Farley, Mary Jane 1838-1918

FARLEY, SMITH, SPRAGUE, COUTTS

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 2/14/2010 at 14:20:37

OBITUARY

MRS. RICHARD FARLEY

Mary Jane Smith was born at Ellenburg, New York, October 16, 1838 and spent the first 42 years of her life in the vicinity of her birth. On December 31, 1854, she was united in marriage to Richard Farley. To this union five children were born, one son and four daughters, one of the daughters dying in infancy.

In the spring of 1880 she with her husband and family left the scenes of her early life, came west and settled at Ewart in this county, where they resided until the spring of 1888 when they moved to Grant county, Nebraska, remaining but one year. In the spring of 1889 they moved to Grinnell which place has been her home ever since.

In early life Mrs. Farley was converted and united with the Methodist Episcopal church at Ellenburg, New York; when the family came west she and her husband transferred their membership to the church at Ewart, becoming charter members of the Methodist church which was organized that year.

In all the work incident to the building and furnishing the new church, a large share of which fell on the ladies aid society, she was one of the most untiring and zealous workers. In recent years as the infirmities of age began to fall upon her, her place in the sanctuary has been vacant a great deal of the time.

She was a great lover of her home, as her grandchildren grew up around her they found a very large place in her affections.

Her last illness was brief only about a week's duration. She passed away on Sunday morning, March 3, surrounded by those she loved best at the age of 79 years and 18 days. She is survived by her one son, Albert E. Farley of Newark, N.J., and three daughters, Mrs. Ella Sprague, Mrs. R.G. Coutts and Miss Mamie J. Farley of Grinnell and a goodly number of grandchildren.