Isabella McHenry Tomson

TOMSON, MCHENRY

Posted By: Sue R. (email)
Date: 3/28/2015 at 01:27:22

Ottumwa tri-weekly courier, May 06, 1911

HUSBAND, WIFE
AND SON BURIED
---
THE HAYES TOMSON FAMILY ARE
INTERRED AT FORT
MADISON.
---
Keokuk, May 4.—The remains of
Hayes Tomson, Mrs. Hayes Tomson
and their son, H. M. Tomson, were
placed in the Tomson vault in the Ft.
Madison cemetery yesterday, and the
short service at their interment served
as the closing chapter for the story
which included the death of the hus-
band, the accidental death of the son
in a foreign country, the mother's ef-
forts to bring home the body of her
son, and finally the death of the moth-
er herself, almost at the day of the
success of the sole purpose of the last
few years of her life.
Mrs. Tomson, who was one of the
pioneer residents of Iowa, was the
daughter of Mr. add Mrs. Robert Mc-
Henry, who were among the first set-
tlers of this section. She was married
to Hayes Tomson, and shortly after
the marriage moved to Lincoln Neb.,
where the husband died in September,
1903. His remains were taken to Fort
Madison and temporarily placed in a
Ft. Madison cemetery.
Two years later, Mrs. Tomson and
her son, Hayes M. Tomson, made a
trip to Mexico. The son while out
horseback riding in one of the numer-
ous canyons, was caught in a cloud
burst and killed. The remains were
recovered and interred in Mexican
soil in Monterey.
According to the Mexican law the
body could not be removed until a
period of five years had elapsed.
When a year had passed the mother
made another trip to Mexico and
stayed a year, endeavoring to per-
suade the officials to break this rule
in the case of her son, but her efforts
were unavailing.
On October 14, 1910, the casket con-
taining the remains of the son arrived
at Keokuk, accompanied by the
mother.
At Ft. Madison a family vault had
been ordered built, but it could not be
made until the spring. The body of
the son was placed in the city receiv-
ing vault at Keokuk until that time.
Mrs. Tomson died at the Lake View
hospital at Chicago, February 8, and
yesterday, the vault completed,
the body of the mother was lowered
with those of her son and husband.