Bellesfield, Sarah (Mrs. Samuel), 1857-1934

BELLESFIELD, GRIFFIN, LANGFORD

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:35

Born: April 14, 1857
Died: June 24, 1934

From the Rock Valley Bee, June 29, 1934:

MRS. SARAH BELLESFIELD

This community was greatly saddened Sunday by the death of Mrs. Sarah Bellesfield, one of the oldest settlers in this county and city.

On Mother’s Day, 6 weeks ago, Mrs. Bellesfield fell, breaking her hip and since then has been in a very weakened condition, although not serious, and her death came as a great shock to the family. The immediate cause of her death was pleurisy which she contracted on June 8th. She made a valiant effort to overcome the disease, but her weakened condition made it impossible for medical skill and loving hands to pull her through. She died at 1:40 o’clock Sunday afternoon.

Sarah Griffin, oldest daughter of James and Mary Ann Griffin, was born at Geneva, New York, April 14, 1857, and departed from this life on June 24, 1934, aged seventy-seven years, two months and ten days. At the age of 11 years, she moved with her parents to Hampton, Iowa, where the family lived for 4 years, coming to Sioux county in 1872, where she has resided for the past sixty-two years.

On March 29, 1874, she was united in marriage to Samuel Bellesfield. To this union seven children were born, six of whom are living, one daughter, Mrs. Ruie Ann Kurvink, passed away in 1918. Her husband died March 29, 1917.

Mr. and Mrs. Bellesfield moved to Rock Valley in the fall of 1880, having lived in this city fifty-four years. The children living to mourn her death are Mrs. Effie Hamilton, Pipestone, Minn.; Mrs. Millie Firman, of Grand Rapids, Minn.; Mrs. Cynthia Smith, Banners Ferry, Idaho; Clarence B., Wilmer D. Bellesfield and Mrs. Amy Moore, all of this city. She also leaves to mourn her departure two sisters, Mrs. Anna Murphy and Mrs. Alice Dearborn, both of Rock Valley, and one brother, James Griffin, Rock Valley, and a half brother, John Fish, Maple Creek, Saskatchewan, Canada. Also twenty grandchildren and ten great grandchildren.

She was a home-loving and most devoted mother, an ever willing neighbor and her cheerful presence will be greatly missed by the family and her many friends.

Funeral services were held at the home at 1:30 and at the Methodist church at 2:00 Wednesday afternoon, and the remains were taken to Valley View Cemetery.

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From the Alton Democrat, June 29, 1934, Rock Valley news:

Mrs. Sarah Bellesfield passed away at her home at Rock Valley at 1:45 o’clock Sunday afternoon, June 24, 1934. Six weeks ago she fell, breaking her right limb near the hip, and tho the injured member was healing nicely, her age seemed to be against her, so she continued to grow weaker until the end.

Sarah Griffin was born April 14, 1857 near Geneva, N.Y., where she lived until she emigrated from New York to Hampton in Franklin county, Iowa in 1868 with her parents and brother and sisters where she lived until 1872 when she joined her parents who located on a homestead in Sioux county near Rock Valley.

She was united in marriage to Samuel Bellesfield on March 29, 1874, which was broken only by the death of the husband in March, 1917, after forty-three years of married life. To this union were born seven children, namely Mrs. Effie Hamilton, Pipestone, Minn.; C. Brown Bellesfield, Rock Valley; Mrs. Millie Firman, Grand Rapids, Minn.; one daughter, Mrs. R. C. Kurvink, died of influenza November 18, 1917; Mrs. Albert G. Smith, Bonners Ferry, Idaho; Mrs. Amy Moore, Rock Valley; and Wilmer D. Bellesfield, Rock Valley, also survive.

The family lived on the Bellesfield homestead until December 1880 when they moved to Rock Valley and deceased continued to make her home here. She was of a quiet nature, formerly a member of the Woman’s Relief Corps and ever a willing worker.

She leaves to mourn her passing six children all of whom have been previously named, one brother James Griffin, two sisters, Mrs. Anna Murphy and Mrs. Mary A. Dearborn, all of Rock Valley, and one half brother, John Fish of Maple Creek, Sask., Can., twenty grandchildren and ten great grandchildren.

[Followed by the same information on funeral and burial.]

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A briefer obituary was published in the Hawarden Independent, July 5, 1934.

Her death certificate adds more information about her parents, James Griffin and Mary Ann Langford, both born in England; she died at 1:30 p.m. June 24, 1934; cause, edema of lungs, onset June 15, 1934; contributory causes, chronic mephitis [in a medical context, apparently means noxious gas] and chronic endocarditis.