Uncle Gene

On Saturday, March 12, a memorial wake was held in Cody, Wyoming for my Uncle Gene. I am, of course, very sad to not be there.  I do want to acknowledge this day and send love to all those who were as blessed as I was at having him be part of our lives.

His obituary was included in the post I wrote called Wednesdays With Wrights Again.  Click the highlighted title to follow the link.

John M. Vorhies (1850-1939)

So, John Mac Vorhies lived another seventeen years after his wife, Ginevra Withrow Vorhies, who died in 1922. Many of these years he lived with his daughter, Estella Smith. He seems to be a loving ancestor who my mother, her siblings and cousins remember fondly. 

This is one of my favorite pictures and is part of my framed collection.

John Mac Vorhies and his daughter, Stella Smith
Photo Dec. 1938 or Jan. 1939

His obituary was on the front page of the Scranton Journal.  It reads as follows.

John Mac Vorhies Buried Sunday
----------------------
Long Time Scranton Resident Buried From
 Church of Christ on Sunday
------------    

     Funeral services were held Sunday afternoon, March 19, from the Scranton Church of Christ, for John Mac Vorhies.  The funeral sermon was given by the pastor of that church, Rev. M.R. Willson.
     Music was furnished by Mrs. Wilbur Peterson, Jean Willson, Milo Lawton and J.W. Mouw with Miss Lola Legore accompanying.
     The pall bearers were Sam Hall, Jesse Loomis, Ross Amsden, Andrew Foster, Alva Madison and Gordon Mac Donald.  Interment was made in the Scranton cemetery.
     The following obituary was furnished for publication:
     John Mac Vorhies, son of John and Jane Vorhies, was born in Knox county, Illinois, April 8th, 1850 and passed to eternal realms at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Estella Smith in Scranton, Iowa, on March 17th, 1939, at the age of 88 years, 11 months and 9 days. Death came following a two weeks illness with flu and pneumonia. He was the last of his family to go, having been preceded in death by his parents, three brothers and five sisters.
     When a small boy six years of age, he came with his parents to Marion county, Iowa, where he grew to manhood.
     He was married to Miss Ginevra Withrow on May 27th, 1875 in Jasper county and moved the following year to Scranton, Iowa, which has since been his home.  To this union were born three children, who service to mourn the death of their beloved father. Mr. Vorhies was preceded in death by his faithful companion and wife in August, 1922.
     Mr. Vorhies is survived by his children: Mrs. Estella Smith of Scranton, Eugene Vorhies of Ralston, Iowa and Leroy Vorhies of Granite, Colorado.  He also leaves ten grand children and nine great grand children besides many other relatives and friends to mourn his loss.
     Mr. Vorhies was a sincere earnest Christian man, a member of the Scranton Church of Christ for over 30 years.  He enjoyed his church and gave it a faithful service, for he was truly a servant of God. 
     "Servant of God, well done!
     Thy glorious warfare's past,
     The battle's fought, the race is won
     And thou art crowned at last"

Even though this appears to be the same picture as above, I have to wonder. The pictures do have
different dates. One might say they are dressed the same in both pictures, but how many cold weather outfits
do you think they would have had. I mostly want to point out the sleigh bells. Those bells are in my basement.
They would be a wonderful heirloom to pass on to a descendant of John Mac Vorhies. Any takers?

   

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?

Passing of Good Citizen

Large Congregation Gathers at Funeral to Pay Last Tribute to H.L. Smith

     "Hiram Lee Smith, son of George and Mary Smith, was born May 26, 1868 in Clark county, Missouri, and died at St. Anthony's hospital in Carroll on March 19, 1929 at the age of sixty years, ten months and twenty three days.  He came to Scranton about thirty-six years ago and has since that time made this community his home.  His life has been one of the noblest examples of industry, thrift and honesty to be found anywhere.  His passing leaves not only a broken home, but is the distinct loss of a highly respected and honored citizen of our community; an interested and faithful patron and official of our schools and a loyal and devoted Christian.  He became a member of the Church of Christ at an early age, and has not only been a member but an official of the same for almost a generation.  He has also served a full term of rich service as a member of the board of directors of the Scranton Consolidated school district, and has only recently (since his accident) been reelected for second term.  He was united in marriage to Estella Vorhies on Jan. 1, 1900 and to this union seven children were born, one having died in infancy.  The living children are: Mrs. Nina Grisso, of Scranton, Iowa; Merroll M. of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Mrs. Neva Walker, Mrs. Ardea Stevens, Dale and Leah, all of Scranton, Iowa.  He leaves to mourn his decease besides his devoted companion and loving children, also his aged father and brother, Jesse B., of Tucumcari, New Mexico; his brother, James W., of Owen, Wisconsin, and a sister, Mrs. Melissa Stewart, of Strickler, Arkansas; five grand children and a number of nieces and nephews, besides a host of admiring neighbors and friends.
     The funeral services were conducted on Friday, March 23rd at the Christian church in Scranton by the pastor, Rev. E.E. Griggs.  The public schools were closed for the services and an overflow gathering paid its last high and loving tribute of respect to an honored citizen who wrought well among them.  Interment was in the Scranton cemetery by the following pall bearers: William Dunivan, Chris LeGore, John MacDonald Sr., Newman Shaw, S.M. Hall and G.D. MacDonald."

From the obituary title to its subtitled and then on to the article,  I was awed by the kind words and tribute given to my great grandfather, Hiram. I was especially stunned to read that the public schools were closed for the services. My amazement could be because I am a retired teacher and can't imagine such a tribute, but that was long ago and life was different. I am so proud to be his great-granddaughter.  I think he would be proud to know he had at least three great-granddaughters who became teachers. Can anyone name them?

