Marovia Burgess ARNOTE
submitted by:
Lori Camper

Marovia M. Burgess was born near Knoxville in Ray County, Missouri on May 12, 1846. It was here that she spent her childhood and went to school. She accepted Christ at a young age and united with the Methodist Church at Knoxville.

She married Andrew Arnote on October 28, 1866 probably in Ray County, Missouri. When Andrew was converted in 1873 and united with the Bethel Church of Christ in Christian Union in Ray County, Marovia also united with the Bethel Church. Marovia and Andrew had eleven children, three having died in infancy or early childhood. The children were Edgar, Walter, Arthur, Albert, Ernest, Ralph, Perry, Wesley, Minnie, and Lillian, and an infant son.

In 1891 Marovia, or Rovia as she sometimes signed her name, moved with her husband and family to Kingfisher County, Oklahoma. She joined the membership of the Church of Christ in Christian Union at Union Chapel near Hennessey, the first church of that order in Oklahoma. She remained a faithful member of the church until her death at age seventy. She was a relentless worker for the Christian Union Council, having never missed a council meeting in Oklahoma. Nearly all the temperance reports were written by her hand. She was highly esteemed and loved by all.

Her love and devotion to family was evidenced by the many cards and letters sent to loved ones near and far. In a letter dated Feb. 24, 1915, Marovia writes a letter of encouragement to her great granddaughter
Mary to "learn all you can in school, always be a good girl and you will have many friends through life." Her letters give a glimpse into their daily lives, of their blessings and their hardships and their hard work
and determination, and sometimes sickness.

On July 20, 1916, after a 3 and 1/2 month battle with breast cancer, Marovia passed away peacefully at the home of her daughter, Lillian Sperry. She was recovering from surgery and being cared for by her daughter when she suffered a stroke. Her body was laid to rest in the Hennessey Cemetery.

In Morovia's obituary, her bereaved husband wrote: We were born and raised within 1 and 1/2 miles of each other, played together when children, went to school together, have lived together 49 years and nine months and will soon be together forever where sorrow and parting shall be no more. Marovia waited twenty one years before her beloved Andrew joined her at the Pearly Gates.

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This page was last updated on 8/10/2000..