Lydia Tuttle Cheney 1800-1891

CHENEY, TUTTLE, KLINE, CLINE, BURLEIGH

Posted By: Volunteer - Rich Lowe
Date: 12/1/2001 at 09:43:11

A Long, Busy Life.

Mrs. Lydia Tuttle Cheney died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Adam Kline, in Bonaparte Township, Van Buren county, Iowa, September 16th, 1891.

She was as old as the present century, having been born in Nottingham, N. H. May 4th, 1800. She was the oldest of nine children and outlived them all by many years. Her brothers, Gen'l. Benjamin S. and Col. Bradbury C. Tuttle, were well known in New Hampshire, and lived in Meredith. The three other brothers lived in Boston, and all occupied important positions in public and private life. She was married in Sanbornton, N. H. in 1821, to J. H. Cheney, moved to Campton, 1827, and to Van Buren county, Iowa, in November, 1860. Her husband died in 1862. She left five children living, three sons, L. C. and B. T., Overton, Nebraska, and E. M. Cheney, York, Nebraska; two daughters, Mrs. Lucy A. Cline and Mrs. Katharine Burleigh, Laconia, N. H. All attended her funeral. The family had planned a reunion and Mrs. B. had started for Iowa before she knew her mother was sick, but only arrived in time to attend the funeral. The sons in Nebraska were summoned by telegraph.

She was remarkably active and healthy up to within four days of her death and retained her mind to the last. On July 4th alt. at the celebration in Bonaparte, she was presented with an easy chair for being the oldest lady on the grounds. Seating herself in the chair she took in her arms her great-great-grandchild, being the fifth generation.

During the last twenty years of her life, in order to keep busy, she occupied her time in knitting socks and piecing quilts. Of the latter she had made one hundred and fifty-two, and some contained over two thousand pieces. All of her children, grand-children and great-grand children have one or more to remember her work.

Source: Entler Scrapbook, vol. 6, Iowa Historical Library, Iowa City, IA

I am not related and am posting this for those who may find this person in their family history.