Jennie (Lothrop) Whedon (1913)

BAILEY, BERTHOLF, HATCH, KELLOGG, LOTHROPE, SMITH, WHEDON

Posted By: Ida Morse
Date: 8/17/2008 at 12:28:14

The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, August 27, 1913

DEATH CLAIMS MRS. WHEDON

Had Resided in Winterset Over 50 Years, Prominent in W. R. C.

The sudden death of Mrs. Jennie Whedon on last Thursday evening, came as a great shock to the people of Winterset. Mrs. Whedon had attended the afternoon session of the chautauqua and went home in her usual health. She was stricken about six o’clock and passed away within an hour, without regaining consciousness.

The deceased was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Caleb Bailey Lothrop, and was born at Johnson, Vermont, July 8, 1852. The family moved to Rock Island the same year and in 1856, Col. Lothrop with his three brothers-in-law, Joshua, Stearns and Hiram Hatch, moved to Des Moines. Col. Lothrop moved to Winterset in 1862, when the subject of this sketch was ten years old. She was married in 1871, to W. S. Whedon, who with three children survive her. The first residence of the Lothrops was the old Col. Cummings home, Col. Cummings at that time being absent from home in the war of the rebellion. Mrs. Whedon’s grandfather Hatch fought in the Revolutionary War.

When the Lothrops moved to Winterset, the greater portion of Winterset’s able bodied citizens were away at war. Secession sentiment ran high and the stirring scenes of ’61 - ‘65 doubtless left their stamp on the mind of the little girl, whose life work ended last Thursday. She was active in social and fraternal work, but patriotism and love of the old flag was one of the impelling forces of her life. The growth of the Woman’s Relief Corps was largely due to her efforts. She was the head of that organization in Winterset for twenty one years; was several times elected district deputy and 1910 was elected department president of Iowa, a position she filed with marked ability. She also served for ten years as Worthy Matron of the Order of Eastern Star and was honored with the office of Grand Chaplain of the state of Iowa for that order. Notwithstanding her activities in Relief Corps and fraternal work, she was devoted to her family and friends, and a kindly, sympathetic nature won the warm friendship of all with whom she associated.

Funeral services, simple, but impressive, were held from the home on Saturday at five p.m. The G. A. R. and W. R. C. organizations attended in a body and burial was made in the family lot in the Winterset cemetery.
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The Winterset Reporter
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, August 27, 1913
Page 1, Column 3

A wave of sadness swept over Winterset and vicinity last Thursday evening when it was announced that Mrs. Jennie Whedon had died at her home on West Court avenue at about seven o’clock. This estimable lady died very unexpectedly. She was in apparently good health and with her daughters had attended the Chautauqua in the afternoon. About six o’clock while dressing to attend the evening session of the Chautauqua she was stricken with apoplexy of the heart and passed away at 7:20 without regaining consciousness. The news of her death came as a sudden shock to her world of friends and associates.

Mrs. Whedon was one of our best known and most respected citizens. A woman of strong character, a friend to everybody, whom to know was to love. She will be greatly missed from the community and the sympathy of all is extended to the bereaved relatives.

Jennie Lothrope Whedon was born in Johnson, Vermont, July 8th, 1852, and passed away at her home in Winterset, August 21st, 1913. She was the daughter of Col. Caleb Lothrope and Miss Jane Hatch. The family came to Rock Island, Ill. when she was but six weeks old, and in 1856 moved to Ft. Des Moines. They came to Winterset in 1862 which has since been her home.

She was married in 1871 to W. S. Whedon and to this union four children were born, Mrs. Maud Smith, Raymond (deceased), Mrs. Nelson Bertholf and Winifred.

Mrs. Whedon served as president of Pitzer W.R.C. No. 117 for 21 years. Was Worthy Matron of Winterset Chapter O.E.S. for 10 years. She also served as Department President of the W.R.C. of Iowa during 1910-11 and at the same time was Grand Chaplain of the O.E.S. of Iowa, and prior to this had held several important offices in the Iowa Department of the W.R.C.

Of the five children of the Lothrope family, Mrs. Charity Kellogg, of Los Angeles, California, is the only one now living, a sister, Grace, died in girlhood and her two brothers, Dwight and Eugene died several years ago.

The funeral services were held from the home Saturday evening at five o’clock conducted by Rev. John H. Stewart. The W.R.C., G.A.R. and P.E.O. society attended in a body besides a large concourse of friends. She has gone but the good she has done will always live in the hearts of those who have known and loved her.

Those who were in attendance at the funeral from a distance were Mrs. Gifford, president of Crooker Corps, Mrs. Basham, past department president, Mrs. May Jones, past department inspector, Mrs. Larson, of Kinsman Corps and Miss May Hayward, of Crooker Corps, all of Des Moines, and Masdames Horton, Armstrong, Witter, Anderson, Roberts and Switzer, of St. Charles.

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