Mrs. HARVEY (Orpha Payne) FRENCH 1863-1947

SPRINGSTEAD, PAYNE, FRENCH, DUNDEE, LENNON, STADER, NANEY, JAGGERSON, WINDELL, LAWRENCE, MCLEAD

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 5/24/2005 at 14:04:53

Mrs. Harvey French Pioneer Mother Passes On Thursday

Funeral services were held Sunday afternoon for Mrs. Harvey French, 84, who had passed away Thursday morning following a lingering illness. The Rev. Frederick R. Ludwig, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran church conducted the services, first at 1:30 in the Schutte funeral home, and at two o'clock in St. Paul's church. Interment was in the Postville cemetery.

As Orpha Payne, she was born March 10, 1863, in Canada as the daughter of Elan and Sarah Springstead Payne. When she was one year old, she accompanied her parents to Iowa.

She was married to Harvey French on September 14, 1879, and to this union ten children were born of whom eight survive, namely, Etta, Mrs. Will Dundee of near Volney; James French of Lanark, Ill.; Mrs. Cora Lennon of Postville; Jane, Mrs. John Stader of Seattle, Wash.; Roy French of Elkader; John French of Postville; Lydia, Mrs. Newton Naney of Fairfield, Ill.; Evelyn, Mrs. Francis Jaggerson of Decorah.

She is also survived by 16 grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren, three sisters and one brother. The latter are Mrs. Will Windell of Algona, Mrs. Ella Lawrence of Oregon. Mrs. B. M. McLead of Washington, D. C., and Dr. Ira Payne of Bridgewater, So. Dak.

For many years the French family lived on their farm northwest of Postville and upon retiring they moved to Postville. Mr. French and two sons, Charles and Thomas, passed away a number of years ago.

Postville Herald newspaper clipping, hand dated 1947 - contributed by Mary Durr