Mary E. [Blaut] Abraham, 1857-1961

ABRAHAM, BLAUT, DONNELLY, NELSON, POLLEY, CORNTHWAITE, BEISER, FINLAY, GRAFFT, MATHEWS, JAY, GALER, CAMPBELL, CORNICK, WRIGHT, TWEEDY, ZINK

Posted By: Pat Ryan White (email)
Date: 11/5/2006 at 13:45:46

MRS. ABRAHAM, 103, WIDOW OF CIVIL WAR VETERAN, DIES

Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Abraham, 103, died at the home of her son, Frank Abraham, 902 Cherry Circle, about 4 a.m. Friday, May 12, after a short illness.

The daughter of Peter and Katherine Shearer Blaut, she was born Nov. 18, 1857 at Hamilton, Ohio. She had been a resident of Henry county and Mt. Pleasant for 70 years.

On October 12, 1891, she was married to Capt. Lot Abraham, Civil War veteran, who preceded her in death on July 23, 1920. She is the last of her family of eight brothers and sisters.

She was the oldest member of the American Legion Auxiliary, State of Iowa, being a charter member of the local Auxiliary. For over 60 years she was a member of the Pleasant Hill Good Samaritan Society.

She was one of the few remaining widows of Civil War veterans, and despite her age she maintained a keen interest in local and national politics and events.

Surviving are her son and daughter-in-law, Frank and Cora Abraham, of Mt. Pleasant, and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday at the R. K. Crane Funeral Home. The Rev. E. A. Mathews will officiate, with interment in Forest Home cemetery.

Friends may call at the Crane funeral home as they desire.
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SERVICES HELD FOR MARY ABRAHAM

Funeral services for Mary E. Abraham were held Monday afternoon at the R. K. Crane Funeral Home. Dr. E. A. Mathews described the late centenarian as a lady of keen mind, who despite her age, maintained an interest in national and community affairs.

From the Hamilton [Ohio] Journal and Daily News, May 13, 1961. “ She was born near Hamilton, Ohio, Nov. 18, 1857 - a member of a pioneer Butler county family. She was married to Lot Abraham, a Captain in the Civil War, who gained distinction in fighting along the Mississippi River, at Vicksburg, and with Sherman in Georgia. Until her death Mrs. Abraham took an active interest in national and local affairs, political, church and social. She never missed voting in a presidential election, even voting in November, 1960. She will long be remembered for her vitality and interest in everything.”

She leaves her son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Abraham; nieces and nephews, Mrs. Frances Donnelly, Miss Clara Nelson and Paul Nelson, all of Mt. Pleasant; Mrs. Edna Polley of Union City, Ind.; Mrs. Forrest Cornthwaite of Seven Mile, Ohio; Maynard Blaut, Mrs. Luther Beiser and Harry Finlay, all of Hamilton, Ohio, and Miss Marjorie Grafft, also of Hamilton, a devoted niece of Lot Abraham, with many other relatives of the Abraham family who have given her much enjoyment.

Those assisting with the services were Dr. E. A. Mathews and the Rev. H. Russell Jay, Mrs. Ben Galer at the organ, and Margaret Layer and Jean Shook, who presented a vocal duet.

Bearers were Glenn Campbell, Parke Cornick, Frank Wright, R. J. Tweedy, Will Campbell and Harry Zink. Interment was in Forest Home cemetery.

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These unnamed, undated newspaper obituaries are currently in the possession of Mary [Blaut] Abraham's great-granddaughter, Martha [Wright] Allen, Mt. Pleasant, IA. [November 2006]