Sarah Elizabeth Farrell King

KING, FARRELL, STRAIN

Posted By: Marlene Skalberg (email)
Date: 2/28/2012 at 18:37:01

A tragic discovery was made here about 7:30 Tuesday evening when Mrs. Sarah King was found dead in her home on South Main Street. The last she was seen alive was on Sunday when she entertained her son, Herbert and family from Villisca and her daughter and husband Mr. and Mrs. D. K. Strain. The Strain family did not leave until late Sunday evening and she seemed at that time in her usual health which was fair for a woman of her advanced age of 76 years. At about 3 o'clock the following morning the parties on the telephone line and the operator heard a peculiar irregular ringing and when an answer was made no response was heard. Even then their suspicions were not aroused nor were they the following day, Tuesday, when a search was made to discover what had deadened the line and her house was found closed and locked as she was in the habit of leaving for a few days visit with her son Herbert or nephew Clarence Frame at Villisca without apprising the neighbors of her intentions. Monday and Tuesday had been very busy for the daughter, Mrs. Strain, who lived but a block distant, and it was not until Tuesday evening that she was free to call on her mother. When she found the house locked, she grew suspicious and looked through the dining room window and saw her mother deceased in her night clothing sitting in a small rocker by the telephone and the receiver was hanging by her side. Help was then summoned and entrance made through a window. The bed was found unmade and another proof that death must have occurred early Monday morning was the fact that Lloyd Means who delivers milk there had found the milk which he had delivered early Monday morning still on the porch when he went again on Tuesday morning, as was also the badly discolored condition of the body when found.
Sarah Elizabeth Farrell was born in Zanesville, Ohio, December 14, 1844 and passed to her reward from her home in Nodaway, August 8th, 1921, at the age of 76 years, 7 months, and 24 days.
She was married to Lyman King at Zanesville, Ohio in 1882. They moved to Iowa in the spring of 1883, settling on a farm near Nodaway. In 1902 they moved to the home in Nodaway, where she died. Mr. King having preceded her in death over eighteen years ago.
No children were born to this union, but she was a true mother to Mrs. King's three children, two of whom, Mrs. Dan Strain of Nodaway and Herbert King of Villisca remain to mourn her departure. Clarence Frame, a nephew made his home with her after twelve years of age.
Mrs. King was of a family of seven children of which two brothers remain, William Farrell of Cumberland, Ohio and Robert Farrell of Taylorsville, Ohio. Besides these she leaves a number of nieces and nephews with a large circle of friends and neighbors who are saddened by her departure.
She united with the Methodist Episcopal Church at Nodaway in June 1904, but much of the time of late has not been able to attend the services. Soon after the organization of the local chapter of the W. R. C. she became a member.
Funeral services was conducted by Rev. Carpenter, the pastor who received here into the church. The W. R. C. also had charge of the funeral services. Interment was in the Nodaway Cemetery beside her husband.
Mrs. King was an unusually lovable lady being of a very broad minded and pleasant disposition and her death has brought sadness to the entire community.
Adams County Free Press, August 13, 1921, page 5