Murphy, Julia (Scannell) 1825 - 1897

MURPHY, SCANNELL

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 9/1/2020 at 10:36:42

Elkader Register, Fri. morning, 12 Feb. 1897.

As the sun was slowly but grandly ascending in the eastern horizon, spreading light, congenial warmth and gladness o'er the earth on the morning of Thursday, February 4th, 1897, Mrs. Timothy Murphy, who had been ill for several weeks at her home in Littleport, bade farewell to all who were near and dear to her, and with her husband and nephew at her side and surrounded by kind friends and neighbors, at 8:20 a.m., the bright light of life departed and she passed away quietly and peacefully to her eternal reward.

Julia Scannell was born at New Market, County Cork, Ireland, Nov. 30th, 1825, and was therefore at the time of her death 71 years, 2 months and 4 days old. She emigrated to America in August 1850, landing at New York, going thence to Dover, New Hampshire, where several of her former friends and acquaintances resided. Here she remained until Feb. 15th, 1853, when she removed to Cincinnati, Ohio, where she was married on the 28th of the same month to Timothy Murphy, with whom she was acquainted in Ireland. The following day they departed for Cynthiana, Kentucky, where her three brothers were living. Here they remained till September, 1854, when they decided to follow the moving star of the Empire westward and purchase a farm in the then much talked of great state of Iowa.

They accordingly removed to Dubuque, Iowa, arriving there Sept. 26, of the same year, where they remained during the autumn and early winter. In the meantime her husband had entered a quarter section of government land in Lodomillo township, three miles west of Littleport where they moved January 19th, 1855, when southern Clayton county was a dense wilderness with settlers few and far between, deer, wolves and other wild animals abundant and bold and no roads to speak of. On this place they toiled together during summer's oppressive heat and scorching sun and winter's nipping frosts and raging storms for thirty-nine long years. In November, 1893, they sold the farm and Mach 12th, 1894, moved to Littleport, where she spent quietly and pleasantly the remainder of her declining years.

She had been in feeble health for several months but didn't take to her bed until Wednesday, Dec. 23d, 1896, which she was afterwards unable to leave. All that medical skill could do and careful nursing by kind friends was done for her but it was of no avail, her time had come and the will of her Creator had to be complied with.

She was kind and generous to all, ever ready to speak kind and consoling words to the needy and distressed and willing at all times to aid the unfortunate and deserving poor. Her familiar form, kind face, sweet voice and pleasant words will be sadly missed by all those who knew her

She was a faithful, devoted and a consistent member of the Catholic church and before her death was consoled by the solemn rites of her church, and went to meet her God contentedly and with unwavering fortitude, a beautiful example to the living, a happy consolation to the dying. She leaves an aged husband, one brother, Michael, of Missouri, a niece of the same place, and several nephews to mourn her loss.

The funeral was held at this place Saturday, the exercises being conducted by Rev. Father Dullard, who preached a forcible, sublime and very eloquent sermon on the "Immortality of the Soul", after which all that was mortal of the good and kind woman were conveyed to the cemetery south of town followed by a large concourse of sorrowing old neighbors and kind friends, and quietly and tenderly laid away in her last resting place. May her soul rest in peace and perpetual light shine upon her.