HARBOUR, Mary WRIGHT SMITH 1838-1931

HARBOUR, SMITH, BOOS, VANCE, WRIGHT, GRANT, PATTERSON, BENNETT, JONES

Posted By: Richard K Thompson (email)
Date: 10/25/2009 at 09:33:17

Fairfield Ledger
March 2, 1931

First White Girl Born In County Dies At Age Of 93

Mrs. Mary HARBOUR, the first white girl born in Jefferson county according to historical records, died at 11 o'clock yesterday morning at the age of 93 years. Mrs. HARBOUR passed away at the home of her daughter, Mrs. John H. BOOS, in Lockridge. She was the third white child to be born in this county and the first girl.

Mrs. Mary HARBOUR

Mary WRIGHT was born in Cedar township, nine miles Southeast of Fairfield, Jefferson county Iowa, July 7, 1838. She was the second daughter and the third child of Noah and Sarah VANCE WRIGHT who came to Iowa from Illinois in September, 1836.

She was the first white girl born in Jefferson county and the third white child born in the county.

Her mother, who was Sarah VANCE was distantly related to United States president, U. S. GRANT.

When Mary WRIGHT was eighteen years of age, she went to Macoupin County, Illinois where she made her home with her brother, Isaac Newton WRIGHT and his wife.

On October 23, 1862, in Carlinville, Illinois, she was married to Squire Patterson Smith, son of John Coffee and Matilda PATTERSON SMITH. Six children were born to them. John Franklin, Louisa Evelyn, Barney Samuel, Minnie, Mollie and an infant son who died November 1, 1870. Barney died at the age of ten years.

In September, 1871 the family moved to Labette county, Kansas where they lived until September 10, 1880, when they returned to Illinois on account of the husband's health. Squire Patterson SMITH passed away February 3, 1881 at their home one mile North of Carlinville, Illinois at the age of 41 years.

On July 1, 1888 she was married at the home of her father-in-law, J. C. SMITH, in Nilwood, Illinois, to Levi HARBOUR, who died November 11, 1912.

She is survived by one son, J. Frank SMITH, Galina, Missouri, and three daughters, Mrs. Louisa Evelyn BENNETT, Fairfield, Iowa, Mrs. Minnie JONES Libertyville, Iowa and Mrs. Mollie BOOS, Lockridge, Iowa. There are six grandchildren.

On Thanksgiving day 1912, Mrs. Mary WRIGHT SMITH HARBOUR returned to her native state and county where her three daughters reside.

When she was thirteen years old, she accepted Christ as her Savior and was baptized by Rev. Henry Phillips and became a member of the Ebeneezer church near her birthplace. When a revivial was being conducted and a church organized in the old court house in Carlinville, Illinoirs, in 1865, she and her husband, who had previously been a member of the church, united with the Christian church there. Later, while living in Palmyra, Illinois, she united with the Christian church at that place and upon her return to Iowa, while living in Fairfield, she transferred her membership to the First Christian church, where she was a member at the time of her death.

In the spring of 1872, a Sunday school was organized in the district in which they lived, in a log school house in Labette, county, Kansas. Squire being elected superintendent and Mary being chosen to teach the young ladies' class.

Her first vote was cast in favor of a frame building to take the place of the log school house.

Her husband, her children and her home always held first place in her love, and she untiringly planned and labored for them, yet in her younger days she was always willing and found time to help a neighbor in times of sickness and sorrow.

During her illness, as he children were all gathered around her bed, she told them that she was "Going home," and was so glad that her children were all there with her. She told her daughters that she would like to have the songs, "Gathering Home," "Meet Me There," and "Home Of The Soul," sung at her funeral and just in the order that she gave them. She was the last of a household of ten children.

Several of her relatives lived to an advanced age. Her great grandfather WRIGHT was past 92 at the time of his death. One of her uncles lived to be 92 and another uncle 93 years of age. Her father was 83 at the time of his death and three of her brothers lived to the ages of 73, 84, and 90. Her mother died at the age of 69. Her sisters all died at an early age only one having reached the age of 36. There were four sisters and five brothers.

Mrs. HARBOUR's home was in Fairfield for three years after her return from Illinois and she spent much of her time since at the homes of Mrs. BENNETT and her other daughter Mrs. JONES.

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*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.

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Added by Admin, April 2024 --

"The Fairfield Daily Ledger"
Tuesday, March 3, 1931
Front Page, Column 5

Mrs. Mary HARBOUR

Funeral services were held this afternoon for Mrs. Mary HARBOUR, the first white girl born in Jefferson county. She died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. John H. BOOS, in Lockridge on Sunday morning at the age of 93 years.

Rev. S. P. Williamson preached the fuenral sermon this afternoon at the Fairfield Christian church.

(Note: The photo at the bottom of the posting ran with this article.)

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"The Fairfield (Iowa) Daily Ledger"
Thursday, March 5, 1931
Page FIVE, Column 1

Locals

... --Mrs. L. E. BENNETT returned to her home at 704 West Stone street, yesterday after devoting the last four weeks to the care of her mother, Mrs. Mary HARBOUR, who passed away in Lockridge Sunday. ...

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"The Fairfield (Iowa) Daily Ledger"
Monday, March 9, 1931
Page THREE, Column 2

LIBERTYVILLE

... Mrs. Charey JAMES (sic) has been at Lockridge helping to care for her mother, Mrs. Mary HARFOUR (sic) who passed away at the home of her daughter, Mrs. John BOOS Sunday. ...

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*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.

RKT note: Mary is buried at Evergreen Cemetery, Fairfield, Iowa 2nd Addition.089. The burial locations for her husbands Squire and Levi have not been determined yet by this contributor. Probably near Carlinville or Nilwood (respectively), Illinois, but not certain.

Jefferson Obituaries maintained by Joey Stark.
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