Ruth Spurgeon

BOND, BOHN, SURGEON

Posted By: Ernie Lunsford (email)
Date: 7/17/2020 at 16:08:50

This is a repost from an obituary I originally posted on 12/16/2001. Since I posted this, I found that Ruth was born Ruth Bond (not Bohn) 23 Jul 1790 in St Thomas Parish Baltimore, MD and died either 21 or 22 Nov 1885. The Bond family was rather well known in the Baltimore area and Ruth's birth well documented in parish records. She would not have seen Gen. Washington and the Bond plantation was near Baltimore not Mount Vernon. In reviewing census records Ruth aged more than 10 years in more than one census. The name is also confusing. It is Bond, not Bohn. Both her gravestone and that of her brother Charles both reflect Bohn. I suspect because they lived in the midst of a German community, when Charles died Bond became Bohn and was never corrected. Charles is buried in Steinmeier Cemetery. Ruth's stone was erected decades after her death and the Bohn name was perpetuated. I am guessing that Ruth probably embellished her story over the years and then it was passed down through family lore.

Died:

Spurgeon - At the residence of her son, Thomas Spurgeon in Farmington, at 3:30 P.M. Sunday, November 22, 1885, Mrs. Ruth Spurgeon, aged 106 years, 3 months and 11 days.

Grandma Spurgeon, as she was called by all has passed over the dark river into the unknown future. She was probably the oldest person in this part of the state, and she has lived in this vicinity for so long she will be greatly missed by many friends who survive her.

It is not often that a newspaper is called on to chronicle the death of so aged a person, and one who has seen and been connected with so much of the past history of the country.

Ruth Spurgeon was born in Baltimore County, Maryland in the year 1779, and was consequently 106 years of age. She lived within fourteen miles of the old Washington homestead until 16 years old and knew General Washington at the time he was living on his large tobacco plantation in Baltimore County. In 1800, her parents moved to Ohio, where was married to James Spurgeon. They came to Iowa in 1848. Her husband died at the age of 52 and she has remained a widow ever since. Up to within ten days of her death, she was able to be up and around the house and help herself, and her son tells us that many are the interesting old time stories which she told, and which were enjoyed by old and young alike.

The funeral occurred Tuesday last, at 2 o'clock conducted by Rev. Goodenaugh.

Notes on Ruth Bohn Spurgeon: Some records indicate Bohn spelled as Bond. James Spurgeon did not move to Iowa with Ruth Spurgeon and family. He died in Ohio prior to Ruth moving to Iowa. Her tombstone, in Farmington Cemetery, Farmington, Iowa was erected by Cena White, a granddaughter of Ruth Bohn Spurgeon. Her father was Charles Bohn and her brother Charles Bohn, Jr. was a veteran of the War of 1812 and is buried in the Steinmeyer Cemetery near Farmington.