Emily (Wyatt) Handsaker (1838-1924)

WYATT, HANDSAKER, DAY, HINES

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 7/13/2022 at 23:02:38

From Nevada Evening Journal August 22, 1924 (page 5)

SUDDEN DEATH OF PIONEER WOMAN

MRS. EMILY HANDSAKER PASSED AWAY EARLY THURSDAY FORENOON.

The sudden death of Mrs. Emily Handsaker, 86, Story county pioneer woman at her home on Fourth and Avenue J, at 8:15 Thursday morning, came as a distinct shock to the people of the community, many of whom had talked to her during the day before, as she was working about her home.

Mrs. Handsaker who had been in her usual health, was taken ill shortly after her evening meal, with what appeared to be an attack of acute indigestion. A physician was called and later in the night heart trouble developed and her children were at once summoned. Her condition continued alarming until shortly after 8 o'clock Thursday morning, when she passed away.

All the children were at her bedside with the exception of two. The eldest son, John T. Handsaker had started for Minnesota, but was intercepted by a message at Rodman, where he had stopped for the night. He arrived here 20 minutes after she had died. The daughter Mrs. Sabina Day is spending the summer with her son near Flaxville, Mont., and will be here for the funeral.

Funeral services will be held from Memorial Lutheran church Sunday afternoon at 2:30, with Dr. C. N. Swihart in charge. Interment will be made in the Nevada cemetery by the side of her husband, Wm. Handsaker, who died about 17 years ago.

Mrs. Handsaker was born Emily Wyatt, in Indiana, August 7, 1838. She lived there as a girl but later came to Illinois with her people where they lived until she was married to Mr. Handsaker on Christmas Day, 1858.

Shortly after their marriage they located on a farm in Richland township and there they lived and reared their family of children. Of the five sons and three daughters, six are still alive. Mary Ellen, the second, died at the age of 9 months and David the third son passed away in 1894.

The surviving children are John T. Handsaker, of Sherman township, Wm. H. Handsaker, of Nevada, Mrs. Sabina Day who has divided her time of later years between Nevada, and Flaxville, Montana, Horace Greeley Handsaker and J. Harvey Handsaker, of Fernald, and Mrs. Nona Hines of southwest of this city.

It was about 31 years ago that Mr. and Mrs. Handsaker left the farm and moved to Nevada locating in the property at Fourth and Avenue J., which had since been the family home. For many years before and since the death of Mrs. Handsaker she had had her sister Miss Mary Wyatt in the home with her. Besides this sister she leaves a brother, Wm. Wyatt, of Manning, who will be here for the funeral.

Mrs. Handsaker had been a wonderful wife and mother, and during the long years on the farm head been a true helpmate to her husband in rearing the family and assisting in accumulating a goodly portion of this world's goods, for their declining years and to leave their children.

Another and greater heritage she left them, however--the influence of a good Christian mother who brought up her children in paths of rectitude and Christianity.

She leaves besides her four sons and two daughter, a large number of grandchildren and great grandchildren, besides a wide circle of neighbors and friends who have long known and honored her.