Abagail "Gail" Horswell 1874-1920

HORSWELL, HANSEN, HANSAN

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 4/2/2011 at 13:05:11

Abagail Horswell Passes to Great Beyond
Was Well Known as an Instructor in Many Schools of This and Other States
Abagail Horswell, daughter of Rev. and Mrs. J. R. Horswell, was born in the Methodist parsonage at Alden, Iowa, March 2, 1874, and died at the home of her parents in Estherville, Iowa, on Monday morning, February 23, 1920, at ten minutes after three o’clock.

She received her public school education in the several communities where her father was stationed as the minister, and finished her high school work at Bedford, Iowa, when only sixteen years of age, after which she spent five years in Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, where she graduated with honors at the age of only twenty-one years. Immediately she entered upon her life’s work as a teacher giving many years to the public schools of Emmet county, a part of which time was spent in the Estherville schools.

Four years ago she went south and accepted a position in the Bennett Academy at Mathison, Mississippi, a school under the direction of the Woman’s Home Missionary Society of her church. The field of opportunity here was a large one and she threw her full strength into the work and for three years gave of the very best in her life for those boys and girls from the “hill country” of north Mississippi. Last summer at the earnest solicitation of the Upper Iowa University authorities she was prevailed upon to accept a professorship in that institution and entered upon her duties with the opening of the school year.

She was very ambitious and always felt very definitely her responsibility for the faithful discharge of all duties and obligations. As a result her work was always very heavy. Some weeks ago she grew tired and weary and about two weeks ago was compelled to seek rest and recuperation. Accordingly she asked for a week’s relief and came home on Monday, February 16th. Steadily, however, her strength seemed to slip away, though her condition was not thought to be alarming until Sunday last when it was discovered that if immediate relief could not be found the end was near. Though the family and neighbors, together with medical aid, did their best to prevent it, she slipped out and away from them during the early hours Monday morning.

Besides her father and mother, she leaves to mourn her loss four brothers and one sister, viz: Dr. Murton Horswell of Waseca, Wisconsin; John S. of Harris, Iowa; Mrs. Floy Hansan [Hansen] and Joy R. and Hugo W. of Estherville, and a number of other relatives in other parts of the country.

Funeral services will be held from the Methodist church on Thursday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock and the body buried in the family lot in Oak Hill cemetery. (Estherville Democrat, Estherville, IA, February 25, 1920)

The Vindicator and Republican includes: This community was deeply shocked and grieved last Monday morning when the news passed from mouth to mouth that Miss Abagail Horswell had passed on to her final reward. Miss Horswell had been at the home of her parents in this city for a few days resting from her duties as a teacher in the Upper Iowa University. Her death was unexpected by friends and family.

Miss Horswell had acquired a splendid reputation as a teacher throughout the middle west and had held some positions of responsibility during the past few years. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, February 25, 1920)

The many friends of Miss Gail Horswell were shocked Monday morning to hear of her sudden death. (Estherville Democrat, Estherville, IA, February 25, 1920)