Philander Stevens ELLSWORTH

ELLSWORTH, HARNSON, COMSTOCK

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 6/12/2010 at 12:28:07

September 22, 1815 -- January 16, 1889

P. S. Ellsworth died at the residence of his son, H. H. Ellsworth in Britt, Iowa, January 16, 1889, at 2:30 p.m. The deceased was born in Susquehanna Co., Pa., September 22, 1815, where he resided till the 18th year of his age, when he was united in marriage with Harrietta Harnson Comstock, and with his young wife sought their fortunes in the far west removing to Ottawa, Illinois in 1833, where he lived till the year 1872, when he went to Belmond, Iowa, and was a resident of Wright and Hancock counties for the next thirteen years. The feeble health of Mrs. Ellsworth had it necessary for them to remove to Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1885, where they were comfortably provided for, and the declining years of the aged couple made happy, through the kindness of their daughter, who donated a neat cottage home in one of the pleasant suburbs of the city. Here Mrs. Ellsworth died in Feb. 1888, since which Uncle Ellsworth has visited with his children, feeling that he must soon follow his beloved companion, whose virtues to him were ever a pleasant and favorite subject of discussion. He has been a staunch supporter and was an aggressive member of the Republican party. He had as a relic that he highly cherished a Tippecanoe cane since the 1840 campaign, and proudly boasted that he had supported Harrison in 1836 - '40 and '48. He has always held a position of honor or an office of trust in the different communities where he has resided, was jailer in the city of Ottawa, Illinois for sixteen consecutive years prior to his removal to Iowa. He was the proud parent of 11 children, five surviving him. A short time ago the old gentleman received a serious injury by falling down a cellar stairs, dislocating a shoulder. Before he had recovered from that, gangrene set in his leg, and an amputation became necessary, which was performed on Monday, January 14th, from which he rallied with very satisfactory symptoms, his age seemed against him and he had not sufficient vitality to recover from so severe an operation. The remains will be taken to Minneapolis where he will be laid beside his wife who was his life companion for a period of fifty-five years.