Nancy McKay Harsh,1810-1912

MCKAY, HARSH, DONLIN

Posted By: Connie White
Date: 3/19/2011 at 17:53:12

Adams County Free Press, Corning, Iowa
Saturday, August 10, 1912, Page 7

Mrs. Nancy Harsh died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Edward Donlin at Hopkins, Missouri, on Wednesday morning, at the remarkable age of past 102. She was the mother of Hon. J.B. Harsh of Creston and was one of the pioneers of Union County, having settled near Afton in 1861. She was born in Washington, Pennsylvania, June 14, 1810, and resided there until her marriage to Daniel Harsh in 1833, and in 1837, they moved to Ohio where the husband died in 1848, leaving her with six children, none of whom were of age. Later she moved to Bureau County, Illinois, and from there to Iowa.
She was attending college at Washington, Pennsylvania, when LaFayette made his visit to the United States and was one of the twenty students who the great general preceded, strewing his pathway with flowers. Her maiden name was Nancy McKay and her father was born and reared in Maryland and her mother in County Down, Ireland.
The cause of her death was stones in the bladder and from injuries received by a fall a short time ago. To the end she retained her mental faculties and could carry on an interesting conversation of the topics of the day. She lived in the present and was thoroughly posted.
The funeral was held yesterday afternoon from the home of J. B. Harsh in Creston conducted by Rev. A. H. Lathrop of the M.E. Church, in the absence of her pastor, Rev. J. T. Walker of the Congregational Church. Interment was made in Graceland Cemetery. While living in Missouri, Mrs. Harsh always claimed Creston her home and was doubtless the oldest woman in Iowa. The lady was well and favorably known to many Adams County people.