Carhart, Amanda Brooks 1822-1901

CARHART, BROOKS

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 2/3/2012 at 11:23:54

The Grinnell (IA) Herald

MRS. AMANDA BROOKS CARHART

Mrs. Amanda Brooks Carhart was born in Florence, Erie county, Ohio, April 27, 1822, and died in Grinnell, Iowa, February 21, 1901, aged 78 years, 9 months and 23 days.

Born on the frontier, she early learned to endure the privations and hardships incident to a new settlement and there laid the foundation for a heroic character. Independent, self-reliant and efficient, she possessed a strong will power and ablility to govern. In her early womanhood she was a most efficient school teacher, and her services were in especial demand where pupils were insubordinate. Positions in such schools she accepted without hesitation, and she never failed to command the respect and obedience of the pupils under her charge. She inherited the spirit of the pioneer and was possessed with the desire to "go west" and help build up new communities, for which she seemed to be particularly fitted. In 1855 she first came to Scott county, Iowa, with her younger brother, making the journey in a lumber wagon. There her strong and willing hands were of infinite help to the family of the young settler. She afterwards returned to Ohio and in 1860 went to Kansas for three years and helped build up another home. In '63 she came to Scott county, Iowa, to remain.

July 16, 1872, she married Mr. John Carhart and afterwards moved with him to Grinnell, Iowa, where she died at a ripe old age, carrying with her to the last the confidence and esteem of her friends and associates. While living at Round Grove, Scott county, she united with the Methodist church, of which she has since been a faithful and consistent worker.

In 1882, when Grinnell was swept by a cyclone, Mrs. Carhart's residence was in the center of the storm and totally destroyed with most of the contents. Yet her courage did not fail, but with undaunted resolution she set to work to build up and restore the home so suddenly wrecked.

She abhorred shams and pretenses, and despised a hypocrite. Open-hearted, kind and charitable herself, she had no sympathy for the mean and the miserly. Her strong and active mind was ever alert to grasp the problems of political, religious or moral subjects and was well informed upon them and sought the true solution with as much sagacity and shrewdness as most men of affairs. She had strong likes and dislikes but was ever a faithful friend.

Her life as a whole was a life of sacrifice. Ever watchful of the needs of others and quick to give a helping hand, her own need taking a second place as of less importance in her benevolent mind. The funeral was held at her late home on north Broad street at 10 a.m. Saturday, Rev. Mr. Stoddard officiating. Burial at Hazelwood cemetery. She leaves one brother and two sisters to mourn a loving sister.