gertrude, Alice, Anna,
Elizabeth and Amelia, all of this
place.
The funeral
services were held in the
Presbyterian Church, yesterday
morning, Jan. 17, at 11 o'clock, the
Rev. Mr. Kenneth M. Craig
officiating. The interment was made
in the family lot in the
Presbyterian Cemetery, near this
place. His six nephews, Robert L.
Annan, Isaac M. Annan,
Edgar L. Annan,
J. Stewart Annan,
Annan Horner and Robert
Horner, acted as pall-bearers.