Gittie E. (Dumond) FINCH

DUMOND, FINCH, MARTIN, ROSECRANS, PRITCHARD, ARNOLD, GROBATY, BAILEY, PERLEMAN, ARKWRIGHT, SWEENEY

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 5/23/2010 at 12:37:19

Belmond Independent - Belmond, Iowa
30 June 1932

Mrs. Gittie E. Finch died Monday afternoon, June 27, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Marion Martin, at the age of 83 years. For the last year or more Mrs. Finch had been suffering with heart trouble but she had been able to be up and around visiting with her many friends, until Friday when she had a severe attack. She seemed to be recovering but Monday afternoon she suffered another attack and passed away in just a short time.

Gittie E. Dumond, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Archibald Dumond, was born in LaPorte, Indiana, February 7, 1849. She came to Belmond with her parents in 1854, when she was only five years of age. The family first lived in a log house near the present site of the mill. Later another log house was built on the hill west of town in which the family lived until Mr. Dumond built the brick house which still stands on the hill. This was the first "real" house built in town. The first stock of goods brought here was sold from the porch of the Dumond home while waiting for the store to be opened. On January 1, 1864, Gittie Dumond was married in Belmond to William Finch of Cincinnati, Ohio. To this union seven children were born, four sons, John, Jesse, William and Joseph, all died in childhood, and three daughters, Catherine Rosecrans Pritchard of Buffalo Center, Marion Martin of Belmond and Jennie Pritchard of Garner. Mr. and Mrs. Finch lived in Belmond most of their lives. A few years they lived in Davenport and a few in Gamer, Mr. Finch having an interest in elevators at these places. Mr. Finch died about 24 years ago. Mrs. Finch was a quiet and unassuming woman and was loved by all who knew her. Her greatest interest was in the welfare of this community for the town "Belmond" was named in honor of her father, Archibald Dumond, and her sister, the "belle" of the town. Besides the three daughters, Mrs. Finch leaves 11 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren to mourn her sudden death. Mrs. W. S. Pritchard was in the west and unable to get back for her mother's funeral. Funeral services were held in the St. Francis Church Wednesday morning at nine thirty. Requiem mass was sung by the Rev. Mauer and St. Francis choir. The body was taken to its final resting place in St. Francis Cemetery. The pall bearers were six grandsons of Mrs. Finch. Those from out of town attending the funeral were: Theodore Dumond, Odd Fellows Home, Mason City; Mr. and Mrs. James Arnold and Bertha Dumond, Magnolia, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. Paul Pritchard and Mr. and Mrs. John Pritchard, Britt; Walter Pritchard, Sr. and his sons, Walter, Jr., Robert and Harry, Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Grobaty and son, Mrs. Mayme Bailey and Miss Mae Perleman of Garner; Mr. and Mrs. C. 6. Pritchard and Mrs. Addie Arkwright, Buffalo Center; Mr. and Mrs. Will Finch and son. Bob, Woolstock; Mr. and Mrs. Ed Pritchard of Alden; Miss Dorothy Sweeney of Des Moines.