WILSON, Mary Ann King 1832 – 1916

WILSON, VOORHIES, JEWETT

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 5/25/2021 at 20:23:28

Cresco "Plain Dealer"
Friday, January 28, 1916
Page 3, Column 6

Mrs. Mary A. K. WILSON, widow of the late U. S. Senator James F. WILSON, died at Fairfield, aged 84. Senator WILSON was one of the framers of the Iowa State Constitution.

Transcriber’s Note: Find a Grave shows she has a gravestone in two different cemeteries with different dates of birth; however the photo shows the same stone. Evergreen Cemetery shows she was born March 16, 1832 and Old Fairfield Cemetery shows 1835. Both cemeteries show she died Jan 16, 1916. Her husband is buried in Evergreen Cemetery.

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Added by Admin, April 2021 --

"The Fairfield Daily Journal"
Monday, January 17, 1916
Page 2, Column 3

DEATH CALLS MRS. MARY A. K. WILSON

Mrs. Mary A. K. WILSON, widow of Honorable James F. WILSON, late U. S. Senator from Iowa, died at her home in this city at seven o'clock Sunday morning, Jan. 16th, at the age of almost 84 years. She leaves two sons, Rollin J., and James F. Jr., and one daughter Mary B. WILSON, all of this city, and a sister Mrs. Susan S. VOORHIES of Long Beach, California. Mrs. WILSON had long been a resident of Fairfield, and in her earlier years took a very prominent part in all the activities of her adopted home.

Since the death of her husband in 1895, she has lived quietly in the family residence, and while she went out but little, always had a warm greeting for her friends when they called to see her.

Hers was a beautiful life--without ostentation or display, she was constantly doing for those about her and many there are who will miss her and her kind administrations.

The funeral will be held from the home on South Main street Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock to which her friends are invited. Dr. Willis E. parsons of Parsons College will officiate.

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"The Fairfield Daily Journal"
Tuesday, January 18, 1916
Page 2, Columns 3 and 4

FUNERAL OF MARY A. K. WILSON TODAY

The funeral services for Mrs. Mary A. K. WILSON were held at 2:30 o'clock this afternoon at her late residence, South Main street, and were attended by a large concourse of friends.

The service was in charge of Dr. W. E. Parsons of Parsons College of which institution Mrs. WILSON had long been a generous friend.

The pall bearers were:

Lyle Schull, Wilson Heflin, James P. Moorhead, Edward Peterke, Harold Voorhies, Raymond Voorhies.

Mrs. James Montgomery and Miss Cora Ball rendered the two musical selections.

Among those present from a distance were Mrs. Henry Schramm of Burlington, Mrs. Joseph Clark of Burlington, Mr. and Mrs. Lyle Schull of Chariton.

Mary A. K JEWETT was born in Newark, Ohio, March 16th, 1832. She was one of six children--three sons and three daughters--born to Alpheus and Aletha JEWETT. Her parents were of New England ancestry. Both her parents had been previously married and thus there were several halfbrothers and halfsisters. From all the brothers and sisters there has always gone and from her to them a strong tie of affectionate esteem and regard. Truly her life has been one of kind words and deeds. Those kind words and deeds commenced in earnest when she was fifteen years of age. Her oldest half-brother's wife died leaving him and a family of small children. She entered their home to help keep house and to care for him and them. It was in this home at the end of such five years' of service that she was married to James F. WILSON, on November 25th, 1852. These newly married people set out at once to seek and to surely find a permanent home in the new state of Iowa. This was in pioneer days of locomotion, transportation and communication. The trip was made by boat down the Ohio to the Mississippi river, up the Mississippi to Burlington, across from there by stage coach to Fairfield, where they were to live and to finally depart this life. During the sixty-four years of her continuous residence her only absence was her sojourn with her husband in Washington, D. C., during his twenty years of public life and service. Endearing and enduring have been many of the friendships of these eventful years. She was one of the most active of the women engaged in gathering food, clothing and needful supplies for Iowa's soldiers in the nations' defense, during the War of the Rebellion. She was one of that little band of earnest women to whose purpose and unyielding determination Jefferson county, now become the Fairfield Free Public library, owes its perpetuity and ever increasing usefulness. Her interest in this institution has never ceased. The quarter of a city block, upon which the library building stands, is the gift of James F. and Mary A. K. WILSON. Within the limits of her income she been for the 20 years of her widowhood a generous contributor to Parsons College, as well as other community interests. As it was with her husband, so it has ever been with her, the mere accuulation of money was not an end or aim in life, it took on value only as a means of doing good unto others and unto the community. Mary A. K. WILSON united with the First Congregational church of Fairfield, March 5th, 1865, and this membership continued to the end. Her husband departed this life April 22d, 1895. She was permitted to live to see the grand and the great-grand children, and they in the representatives to know and love her. Her last illness, as the term is used, was of two weeks, a day and a night's duration. However, there was to come in the last days and hours a quietude of perfect freedom from pain and suffering, with an intellect and heart supremacy over all, never brighter or kindlier in consideration of others, giving to her departure the likness (sic) of a benediction to her and to those who hold the memory of those last days and hours. She passed away thus Sunday morning, January 16th, 1916, at 7 o'clock, aged 83 years and 10 months. Of her halfbrothers and sisters none are living. Of her own brothers and sisters only one sister remains. Mrs. Susan S. VOORHIES, Long Beach, Calif. Of her immediate family, she leaves her three children, Rollin J. WILSON, Mary Blair WILSON and James F. WILSON, jr., all of this city. thus has come to a gracious close the life and labor of one known best as mother, Aunt Mary, grandmother and great-grandmother, and known to the community at large as Mary A. K. WILSON.

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

Admin. note: Burial was in Evergreen Cemetery, in Lot Old.P.115, with husband James. The Find-A-Grave entry mentioned by the original transcriber stating Mary was in Old Fairfield City Cemetery is incorrect. These two cemeteries adjoin each other, with no visible boundaries to separate them save the sign at the entrance.

/Admin