Tibbels, Margaret (Mrs. John J.) 1840-1919

TIBBELS

Posted By: Paul Van Dyke-volunteer
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:35

Source: Hawarden Independent (5-8-1919)

Born: May 26, 1840
Died: May 4, 1919

Mrs. Margaret Tibbels, a resident of this community for 48 years, died Sunday in Sioux City at the home of her daughter, Mrs. George E. Ward, at the age of 79 years. She had been in poor health for some time and her death was due to the infirmities incident of old age. The body was brought to Hawarden Tuesday for interment in the family burial ground in Grace Hill Cemetery where a son and daughter are buried and where her husband was laid to rest nearly twenty-five years ago. Brief funeral services were held at the Presbyterian Church. The pastor, Reverend A.M. McIntosch, paid a short but fitting and beautiful tribute to her memory. Old residents of the community acted as pallbearers.

The deceased was born in Ireland, her parents emigrated to Canada when she was only two years of age. They later moved to Ohio where she was united in marriage to John J. Tibbels. In 1871 they came to Calliope and soon after located on a homestead a few miles southwest of Hawarden, in Union County, South Dakota. After a few years on the homestead, Mr. Tibbels health began to fail and they moved back to Calliope where he started a general store and became the local postmaster. He also acted as agent for the Sioux City & Pembina Railway Company (now the Milwaukee) for a year or two after the road was built into Calliope.

In addition to the most careful and painstaking attention to her household duties, and the watchful care of her children, Mrs. Tibbels always gave valuable assistance to her husband in the management and detail work of his business affairs. She knew and experienced the hardships and privations which befall to the lot of the early settlers here, but she never complained of her situation, and conditions which caused others to falter or give up, only seemed to strength her will and ambition to surmount the difficulties. She was truly one of the grand, good women of these pioneer days and she was ever ready to lend a helping hand to the needy and deserving or those in less fortunate circumstances than herself. She was always plain and outspoken in her views and abhorred deceit and hypocrisy no matter in what form it appeared.

Following her husband’s death she continued to live in the old home on the north side, with her granddaughter, Mrs. T.M. Muth, as her idol and companion. After her granddaughter’s marriage she still refused to leave the old home, but continued there alone. It was only last fall, when her health failed to near breaking point, that her independent spirit gave way and she consented to give up her home and go to Sioux City where she might receive the kindly ministrations of her only daughter’s hand. Her last days were days of comfort and peace.