Margaret Jane Harper (1912)

ANDERSON, GOFF, HARPER, VAN SCOY

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler
Date: 9/13/2010 at 09:55:55

The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, July 3, 1912
Page 2

Margaret Jane Harper was born in Morrow county, Ohio, May 9, 1838. She was the daughter of Robert and Elizabeth Harper and was next to the oldest of seven children, six daughters and one son—all of whom have preceded her to the better world. When she was about fifteen years old, the family removed from Ohio to Fulton county, Illinois, where they resided about ten years, from there they removed, about 1862, to Warren county, Iowa, where, immediately upon their arrival, the father died, the mother having preceeded him some years before. The son died immediately upon his return from the army from disease contracted in the service. The five sisters have one after another, during the succeeding years, departed leaving Margaret the sole representative of the family.

The family broken up, Miss Harper for a while pursued the occupation of teaching school, then took up her residence with the family of her sister, Mrs. J. M. Anderson of St. Charles, Iowa and later of Indianola, where she resided continuously until the death of her sister, except for periods during which she lived with the families of T. T. Anderson and Dr. W. M. Anderson of St. Charles, in both of which homes, she assisted in rearing the children, who had been bereft of their mothers.

These three Anderson brothers and the children of their households, all of whom have grown to useful manhood and womanhood, hold her in the highest esteem for the unselfish service she rendered. Particularly is this the case with her nephew Carl Anderson and her niece, Mrs. Maud Goff and Miss Pearl Anderson, with whom her life was largely spent. Immediately upon the death of her sister, Mrs. J. M. Anderson, Miss Harper took up her abode with her niece, Mrs. S. L. Van Scoy of Belle Plaine, where she has continued to reside for the past thirteen years.

Funeral services were held at Belle Plaine, and the remains brought to St. Charles for interment. A short service was conducted at the grave by Rev. Cunningham, Sunday, June 23d. Deceased was 74 years one month and 12 days of age.

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