I also noticed a discrepancy in Grandpa Hiram's age from the second newspaper article to the third. The obituary is the correct age.
 

Sarah 1902-1904

     As I said at the beginning of this series of posts, I want to tell the story of my 3rd great grandmother Sarah Jane Swartzell Withrow. She lived long enough to hold her great great granddaughter for a five generation photo. (See photo in Photo Album section) She out lived her husband by 20 years and 6 of her 7 children as I mentioned before.

     January 29, 1902, Joseph A. Withrow Sr. died at the age of 71. His only son followed two years later.

                                           Obituary

    "Died at his home near Scranton, January 29, at 3:15 a.m. Joseph A. Withrow Sr.  he was born in 1831 in Butler county, Ohio.  Married to Sarah Swartzell, of Montgomery county, Ohio, Jan. 11th, 1853.  To this union was born seven children, six girls, and one boy.  Four of the girls died before the death of their father.  The boy, two sisters, and the wife and mother remain to mourn his departure." The obituary continues but the microfilm was bent so I can only guess at the middle section. It tells the number of grandchildren and great grandchildren ( one of whom was my grandmother, Nina). The obituary continues, " Mr. Withrow and his family moved to Iowa in 1866.  He died believing in Christ.  The last expressions of his faith were: ' he may...   in the evening or at midnight, or...cock crowing'. His last words were, ' I am going home to mother.'
    " Mr. Withrow was an old settler in this vicinity.  He had a large circle of friends.  His funeral was conducted at his late home by Rev. R.M Bailey, after which his remains were laid to rest in the Scranton cemetery."

     I found it interesting that the title of this obituary was "Obituary".  Most obituaries I have found have a title of some description.  For example, the title of Grandma Ginevra Withrow Vorhies is "Mrs. J.M. Vorhies Passes to Reward" and that of Grandpa Hiram Smith is "Passing of Good Citizen".                   

    In my mom's scraps of old papers, I found a note written by Joseph A. Withrow Jr.  It is on a small piece of paper and reads like this. (all spelling is his)
                               Joseph A. Withrow Sr.
Was born in Jan. 28th
Married in Jan.   11th
Died in Jan.        29th
Burried in Jan.    31st
Was my father
                                Joseph A Withrow Jr.

 

I feel the sadness in this note.

                          And then two years pass......



                                                 A Young Man Dies

    " Mr. Joseph Withrow a young man 29 years of age died at his home three miles southwest of Scranton on Friday morning May 6, 1904, after a protracted illness with that most dreaded disease consumption.  His funeral was held from his late home on Sunday, May 8, conducted by Rev. C.J. Stark, after which his remains were laid to rest in the Scranton cemetery.  He leaves to mourn an aged mother and two sisters. His father and four sisters having gone on before.  He leaves boast of friends who will miss him."

     I realize that last sentence is strange, but it is how the obit reads.

 






   

   


   

Sarah and Joseph lose another child

      Viola Emma Withrow was the fifth child born to Joseph and Sarah. She was the third child to die.  Less than two years had passed since the death of Aurilla when Emma, as she appears to have been called, died on April 25th 1888.  She was 20 years and 18 days old.  The following is part of her obituary:
      "She was ever a kind, obedient and loving girl to her aged father and mother, sisters and brother, and beloved by all who knew her, and by all schoolmates in particular.  She was ever a kind and dutiful daughter.  On Sabbath Eve. before she passed away her mother asked her if she was willing to die if God's will, and her answer was "Perfectly, perfectly."  She leaves behind her parents, brother and sister, although, two sister have gone before, both from the same grim monster "Consumption."  This has been truly a sorely afflicted family, and may the messenger of death stay his hand to them in the future."

     Now we know that Mary Kate, the first child, died of consumption before the family moved to their Greene County home.

     I am also a little taken back with the reference to Joseph and Sarah being aged parents. They were 57 and 54. Wow! I guess I must be really aged since that big birthday I just celebrated.

     After my mother died in 2003, I began going through the buffet where she kept special papers.  I found Viola Emma's obituary clipped from the newspaper over 100 years ago. One can certainly access this obituary on line, but I like having the original. Who clipped it? Did Sarah or one of her daughters. Great Grandma Estella was 12 at the time. Could it have been her? Whoever it was passed in on, and I eventually became the handler of this history.

 

     Sadly, I don't need another title for the next part of the story. Yes, Sarah and Joseph lost another child.  Their youngest child, Sarah Jane, was but 17 when she died on Sunday, October 25th, 1896.

     According to her obituary her cause of death was from being burned.  "It appears she had a spell of sickness some time ago and since has not been right in her mind and had to be watched. She had been left alone in the house and some way her clothes caught fire and burned her so badly that she died from the effects.  The burning occurred on Tuesday and she died the following Sunday."

      This was taken from her obituary which I also found in the buffet. It is very old and frail.

      Additionally, I found a newspaper notice of thanks.

      "We wish to thank the friends and neighbors who so kindly assisted in the care and last sad rite of our daughter Sadie.  Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Withrow."

     Another scrap of newspaper states, "Dr. Swartsell and wife have returned from an extended visit to a daughter in Iowa". A handwritten note indicates 1896. Did they come at the time of Sadie's death?

      I imagine that the younger Sarah Jane was nicked named Sadie to keep from confusing her with her mother. And remember,  Aurilla's wedding application listed her as Rilley.  I think the family might have liked nicknames.