Sylvester, Rosa Gardner 1861-1922

SYLVESTER, GARDNER, WEBBER

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 5/19/2012 at 11:39:46

The Grinnell (IA) Herald; April 4, 1922

MRS. L.T. SYLVESTER

Mrs. Rosa Gardner Sylvester was born at Pontiac, Illinois, December fourth, 1861, and died at her home near Lynnville, Jasper County, Iowa, Mar. 14, 1922 being 61 years, 4 months and 10 days old.

Soon after her birth, her parents moved from Pontiac, to Cottage Grove, Union County, Indiana. Mr. Gardner, the father, died when Rosa was nine years old. She attended the public schools near Cottage Grove, and took music lessons in Liberty, the county seat until twelve years of age, when with her mother, her two brothers and sister she moved from Indiana to Jefferson county Iowa, settling on a small farm.

Miss Rosa Gardner was a very diligent student, and was recognized as a leader in mathematics and English in her district. She engaged in the work of public school teaching at the age of sixteen with marked success.

It was as a public school teacher that Miss Gardner came to Jasper county teaching first in a district north of Newton. The fall of 1883 she came to Lynnville Junction to what was called the Bump school.

After teaching a number of terms in this neighborhood she attended the Western Normal College, Shenandoah, Iowa, as a student of music.

She was united in marriage to Lanham T. Sylvester of Jasper County, November 7, 1889. To this union was born one son, Leslie. She leaves to mourn their loss besides her husband and son, one sister, Geneva Webber, of Salem, Oregon, and one brother, E.E. Gardner of Berrien Springs, Michigan who is in attendance at the funeral.--Lynnville Leader.