Melinda Spafford 1824-1914

SPAFFORD, DUNCAN, PHILLIPS, THOMPSON, BROWN, DUNCAN

Posted By: Beverly Gerdts (email)
Date: 2/23/2023 at 15:33:49

Columbus Gazette, Columbus Junction, Iowa
Thursday, December 24, 1914
page 1

Mrs. Melinda Spafford, a former well known resident of this county, passed away in death at the home of her daughter, Mrs. J. C. Duncan, at Mt. Pleasant, Monday morning, December 21, 1914. Melinda Phillips was born in Virginia October 18, 1824 and at the time of her death she was ninety years, two months and three days of age. She moved with her parents to Indiana while still a small child. Here she grew to womanhood and in 1843 she was united in marriage to Josiah Quincy Thompson and came with him to Iowa the following year, moving on a farm northwest of this city. Three children survive to mourn the death of their mother. They are: H. C. Thompson, of Viola, Iowa; Mrs. E. S. Thompson, of Columbus Junction, Iowa and W. W. Thompson, of Columbus, Ohio.

Mr. Thompson died in 1856 and several years later Mrs. Thompson was united in marriage to Wm. Brown. Two children of this marriage survive to mourn her death. They are: Mrs. J. C. Duncan, of Mt. Pleasant and A. J. Brown, of Farmingon, Iowa. After the death of Mr. Brown in 1871 she was married to Orlean Spafford who died in 1884. She is also survived by one brother, John Phillips, of Indiana, who is 89 years old and by a number of grandchildren and many friends. For the past thirteen years Mrs. Spafford has made her home with her daughters, Mrs. J. C. Duncan and Mrs. E. S. Thompson.

She has enjoyed excellent health until about three years ago the infirmities of age began the decline which ended in her death. Mrs. Spafford was a devoted Christian woman. She united with the Baptist church in girlhood and later became a member of the Church of God. The remains were brought to this city Wednesday morning and taken to the Methodist church where the funeral services were conducted by Rev. Thomas Osborne, of Mt. Pleasant and Rev. E. C. Brooks. Interment in the Columbus City cemetery.