Fairbrother, Margery Pearl Miss 1900-1916

FAIRBROTHER

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 10/22/2015 at 20:02:14

Hawarden Independent of May 18, 1916

Margery Pearl Fairbrother was the youngest of Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Fairbrother . She was born at Ashton Iowa, Aug 16, 1900 and therefore had not quite attained her sixteenth year. In March 1910 she moved with her parents to Hawarden and thus grew from child hood to young womanhood in this city. She was a member of the Junior class of the Hawarden High School. In 1912 she united with the Methodist Episcopal church and her influence for good upon the young people of the church would be hard to estimate. At the time of the accident which closed her earthly life, she was a member of the choir, assistant Sunday school teacher and secretary of the Epworth League. She was always ready and willing to give herself in any way she could to service for the church. In her quiet, retiring way, she was a splendid type of young Christian life. Of the immediate members of her family, besides her parents she is survived by four sisters. Mrs. Jos. Townsend of Ashton IA, Mrs. J. Gus Anderson of this city. Relatives and friends from a distance who were here for the funeral were as follows.

Mr. and Mrs. Jas. Townsend of Ashton, Miss Mabel Gray of Minneapolis, Mr. and Mrs. H. H. Perry of Sheldon, Mrs. Will Fairbrother of Melvin, Mrs. Sam Boyce and Mrs. Chas. Boyce of Hartley, Mrs. Chas, Coleman, Mrs. Blanche Brown and Miss Elsie Gray of Sioux city and Miss Jessie Barnes of Cedar Falls.

Some excerpts from the long article in the newspaper. The most lamentable tragedy in the history of this city was enacted about seven-thirty last Thursday evening when a boat occupied by one teacher and five girl high school students was swept over Ensign's mill dam and the lives of three, Edna Boorman, Margery Fairbrother and Neva Johnson, were swept into eternity in the swirling waters below the dam. Alma McGloghlon and Benita Sidwell jumped from the, boat just as it struck the dam and were saved from a similar fate, while Miss Elizabeth McCartney, A music teacher in the public schools, managed to cling to the boat and was saved as by a miracle.

Sunday was the day set for the funeral and it had been planned to hold the services for the three girls jointly upon the lawn at the J. A. Johnson home. The storm which had its beginning Friday night, however, seemed only to have reached its crest when Sunday dawned and it was found necessary to change the plans and hold the services in the Presbyterian church.

The church had been profusely decorated with lilacs and their fragrance permeated the building, while the wonderful offerings of cut flowers, which had been sent by friends far and near, reposed upon and around the caskets and were most beautiful to behold. Four ministers participated in the services. Rev. Edward M. Jeffers of Ottumwa, who had been supplying at the Baptist church, read from the Scriptures, Rev. A. M. Mclntosh offered prayer, while Rev. A. F. Eldridge and Rev. C. H. Young spoke words of comfort and helpfulness to those whose aching hearts were harrowed by an inexpressible grief.

Following the services at the church, the triple funeral procession was again formed and the remains of these three girls conveyed to Grace Hill cemetery where the caskets on after another were lowered into the graves with fitting ceremonies.