Elmontellar, Mary Guessford – 1818-1909

ELMONTELLAR, GUESSFORD

Posted By: Diana Wagner
Date: 6/1/2017 at 16:28:12

Former Jasper County Woman Dies
Aunt Mary Guessford Elmontellar, the daughter of Joshua and Margaret Guessford, was born in Adair county, Kentucky, Oct. 27th, 1818. She was converted and joined the M. E. church at the age of sixteen and was married to Jacob Elmontellar Feb. 13, 1838. They moved to Jasper county, Iowa, in the year 1851, settling in Adamson Grove for a few years and then bought a farm two miles south of Newton where they lived about thirty years. During this period there was a Baptist class organized in the neighborhood of which she became a member, continuing until the class was abandoned. She then joined the United Presbyterian church of which she was an acceptable member till her death.
“Aunt Nancy” as she was best known, loved the church and was always there to fill her place when able. She was a great Bible student and for a number of years put in hours at a time reading the old book. She was a woman that always looked on the bright side of things and made those with whom she came in contact always feel the better by being with her.
After her husband’s death she moved to Nebraska to make her home with D. M. Guessford, her nephew, whom she raised from a small boy, where she was lovingly cared for till the time of her death, which occurred Feb. 4th at 9:30 a.m., at the home of her nephew, D. M. Guessford, in Sumner, Nebraska. Her illness was of only a few hours with neuralgia of the heart. Only one sister is left of a family of seven to mourn her loss. She has finished her work and has gone to her reward to be with her Savior that she loved and to greet her companion that journeyed with her through life for over seventy-one years.
The funeral was conducted by Rev. E. F. Gillis from the home of W. M. Guessford on East Marion street, Feb. 6th, at two p.m., the remains having been brought here from Nebraska. The text was found in Romans 6:22. E. L. Earley sang “Nearer My God to Thee” and “Rock of Ages” very impressively.
The remains were interred in Palo Alto cemetery by the side of her husband.
Source: Newton Journal; February 10, 1909, page 2