Mary Elizabeth (Sunderland) Furnas (1842-1930)

SUNDERLAND, FURNAS, DILLIN, PASLEY, LANG, LEONARD

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 5/17/2021 at 16:53:12

From Nevada Evening Journal June 21, 1930 (page 1)

Front page headline:
Two Story County Pioneers Dead

Two of the pioneer settlers of the northwest corner of Richland township, Iver Sampson, 87, and Mrs. Mary Furnas, 88, died within a few hours of each other today. The Iver Sampson homestead was in Section 6, while the Elwood Furnas land was in No. 7, just to the south. Mr. Sampson died at his home in Roland at 1:00 this morning and Mrs. Furnas at her home in Nevada at 10:30. The funeral of Mr. Sampson will be held at Roland Monday at 2:00 while that of Mrs. Furnas will be Tuesday afternoon at 2:30.

Mrs Mary Furnas, Nevada Woman, Died Here Today

WAS EARLY DAY RESIDENT OF RICHLAND TOWNSHIP--NATIVE OF OHIO

Mrs. Mary Furnas, 88, pioneer of Richland township, died at her home 213 J avenue, Nevada, at 10:30 a. m. today after an illness of nearly three months the last ten weeks of which time she had been under the constant care of a physician and trained nurse.

She had been gradually failing in strength for some weeks and her death was no at all unexpected. Death was due to infirmities incident to old age.

The body was taken to the Morfoot Funeral home, where the funeral service will be held Tuesday afternoon at 2:30, after which will be in the Nevada cemetery.

Mrs. Furnas, whose maiden name was Mary Elizabeth Sunderland, a native of Montgomery county, was born February 20, 1853, a daughter of Richard and Eleanor Sunderland.

She was a descendant of Captain Richard Sunderland of Revolutionary fame.

It was on February 10, 1859 that she was united in marriage to Elwood Furnas. Mr. Furnas, also a native of Ohio, had come out to Iowa from Ohio with his parents and settled in Louisa county in 1857. Two years later he went back to Ohio after his bride.

It was in 1870 that Mr. Furnas came to Story county, purchased a large tract of land in Richland township and there established the family home.

No children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Furnas, but their arm home had been opened to at least six young children. There these young people had their homes and were partially reared.

Mr. Furnas died very suddenly on December 31, 1902, while at the home of his sister, Mrs. James Dillen, in this city, where he was attending court.

It was about two years following the death of the husband that Mrs. Furnas left the farm and moved into Nevada where she occupied a new home at 213 J avenue, which had been her home since.

Mr. and Mrs. Furnas were both kindly people, considerate of the welfare of the young people within their gates and contributed to their care and education, besides giving them wise advice in the affairs of life. In fact, they did all in their power to take the part of the parents.

Among those who had their home with Mr. and Mrs. Furnas as children and who had been as children to her for years, were C. H. Pasley of Ames, Mrs. Carrie Lang of Ames and Will Leonard of Nevada.

A nephew, Mr. Sunderland, with his wife and two granddaughters had spent some weeks here during her illness, had been compelled to return to their home in Ohio, two weeks ago.