Murphy, Ann (Carroll) 1827 - 1897

MURPHY, CARROLL, SHARP

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 8/5/2021 at 20:31:23

Elkader Register, Friday morning, 26 Mar. 1897.

At Clayton, Iowa, March 17th, 1897, at 12:30 p.m., occurred the death of Mrs. Ann Murphy at the age of nearly 70 years. Mrs. Murphy, whose maiden name was Ann Carroll, was born at Castle Comer, Kilkenny county, Ireland, Sept. 1st, 1827. She arrived at New York, on Easter Sunday, March 1st,(looks like 1850), moved to Clayton, Clayton county, arriving Aug. 31st, 1855, where she lived with her sister, Mrs. Henry Sharp, who was with her in her last hours. She was united in marriage to Patrick Murphy in May, 1857. When she lost her husband she was left with four little children to support with the aid of her needle only, which was used used day after day and year after year with untiring energy; night after night the midnight candle burned that her little ones might have the plain food necessary to keep hunger from them, even if she went supperless to bed they were supplied. The toil went on until the older boys began to bring in their mites, then their wages were thrown in the savings, a home was bought and plenty took the place of want. The struggle for bread was over, but at what a sacrifice. Her health had been impaired, her eyes had been over taxed and could not respond to their former work, if it had been necessary. The closing years of her life were years of peace.

Being of a retiring disposition she has lived a quiet life with her two remaining children, William, now of Janesville, Wis., and Nellie who lived with her mother and her sister, Mrs. Henry Sharp, as almost her only companions she has passed her last day in peace. Her flowers, of which she was passionately fond, has been her recreation, in the care of which she has passed many happy hours with those choice flowers of which her children furnished her always over-crowded stands. We know she must have looked back with pleasure to her happy childhood and early married life, and to the almost dark page of her life when left alone with those four little ones. Her love for them made the dark page light and mother never faltered in her work, never shirked the care and work that was mixed more with toil, care and privation than pleasure, she cared not for that, but encircled the little ones with her tired arms, perhaps almost forgetting that the Father's eye is on the friendless ones. Then the beautiful closing days of her checkered life, when peace mixed with suffering was he daily crow and cross she lived very near to her God, and died with never a murmur but with a "Thy will be done."

Her remains were taken to Garnavillo for burial, Rev. Father Readler officiating at the Requiem Mass.

"May her soul and the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of Christ, rest in peace."