Szitnick, Mrs. J.D. (Agatha) 1836-1920

SZITNICK, LEGLER

Posted By: Jeannie Coston (email)
Date: 5/30/2004 at 19:43:23

OLD RESIDENT DIES
Lived in the Same House for Forty-Eight Years
One of the Early Settlers Here
Mrs. J. D. Szitnick Was a Pioneer in Wisconsin and Later in Iowa

Mrs. Agatha Szitnick, one of the oldest residents of LeMars, died at her home, 520 Plymouth street, on Tuesday, following an illness of a year. Her death was caused by kidney and liver trouble and failing power due to advanced age.

Mrs. Szitnick has been a resident of LeMars for forty-eight years and had lived continuously since coming here at the place where she died.

The deceased was a native of Switzerland. Her maiden name was Agatha Legler and she was born at Diesbach, Canton Glarus, on December 26, 1836. When a child of 7 years she came with her parents to America. They settled soon after their arrival in America at the place which later became New Glarus. That section of the country was practically a wilderness and the family virtually hewed out a home for themselves in the forest. Here she grew to womanhood and on March 24, 1854, was married to John David Szitnick at Galena, Ill. They came to LeMars in 1872 and since that time this has been her home. LeMars consisted of a few buildings in those days. Mrs. Szitnick used to recall that on their arrival here with an emigrant car, the grasshoppers were so thick on the ground that the horses were afraid to come out of the car from which there were being unloaded.

Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Szitnick. Those who mourn a beloved mother are, Mrs. Agatha Ginsbach, of Chico, Cal., Emil Szitnick, Billings, Mont., Mrs. W. J. Andrews, Arnaude, Manitoba, Canada, Mrs. Harry Trafford, LeMars, Mrs. D. E. Murphy, Beresford, S.D. A son, J. D. Szitnick, died in June 1917, at Sioux city and a daughter, Mrs. Solas Sawyer, at Billings, Mont., in 1895, and a daughter, Rachel, when a child.

Mrs. Szitnick leaves thirty-five grandchildren and twenty-eight great grandchildren. She is also survived by two sisters, who are Mrs. Annie Tschudi, of Beresford, S.D., and Mrs. Sybil Elmer, of New Glarus, Wis.

Mr. Szitnick died in 1897. For the past few years she lived with Mr. and Mrs. Harry Trafford and was tenderly cared for by them and their children in her declining years.

The funeral took place from the home yesterday afternoon and services were held at St. John’s Evangelical church, Rev. M. J. Dommann officiating.

Mrs. Szitnick was one of the pioneer women who worked hard and faithfully with their menfolk in establishing a home and developing the community. She was a good homemaker, a devoted wife and mother always willing to lend a neighborly hand to others and was highly respected in the community where she had lived for close upon half a century.
[Mrs. Szitnick died 30 Mar 1920]