Mattie Stephenson Kesslar 1851-1933

KESSLAR, STEPHENSON, LILLIE, LILLEY, SCHLEE, WILDER

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 3/17/2015 at 23:21:47

Mrs. Kessler [Kesslar] Passes Away
Death Is Result of Apoplexy
Mrs. Mattie Kesslar, 82, a resident of Estherville for 30 years, died suddenly from apoplexy at 10:45 this morning at the home of her son-in-law, Chief of Police J.C. Lilley.

Born in Harrisburg, Pa., Mrs. Kesslar has lived here continuously since 1903. She has been almost totally blind since her daughter, Mrs. Lilley, died three years ago.

Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. tomorrow at the Lilley home, 815 E. Howard, after which the body will be taken to Oswego, Ill. for burial.

Two sisters, Mrs. C. H. Wilder and Miss Anna Stephenson, both of Sandwich, Ill., survive. A nephew, Guy F. Wilder, lives in Estherville. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, June 22, 1933)

2 Well-Known Women of This Community Die
Mrs. Albert Swartz and Mrs. Mattie Kessler Answer Last Call
Two well known women of this community have passed to their reward, Mrs. Albert Swartz last evening at four o’clock and Mrs. Mattie Kessler, mother-in-law of John Lilley at 11:15 today. The immediate cause of Mrs. Kessler’s death was a stroke of apoplexy.

Made Home With Daughter
Mrs. Mattie Stephenson Kessler [Kesslar], 82, came to Estherville in 1900 to make her home with her daughter, Mrs. J.C. Lilley, following the death of her husband and daughter Mrs. Henry Schlee at Sandwich, Ill. She has resided here since that time. Mrs. Lilley passed away on March 13, 1930 but Mrs. Kesslar continued to make her home with her son-in-law.

She was born Nov. 17, 1851 in Harrisburg, Pa. There are two sisters surviving Mrs. Kesslar, Mrs. Emma Wilder and Miss Anna Stephenson both of Sandwich. The last surviving brother died three weeks ago and Mrs. Kesslar’s only son was drowned in a spring at the age of four.

Funeral services will be held tomorrow (Friday) at three o’clock from the Lilley home. The body will be taken to Illinois for burial. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, June 22, 1933)

Mrs. Mattie Kesslar Resident Here for 30 Years Passes Away
Mrs. Mattie Kesslar, who has resided in Estherville with her daughter, Mrs. John Lilley, and since she passed away, with Mr. Lillie, passed away at his home on last Thursday morning. She had been in poor health for some time past. That morning she did not seem as well as usual and MR. Olson who has cared for her, became frightened and called Mr. Lilley. He called medical aid but she had passed away quietly and suddenly.

Mrs. Kesslar came to this city some thirty years ago to reside with her daughter. She has lived at the Lilley home since her arrival here. At the death of Mrs. Lilley she remained with her son-in-law.

Mrs. Kesslar was a fine neighbor and friend, a wonderful character, patient and kind. She was eighty-two years of age at her death.

The remains were taken to Oswego, Ill., where they were laid to rest in the family lot. There was a brief funeral service here on Friday afternoon. Mr. Lilley accompanied the remains and will remain there for a few days.

Mrs. Mattie Stephenson Kesslar
A woman, known wherever she has lived for her kindly and lovable character, a mother to more than her immediate family, a sincere Christian in every sense of the word, Mrs. Kesslar has entered into a well earned rest.

She was born Mattie Stephenson on the 17th of November, 1851, at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. With her father’s family she came at an early age to Sandwich, Illinois. Here she married Christian Kesslar and together they set up their home. Three children were born to them, a son, LeRoy, who died in infancy, and two daughters, Mrs. Henry Schlee who died in 1900 and Mrs. J.C. Lilley, our late friend and neighbor who died the 31st of March 1930. Mrs. Kessler came to live in this community in the fall of 1900 upon the death of her husband and has since made her home in the family of her son-in-law, J.C. Lilley.

Mrs. Kesslar has been a Christian since early girlhood, being a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and a sincere and valued worker in it. While strength lasted she worked in the Ladies Aid Society, the Missionary Society and in the Woman’s Bible Class of the Church School.

Mrs. Kesslar’s sole surviving relatives here are her son-in-law, J.C. Lilley, and her nephew, G.F. Wilder. Two sisters, Mrs. Emma Wilder and Miss Anna Stephenson, live in Sandwich, Illinois.

Ever since the death of her daughter, Mrs. Kesslar, then quite frail, has been failing. Quite blind, almost deaf, and extremely weak, she was uncomplainingly cheerful and hopeful and trustful in her attitude towards life. She died suddenly from apoplexy at 10:45 o’clock on Thursday morning, June 22, 1933. Funeral services were held at 3 p.m. on Friday at the home of her son-in-law, Chief of Police J.C. Lilley, after which the body was taken to Oswego, Illinois, for burial in the family plot beside her late husband. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, June 28, 1933)