Sylvia J. (Holt) Westcot (1927)

CALKINS, HOLT, SIMPSON, WESTCOT

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler
Date: 1/24/2006 at 08:56:32

The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, March 31, 1927
Page 4, Column 5

Mrs. S. J. Westcot

Sylvia J., daughter of David M. and Sarah Holt, was born in Rockford, Illinois, April 13th, 1859. Her girlhood was spent in Rockford, where she lived until she came to Iowa to teach school, where she was married to Nathan Westcot, August 3rd, 1881. They lived on a farm in Iowa for a short time until Mr. Westcot went into railroad work, which took them into several different states. They called Rockford their home and it was there that their four children were born. Their first boy died in infancy and their other children are: Mrs. Grace Abrahams and Helen Westcot of Winterset, and son, George, of Lincoln, Nebraska.

She brought her own family and her mother to Peru, Iowa, in 1896, where she taught school, and three years later she moved to Winterset which has since been her home. Mr. Westcot passed away June 3rd, 1909. Mrs. Westcot has taught school almost continuously for more than thirty years. She is the best known teacher in the county, having taught in almost every town and neighborhood. She was a member of the Rebekah lodge, the Eastern Star, the W. R. C's the D. A. R's, and the American Legion Auxiliary.

She united with the Second Congregational church in Rockford when a young girl and retained her membership there until three years ago she united with the Presbyterian church in Winterset, where she has been a faithful member.

She was a woman of intense energy and great ambition. Beside her teaching work she had many business interests and took an active part in the affairs of the community.

After a brief illness she passed away on March 24th, 1927, aged 67 years, 11 months and 11 days. She leaves besides her children and her stepdaughter, Mrs. L. A. Calkins of Omro, Wisconsin, and grandchildren, two brothers, George N. Holt of Chicago, and Grant A. Holt of Winnipeg, Canada, and one sister, Mrs. Grace Simpson, of Grand Forks, British Columbia.

Rev. Theodore Morning of Des Moines conducted the funeral service in Tidrick’s Funeral home Sunday afternoon, March 27th, and the interment was in the Winterset Cemetery.

Gravesite
 

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