Mary Monaghan (1913)
MONAGHAN
Posted By: Mary Welty Hart
Date: 11/8/2008 at 19:43:30
The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, June 25, 1913MISS MARY MONAGHAN Loses Life in Elevator Accident in Des Moines
About noon last Saturday, June 21st, a telephone message from Des Moines, announced that Miss Mary Monaghan had been crushed to death in an elevator accident in the Equitable building in Des Moines.
Miss Monaghan had gone to Des Moines Saturday morning to visit friends and transact some matters of business. After calling at the office of Dr. Wertz in the Equipable building she stepped into the elevator cage to go another office on a different floor. The man in charge of the elevator and Miss Monaghan were the only occupants of the elevator and the account given by the elevator operator is the only evidence as to the particulars of the tragedy. His statement is that Miss Monaghan stepped to the rear of the cage on entering the elevator, that as the cage started upward, she fell forward presumably in a faint, her head extending a short distance beyound the floor of the elevator. He stopped the car as quickly as possible, but not in time to prevent her head from being crushed as it struck the floor on the next story. Death was instantaneous.
The identification was made by means of a letter addressed to her brother, John F. Monaghan of this place. Mr. Monaghan left for Des Moines in an auto as soon as possible, and the body was brought home that evening and funeral services held at St. Joseph's church at 9 a.m., Monday. The beautiful bell just installed last week in the new Catholic church was the generous gift of Mary Monaghan and brother, John, and was first tolled for the donor, an incident most distressing in its sadness.
Miss Monaghan was for many years the home keeper in the parental home. The bereaved brother is the last survivor of the family of James and Margaret Monaghan, who settled on North river about four miles north of Winterset in an early day. A few years ago, Miss Monaghan and her brother moved to the old Buchanan farm just northwest of Winterset and last spring, moved to Winterset to retire from active work and the arduous labor of the farm.
Mary Monaghan's life was exceptionally that of the good Samaritan, unselfish devotion to others was her rule and guide. Her untimely death is sincerely mourned by an extensive circle of friends.
_______________________The Winterset Reporter
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, June 25, 1913
Page 1Frightful Death in Elevator
Miss Mary Monaghan, of this city, met instant death in an elevator of the Equitable building in Des Moines, last Saturday morning at 11:30 o’clock. Miss Monaghan was in Des Moines for the purpose of having her eyes fitted with glasses. She entered the elevator to be taken to the optician’s office. There was no other passenger in the elevator cage, and almost immediately as the elevator started she fell, supposedly in a faint, pitching forward and her head falling in the door and against the grill work which protects the shaft from the outside. The operator instantly stopped the car but not before her head was ground almost to a pulp against the grill work causing instant death. The body was taken to an undertaker’s parlor where it was identified by papers and letters on her person and her relatives were notified, who reached Des Moines by automobile in time to bring the remains home Saturday evening. The funeral took place from the home in this city at 9 o’clock Monday morning and the remains were interred in St. Patrick’s cemetery, north of Bevington.
The deceased and her older brother, J. F. Monaghan, a retired farmer, lived together in their comfortable home in this city. They were the last of the large family of the late James Monaghan, a wealthy farmer of Douglas township. The brother and sister recently moved to Winterset where they were living comfortably and happy when overtaken by this dreadful calamity. They had made their plans and were soon to start on an extended visit to Ireland, the birthplace of their parents.
Miss Monaghan was 50 years of age, a lady of wide acquaintance in the county and beloved by everybody for her kind hearted, unselfish and cheery nature. For many years she was the mainstay in the family household, through the sickness and death of parent, brothers and sisters. The whole community mourns her loss and deplores her tragic and untimely death.
Miss Monaghan and her brother presented the new Catholic church at this place with a bell which was installed last week. It tolled for the first time Saturday in announcing her death.
Gravesite
Madison Obituaries maintained by Linda Griffith Smith.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen