Penelope (Johnson) Gillespie (1816-1899)

JOHNSON, GILLESPIE

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 7/23/2011 at 22:49:59

From Story County Watchman February 10, 1899

DIED--At the residence of her son, J. F. Gillespie, in this city on February 4, aged eighty-two years, two months adn sixteen days, Mrs. Penelope Gillespie. The last rites were held at the residence of Mr. Gillespie with services by Rev. Brown of the Methodist church, after which the remains were taken to the depot and shipped to Marshalltown and interred beside those of her husband who passed to the great beyond several years since, there to await the last call of the resurrection morn. Penelope Johnson was born November 18, 1816, in Warren County, Ohio, where she lived until womanhood, and in 1834 was married to Norilo Gillespie and a year later they emigrated to LaPorte county, Indiana, being pioneers in a then new country, where they lived until 1854 when they moved to Marshalltown, Iowa, being among the first settlers. Her husband died there in 1878. Three daughters preceded her to the land unknown, a son and a daughter surviving her. In early life she became a christian and belonged to the Society of Friends, but could worship with any or all religious denominations with earnest devotion. She was always of a modest and retiring disposition, greatly devoted to her family. The bible was her rule of life and companion. She was a good woman and mother and died as she had lived--in full hope of an immortal life beyond the grave.