Phillips, Martha (Taylor) 1847 - 1933

PHILLIPS, TAYLOR, STEWART

Posted By: Cindy Maust Smith (email)
Date: 9/21/2020 at 13:09:44

The Sanborn Pioneer, Thursday, November 10, 1933, Sanborn, Iowa, Page 1

MRS. MARTHA PHILLIPS DIES AT HOME OF SON-IN-LAW ON SATURDAY

Funeral Services Held at 4:30 Sunday Afternoon

The many friends of Mrs. Martha Phillips or Grandma Phillips as she was familiarly known to her many friends, were grieved to learn of her death which occurred at 10 o'clock Saturday morning at the home of her son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Stewart in Sanborn, with whom she had made her home for many years.

Martha Taylor was born Nov. 20, 1847, at Wilmington, Delaware, to William and Hannah Taylor, and passed to her reward Nov. 11, 1933, having attained the age of 85 years, 11 months, and 21 days.

When an infant, the family moved to Philadelphia where they lived until she was 12 years old. They moved westward at that time and pioneered in Northeast Iowa on a farm near a settlement called "Cherry Mound."

After a few years they again moved to a farm near Rossville, Ia., where they lived until her mother passed away in 1891.

Martha Taylor was united in marriage to Jonathan Kent Phillips Sept. 4, 1870, at Waukon, Iowa, where there first home was established. In 1879 they moved to Postville, Iowa, and lived there until the passing of her husband Oct. 11, 1891.

To this union five children were born, Alfred of Red Bluff, California, Celia, who died in infancy, Maude (Mrs. Wm. Stewart) of Sanborn, and Alonzo of Postville, Iowa, and Charles who passed away 24 years ago last June. She leaves besides the sons and daughters to mourn her passing one brother, William Taylor of St. Paul, Minn., eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Martha Taylor was baptized when an infant and confirmed in the Episcopal faith, never uniting with any other church though she had not been an active member these later years because there had been no church of her choice where she resided.

In 1894 she came to make her home with her daughter, Maude Stewart who then lived in Mason City. When the family moved to Rapid City, S.D., and California, and Sanborn, she went with them, making their home and friends hers.

In her several moves she gained a large acquaintance whose friendship ties were never broken. While residing in Rapid City she was an active member of the Women's Relief Corps, never transferring her membership, preferring to be one of the "girls" as she called them, of her own corps. She lived a very useful life in her community and old home at Postville where she numbered her friends by her acquaintances, always proving a true friend and a helpful neighbor, ever giving of her time and strength to administer a helping hand in time of sickness and need.

Mrs. Phillips was fortunate in having a home during the years of her widowhood, with her son-in-law, W.H. Stewart, who was a son-in-law in all respects and to whom she looked for sympathy and advice in all her worries. He had assumed her responsibilities and made her life happy through the 39 years of her home with them. Had she lived until Nov. 20 she would have been 86 years old having lived a full and contended life, realizing more real pleasure than the average person. She slept peacefully away after an illness of five weeks during which all was done to alleviate her sufferings, never realizing the end was near.

Private funeral services were held at the Stewart home at 4:30 Sunday afternoon with Rev. A.C. Grafton, local Presbyterian pastor, officiating. He was assisted in the service by Mrs. E.W. Mayne, who sang a solo, "Lead Kindly Light." The several beautiful floral offerings bore mute evidence of the high esteem in which the deceased was held by her many Sanborn friends. Acting as pallbearers were: F.W. Hurlbut, E.W. Mayne, G.S. Melvin, Dr. J.M. Eason, Fred Riley, abd C W. Smiley, of Fort Dodge. Out of town relatives and friends attending the funeral here Sunday were: C.W. Smiley, Mrs. Emma Phillips; daughter Ruth, and grandson, Charles, all of Fort Dodge, Iowa, and Mrs. Earle Bruns, of Mason City, Ia.

Mr. and Mrs. Stewart accompanied the remains, on the evening train, to her old home at Postville. Funeral services were held Monday afternoon in the Postville Community church and internment made in the family lot beside her husband and child, who preceded her in death a number of years ago.