Mary Ann (Walters) Carroll 1828-1931

CARROLL, WALTERS, OHERRON, NEARY, MARTINI, KNEER

Posted By: Joe Conroy (email)
Date: 7/11/2010 at 12:31:39

The Palo Alto Tribune
Emmetsburg, Iowa
30 Sep 1931
Page 1

Mrs. Carroll Dies Following Short Illness

Emmetsburg Lady Lives To Ripe Old Age of 103 Years.

Mrs. Dennis Carroll died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Nick Martini at 2:30 Monday morning, September 28, after an illness of about a week.

Funeral services will be held at the Assumption church at nine o'clock this (Wednesday) morning. The Very Rev. J. G. Murtagh will officiate. The pallbearers will be six grandsons of the deceased. They are Vincent Neary, Raymond Neary, Joseph Carroll, Reginald Carroll, Eugene Martini and Martin Carroll.

Miss Mary Ann Walters was born in Kidderminster, England, on Aug. 28, 1828. When only a baby she came to America with her parents and settled at Poughkeepsie, New York, where they resided for some little time. They came west and bought some farm land in Wisconsin where the city of Milwaukee now stands. They were among the pioneers of that state. From there they went to St. Paul when that city was a mere village.

There she united in marriage with Dennis Carroll. They went from St. Paul, shortly after their marriage, to Jefferson, South Dakota.

In the early sixties they came to Palo Alto county and located in Lost Island township. In 1865 they moved to the Carroll farm in Emmetsburg township.

Mr. Carroll was one of the old settlers of Chicago and helped to build the first railroad coming into that city from the east.

Mr. and Mrs. Carroll were among the early settlers of this county. They truly, were among the sturdy pioneers. They knew what the early trials, and hardships meant.

Eight children, four sons and four daughters, were born to them. The sons were Patrick, Martin, Edward and Dennis. The daughters were Mrs. Henry Kneer, Mrs. Andrew O'Herron, Mrs. Nick Martini and Mrs. Matt Neary. Of this number only two sons and three daughters are living. Patrick, Martin and Mrs. Kneer have passed away.

During the early days Mr. and Mrs. Carroll worked hard, and made the sacrifices necessary to maintain a home, clothe, provide food and schooling for their large family. They were earnest, energetic and frugal. They were neighborly and wholesouled as were most of the pioneers. They did their share to build up the county and the institutions.

Mrs. Carroll was a kind and devoted wife and mother. She never considered her own convenience and comfort. She wanted her children to have the very best that it was possible to provide for them. She was a good woman, a sincere christian and a devout Catholic.

She was intelligent and well read and remarkably bright for her years. She lived beyond 103 years, and maintained her mentality to the last. She recognized her old friends and loved to converse with them. She had a remarkable memory and could relate many interesting stories of the early days here.

A long life, well lived, with no duty to her family, friends, neighbors, community or state left undone, she has faced her Maker, able to reply, "Well done." Such lives are a benediction and the memory of their usefulness should serve as an example to those of modern times who shrink from the simple duties of everyday life among luxuries, that in the earlier days were not even dreamed of.

While it would be beyond reason to want her longer to remain her children will miss her and long for her presence. To them we extend sincere sympathy.

The Democrat
Emmetsburg, Iowa
1 Oct 1931
Page 1

Mrs. D. Carroll Local Lady Dies at 103

Was Early Pioneer in New York, Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota and Iowa. Lived in Cities Now Populous When They Were Villages.

Had Large Family

First Home Maker on Shore of Lost Island. Made Her Home in Emmetsburg Twp. for 66 Years. She Seemed Young and Lively to the Last.

(photo of Mrs. D. Carroll)

Mrs. Dennis Carroll, one of the pioneer ladies of Emmetsburg township, who was quite ill for some time, passed away early Monday morning at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Nick Martini of this city.

The funeral services were held in the Assumption church Wednesday morning at 9 o'clock. Very Rev. J. G. Murtagh officiated in a requiem high mass.

The burial was in the family lot in St. John's cemetery. The pall bearers were six grandsons of the deceased: Vincent Neary, Raymond Neary, Joseph Carroll, Reginald Carroll, Eugene Martini and Martin Carroll. There was a large attendance of old neighbors and friends.

