Langford, Anna (nee Case, nee Richmond) (18789-1858)

Transcription of obituary published in the Primitive Methodist Magazine by Robert Langford

ANNA, late wife of ROBERT LANGFORD, Travelling Preacher. The subject of this memoir was born at Shepton Mallett; she was of respectable parentage, and it seems that pride and worldly pleasure were her ruling passions till she was united in marriage to Mr. Case, of Shaftesbury, Dorset. She was well capacitated for a yeoman’s wife, and as she was always a follower of Methodism, she was what the world calls a good woman—of strong mind and strict morality. She was left a widow in 1834; soon after this time the Primitive Methodist preachers went to live in part of her house. She had a daughter, a very zealous and active Primitive, and through her efforts and an intimate acquaintance with the preachers she was brought among us, and soon received a knowledge of sins forgiven. From that period she opened her house, as freely as Lydia of old, to the servants of the Most High God. In 1837, her daughter died in triumph, and about the same period she had a sister, a pious Wesleyan, who died at Shepton Mallett; the death of this sister left her in possession of some premises in that town, and consequently she resided there, and, as at that time Shepton Mallett was a mission of the Frome circuit, she opened her house for the reception of the preachers, was kind to all the ministers of truth, and always ready to do them good.

I first became acquainted with her in 1840, and in 1842 we cast in our lot together, to live and labour for souls; and, as the wife of a preacher, she began to be more active. Being appointed a class leader, she was successful, and found herself at the head of a class of twenty members at Shepton Mallett. In 1843, we removed to Pembroke; at that time Pembroke was called a circuit, but there were but few traces of Primitive Methodism then to be found in that part of the principality. Amid trials accumulated and diversified, we toiled on as best we could; and my wife, with her accustomed vigilance, visited, sought out, and watched for souls, and not in vain; she had the sole care of the class in the town. We had the happiness of seeing a fair share of success, and had satisfaction among the people. We moved from Pembroke to the Pillawell circuit, and were soon favoured with a revival and she had a considerable class, composed chiefly of young persons; but during that year her health failed, and she suffered for more than ten years from an affection of the heart. 

She was always active and cheerful during the seasons of relief; her habits of industry were untiring, so that she spent much of her time in making articles of clothing for the poor. As a wife, I found every quality in her that man could expect; her busy hands and inventive mind were always, when necessary, striving in all available ways to augment my comfort. As a counsellor, I found her of great service, and seldom went wrong when I followed her directions. As a mother, her only surviving daughter, who always resided with her, says she was tender and affectionate in the extreme. Indeed, I can say that, during the sixteen years that she was my wife, I always found her striving to benefit the cause of God and do good to all, as far as her means would admit. Our life together was almost one continued stream of affliction, the waves of which have beat heavily on us both. 

She suffered much, since October last, but the Lord in mercy gradually brought her down day by day. She was not confined to her bed more than three days. By the advice of her medical attendant she did not leave her couch. Sunday, January 3rd, we could see her sinking, but no one thought her end so near till Tuesday morning, when the symptoms became too apparent to be mistaken; we saw that death was doing his work, though in its mildest form, The whole of the day was spent peacefully and without a cloud. Anxiously we watched the flickering vital spark, until four o’clock, January 6th; she fell asleep as peacefully as the lark sinks down to rest. She departed this life in her sixty-seventh year. The stroke is heavy. I am bereaved of my earthly all, a widower and bowed down with the weight of my affliction; but may my last end be like hers.

Family

Anna was born on 3 June 1789 at Shepton Mallet, Somerset, to parents William and Betty.

She married James Case (1786-1834) in September 1814 at Shepton Mallet, Somerset. I have only been able to identify one child in online records.

• Emma Richmond (1826-1889) – married John Butcher, a PM minister, in 1853

She married Robert Langford (1798-1875), a PM minister, in early 1842 at Shepton Mallet, Somerset.

Anna died on 6 January 1858 at Frome, Somerset.

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1858/260

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers