Martha Elizabeth MacGregor Leslie 1850-1921

LESLIE, MACGREGOR, LILLIE, JONES, PURCELL

Posted By: Mike Kearney (email)
Date: 12/2/2007 at 18:56:45

Obituary: The Clinton Herald Wednesday January 26, 1921 p. 6 Martha Elizabeth MacGregor Leslie, widow of the late James Leslie, passed peacefully away shortly after 6 o'clock last night, as she sat in a chair before a grate fire in her home, 434 Seventh avenue. She was found by her son, Donald E. Leslie, about 6:15 o'clock, as he returned from his duties at the James Leslie Co. store in Fifth avenue. While her death was entirely unexpected, it followed many months of general ill health. Funeral services will be held at 3:30 o'clock tomorrow afternoon at the late home, with Rev. E.H. Shanks, former pastor of the First Baptist church, officiating. Interment will be in Springdale cemetery. In the death of Mrs. Leslie came the passing of another of Clinton's pioneer residents. She had been identified with the city's history for the past 60 years. Born in Boxford, Mass., January 21, 1850, she had just passed her seventy-first birthday. She was a daughter of Thomas Johnston MacGregor and Hanna S. MacGregor. About 60 years ago, Mrs. Leslie came to Clinton with her mother, who in the meantime following the death of her first husband, had become Mrs. Hannah S. Jones. For a number of years, Mrs. Jones served as deaconness in the Congregational church. The Jones' home was established in Seventh avenue, so throughout her life as a Clinton resident, Mrs. Leslie made her home in that avenue. Mrs. Leslie was educated in the Clinton public schools, for which she graduated and attended Cornell college at Mt. Vernon. She was married here to James Leslie 50 years ago, November 18, 1920, Mr. Leslile preceding her in death a year ago last March. Mrs. Leslie was prominent in Baptist church circles, being for nearly fifty years treasurer of the ladies' aid and the missionary societies of that church, with which she had been identified more than half a century. As a mother, however, her memory will be more greatly revered, particularly by her two surviving sons, James MacGregor Leslie and Donald E. Leslie. Two other children also were born to Mr. and Mrs. Leslie, Gertrude, who later became Mrs. Park Lillie and is now deceased, and Robert J. Leslie, who died 35 years ago yesterday. She also leaves two brothers, H.B. Jones of Clinton and Walter Howe Jones of New York city; four grandchildren, Evelyn Lillie, now Mrs. M.W. Purcell of Clinton, James Lillie at the State University of Iowa at Iowa City, Margaret Leslie and Catherine Leslie of Clinton; and two great-grandchildren, Donald and Martin Purcell of Clinton.