Sketoe, Hannah Gardner - 1828-1921

BOYSELL, GARDNER, SKETOE, SYLVESTER, WEBBER

Posted By: Diana Wagner
Date: 2/7/2025 at 13:53:47

Former Jasper County Woman Buried at Lynnville
Mrs. Hannah Sketoe, daughter of William and Eliza Gardner, was born in New Brunswick, Canada, February 28, 1828, and died at the home of her son, E. E. Gardner in Battle Creek, Mich., April 28, 1921.
When ten years old, her parents moved to the vicinity of Calais, Me. She was of a family of twelve children, all of whom are deceased except one brother.
At the age of twelve her parents moved to the state of Ohio, near Cincinnati, and from there to Indiana, near Pontiac. When eighteen years of age, she attended a young ladies’ boarding school near Cincinnati where she had advantages in vocal music.
In 1855 she went to Clarke county, Iowa, to join her parents who had moved as pioneers to that part of Iowa. While living there she met John J. Gardner, of Union county, Indiana, and they were married May 17, 1858, at her parents’ home near Osceola. To this union were born four children, H. M. Gardner, deceased; Rosa G. Sylvester, Lynnville, Ia.; Geneva Webber, Salem, Ore., and Elmer E. Gardner, Battle Creek, Mich.
Mr. and Mrs. Gardner moved from Iowa to Cottage Grove, Union county, Indiana during the spring and summer of 1862 where Mr. Gardner died, December 5, 1870, the oldest child being about thirteen and the youngest three years of age. Three years later in April, 1874, the widow with her four children, through the solicitations of her relatives, sold their place and moved to Iowa, locating in Jefferson county, near her only sister, when the children were afforded the advantages of a good country school, all engaging in public school teaching at an early age.
On September 5, 1882, Mrs. Gardner was married to Joseph Sketoe, of County Line, Ia. Mr. Sketoe died April 21, 1891, thirty years prior to the death of Mrs. Sketoe.
She maintained her home at County Line until four years ago, when on account of her advanced age, her children persuaded her to break up housekeeping and live with them.
Under the influence of a mother of a deep spiritual nature, she learned early in life to believe o the Lord Jesus Christ. She united with Seventh Day Adventists in 1887, and remained a faithful member until her death.
She retained her mental faculties and had good use of her physical powers to the last.
Besides her children, she leaves to mourn her death, nine grandchildren and even great-grandchildren.
Her remains were brought to Lynnville for burial by her son, Elmer, and the services were held in the Friends church, May 1, 1921. The services were conducted by Rev. Wood, pastor of the Friends church, Lynnville, Ia. There were in attendance at the funeral who came from a distance, Mrs. H. M. Gardner, of Motley, Minn.; E. E. Gardner, of Battle Creek, Mich., and Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Boysell, of Batavia, Ia., Mrs. Boysell being a daughter of the late Joseph Sketoe.
The pall bearers were David Meredith, Elgar Macy, Seth Allee, Charles Newby, P. B. Swan and Robert Ladd.
“The Lily of the Valley,: “Is My Name Written there,” and “The Sweet Bye and Bye,” were sung by a mixed quartet composed of Mrs. C. O. Macy, Mr. Charles Potter, Mrs. Will Allee and Mr. A. T. Gifford; Mrs. A. T. Gifford was the pianist.
Source: The Newton (IA) Record; Friday, May 13, 1921, page 6, col. 1