Rickard, Anna M. 1843-1929

RICKARD, TURNER, FISHER, FULLER, JACKSON

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 7/6/2010 at 21:23:34

Grinnell Herald (Grinnell, Iowa) March 5, 1929

MRS. ANNA M. RICKARD PASSES

Last of Early Pioneers Still Residing In Chester Answers Death's Call.

HAD MADE HER HOME IN CHESTER SINCE 1860

Funeral Services Conducted by Rev. H.L. Wissler Were Held From Chester Church.

Another pioneer of Chester, the last of the earlier ones still residing here, has passed away.

Anna Margaret Turner, daughter of Rev. and Mrs. Robert Turner, was born in Mercer County, Pa., August 16, 1843, and departed this life at her home in Chester Township, Poweshiek County, Iowa, February 27, 1929, aged 86 years, 6 months and 11 days.

Mrs. Rickard was one of a family of twelve children, of whom only one remains.

Following the fortunes of a Baptist minister, Mrs. Rickard resided at Kewanee, Ill., where she lost her mother, and at different places in Hardin county and Tama county, Iowa, where Rev. Mr. Turner held pastorates. Rev. Mr. Turner and his second wife lived for a short time in Grinnell at the present home of Miss Annie J. Sanders.

Mrs. Rickard came to Chester in 1860 and her home has been here since that time, except one year in Nebraska, keeping house for a nephew who had lost his wife, and 14 months in South Dakota proving up on a homestead which she later sold to her son, Alvin.

On November 14, 1865, she was united in marriage with Martin Rickard, a native of New Hampshire, one of the pioneers who helped make Chester a good place to live. Mr. Rickard died April 18, 1898, after about one hour's illness, following a stroke of apoplexy; while Mrs. Rickard's final illness of sixty days followed a paralytic stroke.

To Mr. and Mrs. Rickard were born four children: Elmer Turner and Fanny Ruth Rickard of Chester, Alvin Robert of Quinn, South Dakota and Henry Martin of Grinnell, Iowa, all of whom were with her when she passed away except Alvin, who visited his mother during her illness last summer, but could not leave home now.

Early in life Mrs. Rickard joined the Baptist Church, to which she gave loyal service until June 17th 1875, when she joined the Chester Congregational church, where she found perpetual comfort and joy in the Master's service--her personal religion being the every day kind in every day use, an ever present help in time of trouble and a constant inspiration to others. She was one of the three of the Chester church called the missionary sisters, the other two being Mrs. Ellen Fisher and Mrs. Thomas Fuller, who like so many other Chester women, have made Chester and the world better by living in it.

Mrs. Rickard leaves to mourn her loss her four children, ten grandchildren, one sister, Mrs. Kate Jackson of Los Angeles, California, and a host of other relatives and friends.

Funeral services were held Friday, March 1st, at 2:00 p.m. in the church she had loved and served nearly 54 years, conducted by her pastor, Rev. H.L. Wissler.

Three numbers were sung by Mr. and Mrs. Maynard Sears, and Mr. and Mrs. Henry Stahl, accompanied by Mrs. George Hafkey.

Pall bearers were Ralph Sherman, Clyde Foster, George Hafkey, Myron Sears, Floyd Eichhorn and Lloyd Tice.

The body was laid to rest in the Chester cemetery, by the husband who had passed on nearly thirty-one years ago.