Lydia Adelia (Sprague) BRYAN

BRYAN, SPRAGUE, WEDGE, GLEASON, MUIGUS, MCROBERTS, BENDT, GERTZ, BENNETT, AANENSON

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/10/2024 at 13:06:46

December 25, 1850 --- May 31, 1939

MRS OSCAR D. BRYAN, May 31 1939. She had been ill at times for the past two years or more, but not until the final months was her condition taken to be serious. But with her eighty nine years she was too weakened to withstand the ravages of the flu when it overtook her a few weeks ago and she became gradually weaker, death finally claiming her and ending her sufferings. All that could possible be done by a loving family to ease her last hours and to prolong if possible her frail life was done for her but to no avail. She slept quietly away.

Funeral services took place at the late home at 1:30 and at 2:00 from the Presbyterian church with Rev K. W. Schalk conducting the services. He preached a sermon of fine tribute to this good woman. Interment was in Grand Prairie cemetery beside her husband and a son who had died in infancy. The pall bearers were old friends and neighbors: John Nolte, Fred Nolte, Arthur Birkett, Pat Hefferan, B. J. Richter and C. W. Sherman.

Lydia Sprague, daughter of Charles and Mary Sprague, was born on Christmas Day 1850 in Wabash county, Indiana where her father was employed as a canal boatman. While still a small child the family moved to Wright county, Iowa, settling at Belmond, where she grew to maturity and where she met and married Oscar D. Bryan October 19, 1872. In 1864 Mr Bryan had enlisted in the Fifth Iowa Infantry and served in the army until August 8 of that year when he was transferred as bugler to the Fifth Cavalry and was mustered out of service August 11 1865 at Nashville Tennessee. In June 1874 Mr Bryan came to this vicinity and filed a homestead claim on Section 13, one of the west sections of Grand Prairie township, now owned by Matt Bendt. He had been accompanied by his brother, George Bryan. The next winter he went back to his family at Belmond Iowa and spent the entire season bringing his wife and the tiny daughter that had been born to them to the new home, where they resided until 1910 when they sold their farm and moved into Ellsworth. This has been their home until death took Mr Bryan on September 16, 1932. Four children were born to them, a son Frank dying in 1887. The surviving children are: Jane, Mrs. Chas Wedge, Ellsworth; Vera, Mrs. Jack Gleason, Elk Point SD; and Ralph of near Luverne, Minnesota. One sister, Mrs. George Bryan, Spirit Lake, Iowa survives and in spite of poor health insisted in coming when she heard of her sister’s serious illness but she arrived a few minutes too late. She will remain here for a few weeks with Mrs. Wedge, helping her to adjust to affairs.

Relatives and close friends from out of town who attended the funeral included: Mrs. Geo Bryan and son Earl of Spirit Lake, Iowa; Lyle Bryan, Little Rock, Iowa; Mrs. Fannie Muigus and Mr. and Mrs. Bryan McRoberts, Luverne, Minnesota; Mr. and Mrs. Matt Bendt of this community; Mr. and Mrs. Ted Bendt, Kenneth, Minnesota; Mrs. A. Gertz, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Bennett and Mr. and Mrs. K. K. Aanenson, all of Luverne, Minnesota.

Ellsworth News -- Ellsworth, Minnesota
June, 1939