Catherine Fridley 1822-1909

FRIDLEY, COOPER, CANTONWINE, SIGUS, NIBLOCK, BARBER, MATES

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 5/21/2016 at 09:36:51

17 September 1909 - The Lowden News

Great-Great Grandmother Died.

Resided in Clinton and Cedar Counties for 67 Years

Catherine Cooper was born in Ohio on June 16th, 1822. She died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Lydia Cantonwine, at Massillon, Cedar county, Iowa, on September 10th, 1909, at 5 o'clock a.m., at the age of eighty-seven years, two months and twenty-five days. Deceased was married in Ohio to James Shoemaker and shortly after they came to Iowa, arriving at the Wapsipinicon at where is now Toronto, on Nov. 9th, 1842. Mr. Shoemaker, after a continuous resident in and near Toronto, died near that place in 1876. His widow, some years after, was married again to Wm. Fridley. The later died in Feb. 1899. Fifteen years ago Mr. and Mrs. Fridley took up their home with her daughter, Mrs. Lydia Cantonwine, at Massillon, and resided their until the end of their lives.

Mrs. Fridley was healthful and hardy, before old age wore down health and vigor. Tireless work and hardships of early pioneer life only served in keeping up cheerfulness and the best of health; and also later during the many years of pleasant enjoyment of life's comfort, as also during days of sorrow she always retained good health, but during the past decade her health gradually declined, and she has been blind for these ten years. Early last spring she began to fail more rapidly, and she had to remain in bed steady since June 1st. During the past six weeks she was entirely helpless. Her daughter and granddaughter, Mrs. Mary Niblock and Mrs. Bessie Mates, both of St. Paul, Minn., were with her during these last few weeks, helping Mrs. Cantonwine to minister to the wants of the invalid. Let it be said right here, that Mrs. Cantonwine certainly deserves credit for faithfully and untiringly taking the best of care of her mother, blind and feeble, as the later was during these late years. A couple of paralytic strokes during Mrs. Fridley's last days, aided other infirmities of old age to bring the end. Death no doubt came to her as a welcome visitor.

All of Mrs. Fridley's brothers and sisters died before she did. Her youngest brother died five years ago at the age of sixty years, and her youngest sister died four years ago at the age of sixty-three years, but there survive to mourn Mother Fridley's demise three sons and four daughters, also seventeen grandchildren, eighteen great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. Mrs. Fridley's children, who survive her, are Mrs. Sarah Sigus of St. Paul, Minn; James Shoemaker of Prairie du Chien, Wis., George Shoemaker of Harlan, Shelby Co., Iowa; Mrs. Lydia Cantonwine of Massillon, Iowa, John F. Shoemaker of Rockwell City, Calhoun Co., Iowa; Mrs. Mary Niblock of St. Paul, Minn., and Mrs. Maggie Barber of Oakland, Calif.

Deceased was a member of the United Brethren church, which church she joined nearly forty years, but there being no church of that denomination near she for many years attended the Methodist church at Massillon, while yet able to attend.

Funeral occurred Monday forenoon with service in the Massillon church and interment in the Toronto cemetery. Rev. Willis Carl of Oxford Junction officiated.

The fact that the deceased came here at a very early date, leads us into the history of the first settlers, and we will add the following general remarks.

Mrs. Fridley and her first husband, Mr. Shoemaker, were among the first settlers on the banks of the Wapsi north and northeast of here. They came here when Davenport was but the only town in this part of the state, and there were but a very few farm houses. While south and southwest of here fifteen or twenty miles, a few settlers came as early as 1836; and in 1837 a few came also to this (Springfield) township. On the Wapsi the white people did not locate until about 1840. When the Shoemaker's came there in 1842 Indians were still neighbors of the new settlers. Iowa was still but a territory, and did not become a state until 1846.

Shortly after the Shoemaker family came to Toronto Mr. Shoemaker helped George Thorn in building the first dam and mill. Soon after Mr. Thorn also built a small store and named the place Toronto. They had to get their mail at Denson's Ferry, (now called Massillon), it being at that time the only post office in this vicinity. After the Mill was completed Mr. Shoemaker worked in the same for twenty one years, after that he worked about, and also farmed some. During this time that James Shoemaker and wife and children resided in Toronto many towns and cities were built in this part of the state.

The early settlers blazed their way from the wilderness to civilization, over-powering all sorts of hardships with great fortitude. Men and women alike were hard workers. These old pioneers deserve praise, highest respects, honor and thanks of the present generation, and generations to come. These first settlers here built roads, mills, houses, churches, etc., they with the most primitive tools converted the wilderness into farm lands, laying here the scenes for golden grainfields, and for the world's most renowned "corn belt", at the same time they began to erect school houses, laying foundations for better education, in the later project the women as active as the men. The women shared hardships and privations with the men in these early pioneer days, the women also made most of the clothing worn by the family, they prepared substantial and delicious meals from what the local soil produced, no factory preparations were at hand; it was work, work, hard work, that made these pioneers win prosperity.

There are not many of these old settlers left here now. Before long they will pass away, but their deeds during pioneer life will always remain a bright spot in the history of the state.