HOLDER, Saloma (1833-1931)

HOLDER

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 9/6/2020 at 22:19:02

Saloma Holder
(June 7, 1833 - July 30, 1931)

Ida County Pioneer, Ida Grove, Iowa, Wed., Feb. 25, 1925, p.1
Saloma Holder a Nonagenarian
Will be 92 Years Old During Coming Spring.
Saloma Holder of Ida Grove was born June 7, 1833 in Canton, Ohio and will be 92 years old this coming spring. Her father was French and her mother was of German descent. When she was six years old the family moved to Benton, Scott County, MO. she says that in spite of her great age, she can remember as far back as her fifth year and can recollect several things that happened while she a little girl in Ohio. She grew up in Missouri and was married August 18,1851 to Louis Holder. In 1856 they came to Iowa and settled at Winnesheik, Fayette County. Thirty-three years ago, the family came to Ida County to live. Not long afterwards Mr. Holder returned to Fayette County to run his saw mill and his family remaining here. He died March 26,1900. For many years she has made her home with her son, Frank Holder, in Ida Grove. Mrs. Holder has six sons and two daughters living and one daughter has died. There are 30 grandchildren, 40 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren, a total of 80 descendants.
Mrs. Holder says her health has always been of the best, but she has occasionally suffered from accidents. One of the worst happened when she was 12 year old. Her father had a threshing floor at their farm in Missouri, where the horses were driven to trimp out the grain. On this occasion, she and her little brother raced around this floor as the horse was upon it. The horse accidentally fell upon her foot, breaking the right ankle. Later in life, this ankle was again broken, also an arm. On one occasion she fell from a haymow and split open her head. In 1923 she fell down stairs at the family home, bruising her up badly, but breaking no bones. She was seven weeks in bed due to the accident.
Mrs. Holder rarely wears glasses, reads little excepting her prayer book and is able to do her own housework and cooking. She lives with her sons Frank and Anthony and is able to do most of her work. If the weather permits, she attends the services at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, having been confirmed a Catholic when she was 12 years old. “If I was young again I would get an education” she says. "I only had two weeks education in my life." “Our teacher was ignorant and a nuisance.” Mrs. Holder picked up what education she could by her own powers of observation and study.