Martha Lenore (Spurgin) Harrell (1957)

HARRELL, MCCAULEY, SPURGIN, UTSLER

Posted By: Ida Morse (email)
Date: 2/17/2007 at 19:50:37

Winterset Madisonian, February 27, 1957, Pg 7
Winterset, Iowa

MARTHA HARRELL, 93, DIED MONDAY

Death Calls One of Oldest Residents of Madison County

Madison county lost one of its oldest residents Monday, Feb. 25, in the death of Mrs. Martha L. Harrell. Her death occurred at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Maude McCauley in Winterset. She was 93 years of age.

Mrs. Harrell was the former Martha Lenore Spurgin, daughter of Philip and Margaret Spurgin. She was born Sept 21, 1863, in Walnut township and spent her entire life in Madison county. She was the youngest child in her family. Her 11 brothers and sisters preceded her in death.

As a young woman she taught school for several years, prior to her marriage to Joseph Harrell, which occurred July 25, 1886.

She had always lived on a farm in Madison county until her husband’s death 17 years ago, after which she came to Winterset to make her home with her daughter. For the past five years she had been bedfast.

Mrs. Harrell had joined the Methodist church as a young woman. She was also a member of Scott township Community circle, and the Woman’s Relief corps.

She is survived by the daughter, Mrs. Maude McCauley of Winterset; four grandsons, Joe, John and Merle Utsler and Dick McCauley, 15 great grandchildren and one great great grandchild.

Funeral services were to beheld at 3 p.m. this Wednesday from the Winterset Methodist church, conducted by the pastor, the Rev. W. W. Steinmetz. Burial was to be made in the Winterset cemetery.