Margaret C. Gilchrist

DAVIS, FERRIN, GILCHRIST, MUTCHLER

Posted By: Joe Landrin (email)
Date: 8/12/2004 at 15:20:34

Margaret C. Gilchrist was born on March 3, 1863, four miles northwest of Center Point on what is now known as the Gilchrist Homestead, but at that time better known as the Prairies of Northern Linn County. Her father, Chorydon Gilchrist, had made his way to Iowa from Sycamore, Ill, by wagon in the year 1855, and her mother, Margaret Davis, had come in the same way from near Peoria, Ill. with her father when a little girl eight years of age in the year 1841.
Margaret's childhood days were spent mostly as all children's are, with the usual amount of play, school and work. She began teaching when 19 years of age. Previously she had attended school one year at Tilford Academy at Vinton and also one year at the Convent school at Cedar Rapids. After teaching a few years she began going to school at Cedar Falls and finished the literary course of the State Normal School in 1890. After this she spent several years again in teaching throughout Iowa. Then, not feeling satisfied with her equipment for teaching, she entered Chicago University, where she studied English Literature for a year. Then she took up work at the Columbia School of Oratory and finished this school in the spring of 1898. She again resumed her chosen work of teaching at Wesleyan (Methodist) College, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, where she taught English Literature and was Preceptress of one of the girls' halls for two years. She also spent one year at Cambridge, Mo., where she had mostly the same line of work.

She returned to Center Point, her old home, in 1905, and taught in the high school of this place till failing health made it necessary for her to give up the work in the spring of 1909. She spent one year in the far west, Washington and California, and somewhat regained her health, and again took up work in the high school. She taught one year and afterwards finished out one year in the grades work. In the spring of 1917 her health failed again. Since then she had been an invalid and passed away in the home of her sister, Mrs. Joseph Mutchler, in Center Point on the morning of March 3rd, 1919, having rounded out fifty-six full years. Thus a busy, useful life is ended, a good woman has gone from our midst. She leaves to mourn her going three brothers and three sisters, L. Gilchrist and Mrs. Joseph Mutchler of Center Point; Frank and Fred Gilchrist of Walker, Iowa; Mrs. Eleanor Ferrin of Pearson, Iowa, and Miss Geraldine Gilchrist of Center Point, Iowa, all of whom were present at the funeral; two uncles, her father's brothers, Charles Gilchrist of Hairdale, Ill, and Tyler Gilchrist of Strawberry Point, Iowa, survive her, also fourteen nephews and nieces.
She was considered among the best educators of the state.