HARPER, Jane (1839-1930)

HARPER

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 9/3/2020 at 09:04:32

Jane Harper
(September 14, 1839 – October 4, 1930)

Ida County Pioneer Record, Ida Grove, Iowa, Thurs., Oct 9, 1930, p.3
Mrs. Jane Harper Dies at 91 Years
Battle Creek Mourns Death of One of County’s Oldest Residents
Battle Creek, IA. Oct 8 – Mrs. Jane Harper, the oldest woman in this vicinity, passed away Saturday night after a lingering illness of several months. Mrs. Harper was born in Illinois, Sept. 14, 1839, and died Saturday, Oct 4, at the age of 91 years. She was a civil war widow and received the largest pension paid by the government, having been married and going through the trying years with a small child, helping where she could. During the World War her knitting needles were busy from morning till night making sweaters for the soldiers. Knitting was no lost art in Mrs. Harper’s life, as she was raised among spinning wheels and home-made tallow candles and open fireplaces. She made lovely embroidered pieces of fancy work, which her friends marveled at. She had to lay away this work two years ago when her eyesight failed her. Of a family of four, Mrs. A. Leonard is the only surviving one with whom Mrs. Harper made her home the past several years. Mr. and Mrs. Harper retired from farming south of Battle Creek and moved to town where they lived until Mr. Harper’s death. Mrs. Harper was a kind mother and very patient in her illness and will be missed greatly by all her relatives and friends. Funeral services were held Monday at the home of Mrs. A. Leonard, with Rev. Claude Fausnaugh officiating. Burial was made at Mt. Hope Cemetery.