Rachel Louisa Burk

BURK, PETERS, LYONS, BYRNES, SHERMAN, SNYDER

Posted By: C. Diamond - IAGenWeb volunteer (email)
Date: 9/8/2012 at 10:28:54

Elgin Echo,
Elgin, Fayette Co., Iowa
14 Jan 1932
Column four

RACHEL LOUISA BURK
Rachel Louisa Peters, daughter of William and Mary Peters, was born in Springfield, Illinois, on May 9, 1847, and died at her home in West Union, Iowa, on Wednesday morning, Jan. 6, 1932, aged eighty-four years, seven months and twenty-seven days. She was one of a family of six children, five brothers and one daughter. Her three oldest brothers enlisted in the Union army and were placed under General Sherman. They were Rufus , John and Roe. These have proceeded her in death. She is survived by two younger brothers, Sevine, of Glenfield, N. D., and Henry, of Bemidji, Minnesota. She came to Fayette county with her parents when a small girl and lived here until she grew to womanhood. She was united in marriage to Albert P. Lyon at West Union, on Feb. 15, 1868. Shortly after their marriage they settled in Elgin, where were born to them seven children, six sons and on daughter. Their names are, Bradley, who died in infancy; Charles, who resides at Clermont; William, who has been living with his mother; Delbert, who resides at Elgin; Merton, who died ten years ago, and Burton, who resides at Cedar Rapids and carries the name of James Byrnes, Byrnes being the surname of his faster parents; Tillie, who died at the age of twenty-two.

She was married a second time on Dec. 23, 1882, to John Burk, at West Union. They passed the early years of their wedded life on a farm south of Brainard. To them were born on child, Andrew J., who died when eight months old. Later due to the ill health of the husband, they left the farm and moved into Brainard, where the husband died, and where she remained until twelve years ago, when she moved to West Union and purchased the present home. She is survived by four sons, two brothers and eight grandchildren. These with many old friends and neighbors will cherish the memory of her kindly fellowship.

The funeral services were held in St. Paul’s M. E. church at Elgin, on Friday afternoon at one o’clock. The hymns were sung by the Illyria male quartette. Rev. J. J. Snyder conducted the services and burial was made in the Brainard cemetery.