The obituary, written as a letter from an unnamed correspondent at Nicholasville, Ky., on Nov. 13, 1853, is addressed "To the Editor of the Kentucky Statesman":
"Dear Sir, -- Departed from this life, at her residence, in Nicholasville, on Thursday night, Oct. 20th, 1853, Mrs. Theodocia Netherland, [widow of Benjamin] aged 86 years, 3 months, and 10 days. Mrs. Netherland was a lady of the olden time. She possessed an extraordinary mind and many noble traits characteristic of her sex. Having been deprived of her father and mother at an early age, she nevertheless was a lady of many Christian virtues. She died firm in the belief, trusting that as God had been good to her all the days of her life, he would be good to her in death. Mrs. Netherland was favorably...she was born...near Salisbury, Rowan county, North Carolina, August 10th 1766 [believed to say 1766], and was at the time of her death the oldest white inhabitant in the neighborhood. Her father, Col. Bramlette, [Ambrose] was an officer in the North Carolina militia during the war of Independence. Col. Bramlette's house, situated on the banks of the Yadkin, was burned to the ground by the British and tories, under the command of Colonels Tarleton and Furguson, and himself and family taken as prisoners of war. The family of Col. Bramlette were prisoners at the camp of Lord Cornwallis at Salisbury, for six weeks, when they were released by order of Lord Cornwallis, who treated them during their captivity with great kindness. The family of Col. Bramlette were often in the company of his lordship, the Earl of Cornwallis, and were always treated by him and his officers kindly. The writer of this notice will never forget an incident that he has often heard the deceased relate. Whilst with her father and mother as prisoners at the camp of Cornwallis, one morning whilst the prisoners were eating breakfast on the cold and frozen ground, the Earl of Cornwallis was observed by her father, Col. Bramlette, passing by on foot in a scarlet uniform. He passed by them three times and the fourth time he halted and asked them many questions concerning their release, and suddenly burst out in a loud laugh at the idea of their eating more than he allowed them. He nonetheless permitted them to eat at all times as much as was convenient for his own troops. When he ordered their release, he presented them all with as good clothes as could be had with him. He also presented the deceased a nice pair of buckskin gloves, which she kept as late as 1820. She described the Earl of Cornwallis as a man of great size, full six feet three inches in his shoes, with a countenace beaming with intelligence and benevolence. The deceased leaves one son and many dear friends to lament her death. In all the relations of life she was a bright example, a good wife, and a kind mistress in every sense of the word. May she rest in heaven."
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