Bridget (Elwood) ALDRICH

PLUNKETT, ELWOOD, ALDRICH, PHILLIPS, WILCOX, MORAN, GOODALL, OCONNOR, MULLIGAN, BAKER, TEETER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 10/19/2008 at 15:12:40

[sister of Helen (Elwood) Plunkett of Eagle Grove]

Mrs. Bridget Aldrich died at her home in Tama July 26, 1912, aged 71 years and 13 days. Miss Bridget Elwood was born in Lockport, N.Y. July 13, 1841, and was united in marriage at Stratford, Canada, to Mr. Francis Aldrich, April 8, 1860, Rev. Father Crennin officiating. In 1862 they came to Iowa and settled on a farm about 2 1/2 miles east of Tama. In 1865 they bought a farm in Columbia township and moved thereon.

To this union eleven children were born, of whom two died in infancy. Those still surviving are Mrs. Mary Agnes Phillps, Buffalo Center, Iowa; James Maurice Aldrich, Lake Mills, Iowa; Mesdames Sarah Jane Wilcox, Phoebe Agnes Moran, and Alice Goodall, Tama; Mrs. Ella O'Connor, Columbia; Mrs. Arvilla Catharine Mulligan, Sheridan; Francis Joseph Aldrich, Garwin and William Henry Aldrich, of Columbia.

Mr. and Mrs. Aldrich were industrious and good managers and the farm produced a competence for their large family. They delighted in the companionship of each other and of their children. They were both devout members of the Catholic church to which they contributed generously and by precept and example sought to direct the footsteps of their children in the Catholic faith, in honest, industrious and peaceful lives and in all that goes to make upright and respected citizens.

The husband was summoned to his heavenly home July 16, 1910, at 8 o'clock p.m. and the 26th of July 1912, at the same hour the loving wife followed him. The sad rites were held in St. Patrick's church in Tama, Rev. Father O'Brien officiating, assisted by the choir from St. Patrick's church of Marshalltown, Iowa. The children were all present, except James Maurice Aldrich, who did not arrive until Tuesday morning. A large circle of relatives, friends and neighbors attended the funeral and brought their tributes of flowers.

There were present from abroad two sisters of the deceased, Mrs. Plunkett, of Eagle Grove, and Mrs. Baker, also her daughter, from Bancroft. Mr. Ellwood, brother of the deceased, and wife, of St. Anthony; also Mrs Teeter, of Marshalltown, and Phillips, of Nevada, Iowa.

The pall-bearers were Daniel and Robert Coughlin, Patrick McCarty, J.J. McMahon, John Quinn and John F. Whalen. The same persons acted as pall-bears at the funeral of the husband, except on that occasion it was Stephen Quinn instead of John Quinn.

The remains were laid at rest beside the husband's in the Catholic [St. Patrick's] cemetery.

Calm on the bosom of thy God
E'en while with ours thy footsteps trod.
Dust to his narrow house beneath
They that have seen, Thy look in death
Fair Spirit rest thee now!
His deal was on thy brow
Soul to it's place on high!
No more may fear to die.