Zwemer, Cynthia, Mrs. Adrian P., 1868-1947

ZWEMER, GLEYSTEEN

Posted By: Lydia Lucas-Volunteer (email)
Date: 11/28/2011 at 10:12:43

Mrs. Cynthia Zwemer, Early Resident At Alton, Passes On

Mrs. Adrian P. Zwemer, nee Cynthia Gleysteen, died November 8 after a short illness at Northampton, Mass., where she resided for several years.

Born at Alton, daughter of the pioneer couple, Mr. and Mrs. Dirk Gleysteen, Mrs. Zwemer had reached the age of 79 years. Her husband died in 1894, leaving her with a young son to rear. She remained in Alton until 1915 when she went to Kentucky and taught for two years in a mission school. In 1917 she joined ber brother, the Rev. Wm. Gleysteen, in Peking, China and taught in Presbyterian mission schools and in the preparatory department of Yenching University for ten years.

In 1928 she went to Asyuth, Egypt where she taught English in the Mission College until 1937. Returning to the United States she lived at Ventor, N.J. and Pasadena, California and more recently at Northampton, Mass., where she stayed at Arnold Inn.

Her only son Richard Adrian Zwemer, remembered kindly by Alton classmates and friends, died in 1929. She is survived by a grandson, Howard Adrian Zwemer of Cambridge, Mass.; her daughter-in-law, Mrs. Richard A. Zwemer of Westfield, N.J.; two sisters, Mrs. John Meyer of Webster Groves, Mo., and Mrs. Charles Bosworth of Oklahoma; two brothers, Dr. D. V. Gleysteen of Long Beach, Calif., and Rev. Wm. H. Gleysteen of Jenkintown, Penna.

Funeral services will be held in Northampton, Mass., Nov. 11 and interment will be in Alton later, according to information received from Mrs. Richard Zwemer.

Mrs. Zwemer was an active worker in the Congregational church here and teacher in the Sunday school, and was the first primary teacher in the Alton public school. A woman of refinement and culture, she was highly regarded by a host of friends here.

Source: Alton Democrat, November 13, 1947.

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Grandson Here For Mrs. Zwemer Rites

Howard Zwemer of Cambridge, Mass., and his cousin, John Gleysteen of Sioux City were here Friday morning [Nov. 28] to be present at interment rites for the former's grandmother, Mrs. Adrian P. (Cynthia) Zwemer, who died Nov. 8 at Northampton, Mass.

The Rev. Henry Eggink officiated at the graveside service for Mrs. Zwemer, whose ashes were shipped to Mortician J. W. Allen here and arrived several days before the service. Several long-time Alton friends joined the young men at Nassau cemetery here for the rites. Howard, Zwemer, son of the late Richard Zwemer, spent the Thanksgiving holidays in Sioux City with the John Gleysteens and relatives of his mother, of the Peirce family. After the services here Mr. Zwemer and Mr. Gleysteen were guests at "coffee" in the Mrs. M. D. Gibbs home.

Source: Alton Democrat, Dec. 4, 1947.

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The Sioux County Cemetery Index shows her as Cynthia G. Zuiemer, born 7 Nov. 1868, died 9 Nov. 1947.