Orr, Margaret A. (Ellison) 1833-1929

ELLISON, ORR, CORNELL, WAUGH, MUSSER, CARTER, SWENSON

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 7/8/2012 at 22:23:40

Postville Herald, Postville, Iowa, Thursday, January 31, 1929.

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Mrs. James Orr, Oldest Postville Resident, Passes. Deceased Was A Pioneer Of This Section And Lived Here 73 Years. Was 95 Years Old.

Margaret Ann Ellison, daughter of James and Jane Ellison, was born at Tyrone, N.Y., November 28, 1833, and died at her home in Postville, Iowa, January 27, 1929. At the age of 22 she was married to James Orr of that place, on New Years Eve, 73 years ago. Previous to her marriage she had fitted herself for teaching at Starky Seminary. Against the wishes and advice of friends and relatives, Mr. and Mrs. Orr decided to make their home in the west, choosing the state of Iowa as a location. They traveled by rail as far as East Dubuque, then up the Mississippi River by boat to McGregor, and from there inland by stage and ox team. That was a novel ride for a bride, one who had never seen an ox team, and also a very humble home for a bride to be taken to, but it was the conventional cabin home of all pioneer settlers.

Seventy-three of her ninety-five years of life were spent in this vicinity. Their were the early cabin days, full of loneliness and hardships, yet there was a beauty and simplicity about it, the prairies covered with wildflowers, the pure air, and the song of many birds. She has often said that the twilight hour was always the loveliest, when the whip-poor-will would sit on the cabiin roof and sing his lovely song over and over.

Someone has said "Who shall write the epic of the sacrifices of the American pioneer woman ? What pen is worthy to tell the sublime tale ? What suffering they endured bringing forth children into the world and rearing them ! And the loneliness - the awful loneliness -they endured. Into the world out of their travail the women of the pioneers bore the men who have since made this republic great. Past when the pioneers flung the boundaries of our country from a little edge of the Atlantic seaboard to the sunset shore of the Pacific. It is the most stupendous achievment in all history and it would never have been were it not for the women of the pioneers.".

Mrs. Orr taught school those first few years, in the log school house near their cabin home, Mrs. McEwen of this place being one of her pupils, and since a lifelong friend. Accumilating more land, Mr. Orr built a new home on the main road, and the last thirty years or more, their home has been in the town of Postville.

Mrs. Orr was the first member of the former Congregational Church of Postville and is the oldest member of the present Community Presbyterian Church.

Though she was old in years, she was just as interested as a younger person in all the things taking place about her. Her greatest pleasure was in writing and receiving letters, and next to that, in riding.

The result of this one couple coming to this western land is a family totaling some sixty persons, including the seven children, eighteen grandchildren, eleven great-grandchildren, with their wives, husbands, and children.

There have never been any deaths in the immediate family, Mr. James Orr being the first recorded in the family Bible in the death column, and now Mrs. James Orr being the second. Of the other deaths, there have only been three - F. H. Welzel and infant son, and Mrs. Ellison Orr.

Ninety-five years is a long time to live. Mrs. Orr has been with her family so long - kept the home - that in some way they had the feeling it was to last always, that each year would bring still another year.

The funeral was held from the home at two o'clock Wednesday afternoon, Rev. R. F. Galloway conducting the services. Interment in the family plot in Postville Cemetery.

The following out-of-town relatives were in attendance at the funeral; Mrs A. E. Cornell, Los Angeles, Calif.; Miss Waugh, Manchester; Mr. and Mrs. F. M. Orr, Mr. and Mrs. Leighton Orr, Mrs. Creighton Orr, Mrs. Harold Orr, Merwin Musser, of Monona; Ellison Orr, Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Carter, of Waukon; Mr. and Mrs. Hall Swenson, Elkader.

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Added by Cheryl Locher Moonen on 3/27/2015:

MRS. JAMES ORR
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Postville, Ia., Jan. 31 – Special:
Mrs. James Orr, one of the pioneer women in this section of Iowa, passed away at her home Sunday night at 11:30 o’clock, at the age of 95 years.

Nee Margaret Ann Ellison, daughter of James and Jane Ellison, was born at Tryone, N.Y., Nov. 28, 1833. She was married to James Orr of that place on New Years Eve, 73 years ago. Prior to her marriage she had fitted herself for teaching at Stark Seminary. Mr. and Mrs. Orr decided to make their home in the west, choosing the state of Iowa as a location. They traveled by rail as far as East Dubuque, then up the river by boat to McGregor, and from there by stage and ox team. That was a novel ride for a bride, one who had never seen an ox team, and also a very humble home for a bride to be taken to, but it was the usual cabin home for all pioneer settlers.

Mrs. Orr taught school those first few years in the log school house near their cabin home, east of Postville. Accumulating more land, Mr. Orr built a new house on the main road and during the last thirty years their home was made in Postville.

Mrs. James Orr was the first member of the Congregational Church of Postville and is the oldest member of the Presbyterian Community Church. Though she was old in years, she was just as interested as a younger person in all the things taking place around her. Her greatest pleasure was in writing and receiving letters, and next to that, in riding.

The result of this one couple coming to this western land is a family totaling sixty persons, including the seven children, eighteen grandchildren, eleven great grandchildren, their wives, husbands and children.

There have never been any deaths in the immediate family, except the death of James Orr, her husband, seven years ago. She is survived by three sons, William Orr of Waukon, Ia. Darius Orr, of Postville, Ia., and Frank Orr of Monona, Ia., and four daughter, Mrs. Jenni Leui of Postville,., Mrs. Mate Welzel, of Postville, Mrs. A. C. Cornell, of Los Angeles, Calif. , and Miss Olive Orr of Postville.

Funeral services were held at the home of the deceased Wednesday Jan. 30, at 2 o’clock with the Rev. F. Galloway of the Presbyterian Church officiating. Interment was made in the Postville Cemetery.

~Dubuque Telegraph Herald Jan. 1929