Philinda (Merritt) Whitworth (1915)
WHITWORTH, MERRITT
Posted By: Mary Welty Hart (email)
Date: 12/21/2010 at 16:45:35
Winterset Madisonian, Winterset, Iowa
May 12, 1915, page 6MRS. ROBERT WHITWORTH
Philinda Merritt was born in Cattaraugus county, New York, May 25, 1824, and died at her late residence in Macksburg, April 25, 1915, at 3 o'clock a.m., aged 89 years and 11 months.
At the age of 13, she with her father, mother, four sisters and four brothers left her New York home and crossed the lakes in the “Great Eastern” boat to Chicago and by wagon train to their home in central Illinois, where she grew to womanhood.
Mother Whitworth was well acquainted with pioneer life. With the assistance of her oldest brother, they have taken the ox teams and helped their father break the virgin soil when Illinois was a vast prairie.
At the age of 30 she married to Robert Whitworth, who was then farming in Illinois. After farming for a year they decided to come to Iowa. Leaving relatives and friends they loaded their household goods in a wagon and started for the then great west, crossing the rivers on ferry boats, as bridges were few. They reached their new home near Macksburg July 4, 1867.
Mother Whitworth was converted at the age of 31 and lead a beautiful Christian life for over 50 years. To know her was to love her. She had been an invalid for the past five years, but with patience she trusted in her Savior and peacefully fell asleep.
She was the mother of six children. Those living are Frank, Byron, Albina and Reuben. Her oldest son and youngest daughter and her husband preceded her to the great beyond.
Funeral services were held at two o'clock Monday at the M. E. church in Macksburg by the Rev. Mr. Herrick of Orient, assisted by Rev. Whitney of Macksburg. Burial at the Moon cemetery.
Gravestone Photo
Madison Obituaries maintained by Linda Griffith Smith.
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