Mary Ann Walters was born in Kiderminster, England, August 28, 1828. Her age was 103. When a child her parents came to America and settled at Poughkeepsie, New York. They remained there for a few years. Later they came to the present location of Milwaukee. Mr. Walters located on a tract of land near the present limits of the city, his pioneer property being now used as one of the principal city parks. She was married to Dennis Carroll in St. Paul. Mr. Carroll assisted in building the Michigan Central railroad into Chicago in 1852. It was the first rail transportation line to reach that city from the east. Chicago at that time did not have to exceed 32,000 people, while Milwaukee had a small population.

When Mrs. Carroll lived in St. Paul it was a mere village. Minnesota was only a territory. While in St. Paul she attended mass in a log house. On leaving St. Paul Mr. and Mrs. Carroll drove by team to Jefferson, South Dakota, which is 12 to 15 miles northwest of Sioux City. Colonization had then just commenced in Dakota, which was all in one territory. A few years later they moved on the west shore of Lost Island lake, this county, remaining for a couple of years. The place was subsequently known as the Anthony farm. They were the first settlers in the west part of Palo Alto. They located in Emmetsburg township about a mile and a half west of the Burns bridge in 1865 where they subsequently made their home. Mr. Carroll died in 1914 at the ripe old age of 92. Mrs. Carroll is survived by two sons, Dennis and Edward of Emmetsburg township, and by three daughters -- Mrs. Andrew O'Herron of Charles City, and Mrs. Matt Neary, and Mrs. Nick Martini of Emmetsburg. Mrs. Henry Kneer, a fourth daughter, died at Forest City February 12, 1931. One son, Patrick, passed away in the summer of 1925 and another son, Martin, a number of years ago. A sister of Mrs. Carroll, Mrs. Jeremiah Fonten, also a Palo Alto pioneer, died a number of years ago.

Mrs. Carroll's life spanned more than ten decades of the most interesting century in the world's history. She saw the state of New York when it was but scarcely populated. She came to Chicago when it had no railroads. She lived in Milwaukee when it gave little promise of becoming a large, populous city. In fact the land that was her father's cattle pasture is now one of the principal parks of the Wisconsin metropolis. Her parents moved to St. Paul when it was a mere village. Minnesota had not at that time become a state. Some years after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Carroll traveled hundreds of miles over the wild prairies to Jefferson, South Dakota. Sioux City had scarcely been settled and there were only a few communities in the large territory of Dakota that was later divided into two states. Some time after Mr. and Mrs. Carroll made their home on the shore of Lost Island lake. There were then no people living in several townships in the west part of our county. They finally bought a farm a mile or so west of the Burns bridge. They built a log house and subsequently resided on the place. They came only a few years after the first Palo Alto pioneers. They were industrious and frugal and they won their way to success. They were cheerful and neighborly. They formed warm, lasting friends. They gave willing and substantial support to worthy and necessary community enterprises. Their several sons and daughters grew up in the confidence and respect of their fellow citizens. Mr. Carroll passed away seventeen years ago at the ripe old age of 92. He, too, had a long and eventful history. Mrs. Carroll subsequently made her home with her son Edward and at times with the other members of her family. She occasionally visited her brother, Father Edward Walters, who was for long years stationed at different places in Indiana. She occasionally called on her friend of pioneer days in Minnesota, the well known Archbishop John Ireland of St. Paul. Mrs. Carroll was keen mentally until the last and she had a retentive memory. She was an interesting converser. She was pleasant, jolly and lively. She was, even in her mature years, youthful in her ways. The memory of her long and eventful life will be fondly treasured by the members of her family and by the many others in the several states who knew her and prized her many admirable qualities as a woman.

Among those who came from a distance to attend the funeral of the late Mrs. Dennis Carroll were Mrs. and Mrs. Andrew O'Herron of Charles City, Mr. and Mrs. Theo. Gappa of Whittemore, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Kliegl of Superior, Mrs. Patrick Carroll of Sioux City and Mr. and Mrs. Hoverston of Marshall, Minnesota.