Barbara Brainard 1860-1929

BRAINARD, MCWILLIAMS, SIMONS, VICKERY, HARRIS, ENYART, LAWSON, TAYLOR, SWENSON, WICKHAM, GIBSON

Posted By: SGF (email)
Date: 1/6/2003 at 03:49:40

Barbara Brainard, daughter of Nathaniel and Mary McWilliams, was born in Pitsligo, Scotland, Jan. 21, 1860, and died Dec. 26, 1929. When seven years of age she came with her parents to Iowa. They located near Postville, in the vicinity of Bethel, and the remainder of her life was spent in this locality. She was married to Edgar Brainard, Sept. 22, 1879. To them were born eight children. Those living are Mrs. May Simons of Marengo, Ill.; Mrs. Millie Vickery of Postville, Mrs. Arvilla Harris of Castalia, Nellie, George, Ralph and Genevieve of Postville. The husband and eldest son, James, preceded her in death. She is survived by twenty-two grandchildren, three brothers and three sisters -- James, William and Aleck McWilliams, Mrs. James Brainard, Mrs. Ellen Enyart and Mrs. Annie Lawson. Also the following half-sisters and one half-brother -- Mrs. Margaret Taylor, Mrs. Eliza Swenson, Mrs. Mary Wickham, Mrs. Catherine Gibson and John McWilliams. When a young girl she joined the Congregational church at McGregor, later transferring her membership to the Bethel U.B. church. Funeral services, which were largely attended, were held at the Bethel U.B. church last Saturday afternoon, conducted by Rev. R.F. Galloway, pastor of the Postville Community Presbyterian church. Mrs. Brainard was held in highest esteem by a large circle of friends during all the years of her residence in this locality, where she was known to all as a splendid christian woman, a devoted wife, kind mother, good neighbor and firm friend, and all who came within the circle of her acquaintance will learn of her passing with regret and extend tenderest sympathy to those bound to her by closer ties. Relatives and friends from a distance in attendance were James McWilliams and son Earl of Minneapolis; Mrs. May Simons of Marengo, Ill.; Mrs. Irene Raymon, Hormel, Minn.; John McWilliams, Mr. and Mrs. Will McWilliams and daughter Irene of Waukon; Will Brainard and Roy Rasheim of McGregor; Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Knuppe, Decorah; Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Klepper and Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Stockon, of WAukon; Mr. and Mrs. John Ehde of Dorchester. Six nephews of the deceased acted as pall bearers: James and Hollis Enyart, William and Elmer Brainard, Earl McWilliams and Elwood Lawson.

source: Postville Herald Jan. 2, 1930