Four Months Later - August 21, 1922

Sarah Jane's last living child, Ginevra, died only four months after her mother.  Anna Josephine, Sarah's other adult child died two years earlier in 1920. After finding out that Ginevra died of carcinoma of the uterus, I was curious as to the cause of death listed for her sister. Anna Josephine's listed cause of death was pulmonary tuberculosis. I don't know how this differs from the consumption from which the other children of Sarah and Joseph died.

Obituary of Ginevra Withrow Vorhies - mother of Estella Vorhies Smith

Mrs. J.M. Vorhies Passes to Reward

     Ginevra M. Withrow was born in Butler county, Ohio, March 5, 1855, and died at the hospital at Carroll, Ia., August 21, 1922 at the age of 67 years, 3 months and 16 days.  With her parents she moved to Jasper county, Ia., where she was married to John M. Vorhies May 27, 1875 and the following year in February they came to Scranton, where they have lived continuously ever since.  Three children were born to them.  Mrs. H.L. Smith and Gene Vorhies of this vicinity, and LeRoy Vorhies of Pikeview, Colo.  She was a member of the Church of Christ and enjoyed the services of the church, but in late years was deprived of attending on account of the care of her aged mother.  Besides her husband, J.M. Vorhies, and three children, she leaves two grandchildren and one great grandchild, together with many friends and neighbors to mourn their loss.
     Funeral services were held from the Church of Christ yesterday at 2:00 p.m. by the pastor, Eld. C. A. Burkhart.  Interment was made in the Scranton cemetery by the following pall bearers:  John McDonald, Sr., John Moran, William Hutchison, George Knauss, S.M. Hall and G.D. McDonald.
     In the passing of this wife and mother the community mourns the loss of a member who was faithful and true in every test of life,  She has lived long among us, being almost a pioneer and during all of those years she has been known as one who was untiringly carrying forward her commonplace duties.  There has been no blot to her good name.  She has devoted her life to her husband and her family and the good causes of her community. She has been gathered to her fathers.  It is the way of all the earth.  The Journal joins with the entire community in extending the most profound sympathy to this husband and father and the children who have lost their best friend on earth.

O.K. Let's discuss this a little. My mother, Mary, was the great grandchild referred to. However, there were certainly more than two grandchildren.  Estella Vorhies Smith had six children who lived to adulthood: Nina, Merroll, Neva, Ardea, Dale, Leah.
Eugene Vorhies had two children: Lester and Viola. Leroy had three children: Verle, Fern, Harold.

I say she had eleven grandchildren.  I guess you just can't believe everything you read. In John M. Vorhies' obituary, ten grandchildren are mentioned. This would be correct because his grandson, Lester, died in 1933 at age 23. Curious about this anyone?