Louisa Blake (Houston) Ragan - (1852-1926)

HOUSTON, RAGAN, HENSHAW, BRYANT, NELSEN, NELSON, MOORE

Posted By: Ken Akers (email)
Date: 9/28/2010 at 21:11:56

Audubon County Journal (IA)
Jan. 21, 1926, pg. 1
FORMER EXIRA MILLINER
PASSED AWAY AT NEWTON

--------

The death of Mrs. Louisa Ragan
occurred at her home in Newton last
Saturday, January 16. The remains
were brought to Exira Wednesday and
laid to rest in the Exira cemetery.
Death was due to bronchial pneu-
monia.

Louisa Blake Ragan was the
daughter of the late A. B. Houston
and wife, early settlers of this coun-
ty, and was born in Tennessee Novem-
ber 18, 1852. She came to this county
with her parents and lived here un-
til about 1905. She conducted a mil-
inery store here for many years, later
moving to Newton where she con-
tinued in this line of work. Her hus-
band has been dead for many years
and her son, Matt Ragan, died about
eight yeas ago.

She is survived by three brothers,
H. B. Houston of Ulvade, Texas; C.
W. Houston of Los Angeles, Calif.,
and Lona Houston of this place; two
sisters, Mrs. Geo. Henshaw of De-
land, Florida, and Mrs. Mary Bryant
of Newton, besides may other rela-
tives.

Mrs. Geo. Henshaw and Mrs. Mary
Bryant, sisters; Dr. Chas. Henshaw
of Des Moines, Don Bryant of Daven-
port and Harry Nelsen of Newton,
nephews, accompanied the remains
here for burial.

Audubon County Journal (IA)
Jan. 28, 1926, pg. 8

OBITUARY

The following article was taken
from the January 18th issue of The
Newton Daily News, published at
Newton, Iowa:

Mrs. L. B. Ragan, pioneer business
woman of Iowa, died at the home of
her sister, Mrs. T. G. Bryant early
Sunday morning from heart trouble
and complications which developed
following influenza.

For the past six months Mrs. Ra-
gan has been in failing health. When
she was taken ill several weeks ago
with influenza she was suffering from
a bronchial trouble. This made her
illness at that time serious. She
seemed to recover and was able to
return to her millinery shop, where
she continued to work until a couple
of days ago.

Her heart seemed to be in good
condition until her illness a few weeks
ago and the demands made on it at
that time were indirectly the cause
of her last relapse.

Many in Newton will remember
Mrs. Ragan as the nearest and most
accommodating friend. Interest in
Mrs. Ragan's life have centered around
her near friends and relatives. Her
business, too, was the one pride of
her life. For 23 years she has owned
and managed one of the leading mill-
inery shops in Newton.

Prior to coming here she lived with
her family in Exira, Ia, where she
was, also engaged in the millinery
work. She perhaps was one of the
oldest milliners in the state. For
more than a half century she has
been engaged in this work.

Mrs. Ragan was 73 years old.

When she was a child her parents,
Mr. and Mrs. M. J. (should be A. B.) Houston moved to
Exira, from Williamsport, Tenn.
There she met and married Matthew
J. Ragan. To this union was born
one son, Matthew, Jr.

Both Mr. Ragan and his son pre-
ceded Mrs. Ragan in death. Mr. Ra-
gan died a number of years ago and
Matthew, Jr. died seven years ago in
Newton.

Surviving Mrs. Ragan are her two
sisters, Mrs. George Henshaw who is
coming from DeLand, Fla., Mrs. Mary
L. Bryant of Newton, her three bro-
thers, C. W. Houston of Los Angeles,
Calif., H. R. Houston of Uvalde, Tex.,
and R. L. Houston of Exira. She also
leaves her nieces, Mrs. Frang Hill
and Mrs. Harry Nelson of Newton
and a nephew, Donald Bryant of Dav-
enport. A number of other nieces
and nephews are also left.

Funeral services for Mrs. Ragan
will be held at 7:30 o'clock tomorrow
evening at the home of Mrs. Bryant
and Rev. W. R. Moore, pastor of the
Presbyterian church will have charge
of the services.

Burial will be made in the Exira
cemetery by the side of her husband
and son.

Note: Exira, Iowa Sesqui History Book (1857-2007), page 197