Sarah Winters Skipton, died May 20, 1908

SKIPTON, WINTERS, JOHNSON

Posted By: Pat Ryan White (email)
Date: 6/26/2011 at 11:13:06

HAS PASSED AWAY
MRS. SARAH SKIPTON LAYS DOWN LIFE'S BURDENS AT EIGHTY-THREE.

Well Known Pioneer Succumbs to the Ravages of Advanced Age - Had Been in This County Nearly Half a Century.

Last evening shortly after eight o'clock occurred the death of Mrs. Sarah Skipton, one of the pioneer women of the county and one of its best and most respected citizens, at the home of her devoted son, Douglass Skipton, on North Lincoln street. Mrs. Skipton's death came to relieve her of many weeks of illness and she passed away in her eighty-third year.

The funeral services will take place at the Hickory Grove church tomorrow [Friday] afternoon at two o'clock, and she will be buried in the cemetery there by the side of her husband, who passed away nearly thirty years ago.

Sarah Winters was born in Lincoln shire, England, over eighty-three years ago, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Winters. The family came to this country when Sarah was but eleven years of age and first settled in Pennsylvania near Pittsburgh. Later they moved to Ohio and in 1851 came to Iowa locating in Des Moines county. Here she was married to Francis Skipton, who at once purchased a large tract of government land in Canaan township in this county and moved on to it. Mrs. Skipton's parents also bought land in the same neighborhood and lived on it for years.

Mr. Skipton died about thirty years ago and Mrs. Skipton remained on the old home place until last March, when she and her youngest son, Douglass, moved to town.

There were five children in the family, two of whom - John H. and Caroline are dead, and three remain - Mrs. Lucy Johnson, of Washington county, Kansas; Frank, of Shickley, Nebr., and Douglas, of this city.

For many years the Skipton name has stood for upright manhood and womanhood in this county and the Skiptons have been among our very best people and none better known or held in higher regard. The passing away of this old mother at the ripe old age to which she attained will be learned with regret and genuine sorrow, although the time had come when it was meet that she should lay down the burdens of life.

[Thursday, May 21, 1908, 'Mt. Pleasant News']