Martha (Forster) Shriver (1899)

FORSTER, SHRIVER

Posted By: Cay Merryman
Date: 8/4/2004 at 13:16:04

The Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, August 17, 1899

Martha Forster Shriver

Death of Mrs. W. R. Shriver.

The news was circulated about town last Tuesday that Mrs. W. R. Shriver had received a stroke of paralysis, and while many were still hoping that she would recover from this, as she had from grevious attacks, the next report was that of her death, which occurred between eight and nine o’clock in the evening. Capt. Shriver was in Des Moines that day, but means were finally found to get word to him, and he returned by the evening train in time to be with his wife during her last hours. Mrs. Shriver had already had two severe strokes of paralysis, and it had long been feared that she could not survive a third. Mrs. Shriver’s maiden name was Martha Forster. Her parents were early settlers in Winterset, and she was married to Capt. Shriver in 1858. They have had six children, three of whom, Alvin B., Mrs. Kate Goshorn and James, are living in Winterset. The husband and children have the endearest sympathy of all in this, one of the saddest bereavements than can befall a family. The funeral was held at the home at 2 o'clock this afternoon.
________________________

Winterset Reporter
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, August 17, 1899
Page 1

Death of Mrs. Capt. Shriver

Tuesday about noon Mrs. W. R. Shriver was stricken with apoplexy and died about 9 o’clock the same evening. Capt. Shriver was absent in Des Moines and could not get home until the evening train at 6:30.

Mrs. Shriver had had similar attacks before but her health had been unusually good of late and her death came as a very sudden shock to the bereaved family. We understand that she did not regain consciousness before her death. The funeral occurs to-day at 2 p.m. from the residence and will be conducted by Rev. Riheldaffer.
________________________

Earlham Echo
Earlham, Iowa
August 1899

Mrs. Shriver, wife of Capt. Shriver, died suddenly at her home Tuesday evening from apoplexy. She was engaged in household work about noon when her youngest son, James, who was helping her noticed that she could not talk plainly and that she moved with difficulty. She told him not to call any assistance. The young man finally persuaded her to sit down, and hastily summoned Mrs. Fred Fritz and Mrs. John Norris, who arrived to find Mrs. Shriver unable to utter a word. Messengers hastily summoned physicians, and her son Alvin and her daughter, Mrs. Arthur Goshorn, but she never regained consciousness, dying a few minutes after eight o’clock.

Capt. Shriver was in Des Moines on business, but a message reached him in time to allow him to be at the bed side of his wife before her death.

Mrs. Shriver had just returned from a six weeks outing at Lake Lida in Minnesota, with Mr. and Mrs. Goshorn. She had been in somewhat feeble health since her return from California, where she suffered a slight paralytic stroke over two years ago, and the trip seemed to do her good. The day of her death she remarked to her neighbor that she had not felt so well for years. Mrs. Shriver was fifty-eight years old and was one of the pioneers of the town coming here with her father, Mr. Forster, a few years after it was incorporated. She was a life long member of the Methodist church of this city and also of the Womens Relief Corps. She was a great lover of flowers and many beautiful bouquets sent by the friends of the city, elsewhere and by the W.R.C. and P.E.O. societies decorated the house and casket at her funeral, which occurred Thursday at 2 p.m. Her only sister, Mrs. Ellen Haines and her brother, Milton Forster, both of Des Moines, were present at the funeral.—Winterset News.

Gravesite
 

Madison Obituaries maintained by Linda Griffith Smith.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen