Euphemia Catherine (Doyle) CROSBY

CROSBY, DOYLE

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 8/5/2010 at 11:33:51

Ames Daily Tribune and Times, Ames, Iowa
October 19, 1936

23 April 1863 -- 18 October 1936

PIONEER COLLINS WOMAN IS DEAD

COLLINS, IA - Mrs. Euphemia Catherine Crosby, 73, pioneer of this community, was found dead Sunday afternoon about 5 o'clock by her son, Raymond Crosby, who had come from his home in Newton to visit with her. A physician who was called at once said she had been dead more than 12 hours. Death was attributed to a heart attack.

Mrs. Crosby was born in 1863 in Ottawa City, Canada, daughter of Richard and Catherine Doyle. The family came to Butler Center, Ia., when Mrs. Crosby was a small child. She was married in 1885 to Stephen Crosby and resided in Eagle Grove, Eldora and Colo before moving to Collins 43 years ago. Mrs. Crosby died at Collins 35 years ago.

Surviving are two sons, Raymond and Morris J., both of Newton, three granddaughters, two great granddaughters, a sister, Miss Theressa Doyle of Greene and a brother, Robert A. Doyle of Eagle Grove. Mrs. Crosby was a charter member of the Collins unit, American Legion auxiliary.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock from the Collins Methodist church with the Rev. Lloyd Patton in charge. Interment will be in the Evergreen cemetery.

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"Every family has stories to tell about outrageous events and family members. My family is no exception. My family has some very colorful characters and entertaining stories.

Whenever pitted with others telling family tales, I wait until everyone is done and then offer mine as the piece de resistance. There are a number of them to choose from, but my favorite is about my great-great grandmother.

My maternal great-great grandmother was Euphemia Doyle Crosby. She was the daughter of a wealthy farmer in northern Iowa. The Doyles had 12 children. Euphemia had a twin brother and as I remember the story, only about five of the children survived to adulthood. And out of the 12 children, two of them were named Mary!

As the story goes, after the Civil War, a man showed up at the farm asking to work as a farm hand. His name was Stephen Crosby. He was Canadian and fought with the Union soldiers in the Civil War. The Doyles were from Canada, too, (Ontario or Ottawa—no one is sure).

Stephen falls in love with the wealthy farm girl, Euphemia, and they elope. The family does not condone the marriage and they disown Euphemia. It was only after she died that her sisters expressed regret that they had not mended fences.

She and Stephen set up housekeeping in Collins, Iowa where they raise three boys. Stephen works as a blacksmith and in 1901 he dies.

There is an insurance policy on Stephen and when Euphemia tries to surrender the policy to pay for the funeral, she finds that Stephen already has a wife and possibly children in Canada. She is so incensed that she buries him outside the church yard.

Yes, my maternal great-great grandfather was a bigamist.

Now, if you are ever in Collins, Iowa and visit the graveyard, you will find Stephen’s grave not too far from Euphemia’s. The church fence is no longer there so it is impossible to confirm the story, but a scornful Irish woman will always have her day. And for Euphemia, it was for Stephen's earthly eternity.'

Source:
http://open.salon.com/blog/rebeccaliming/2010/04/01/every_skeleton_has_a_closet