Susan Gigray Jones (1837 - 1927)

JONES, GIGRAY, CASTOR, EMARY, MILLER, HORTON, MCCANN, GOODWIN

Posted By: Karen Brewer (email)
Date: 3/5/2024 at 10:20:52

The Osceola Tribune, Osceola, Iowa
February 3, 1927, Page 4

Mrs. Susan Jones

Wednesday afternoon, January 26, 1927, after a pilgrimage of 89 years, 9 months and 13 days, with a smile followed by a sigh, Mrs. Susan Jones was not; for the twinkling of an eye "The silver cord was loosened and the golden bowl was broken," and she was numbered with those whose journey in this life has reached the end.

Susan Gigray was born in Stark County, Ohio, April 13, 1837. She was one of the family of nine children; one of whom, Mrs. Lizzie Castor, of Pasadena, California, is still living. As a child she made the journey with her parents to Illinois, where they abode for a time; later coming to Clarke County, Iowa in the year 1852, where she has resided the greater part of her life since that time in 1858 she was married to Reuben Jones, who departed this life April 24, 1917. In 1864 with her husband and family she started in a covered wagon over land for that part of the west which today is known as the state of Nevada. This journey required four months and three weeks of hardship and sacrifice in pilgrimage. Two years later they went to California where they resided until 1868 when they again started back for Clarke county, Iowa, coming as far as Omaha, Nebr., by the same means of travel by which they had taken their westward journey. Since that time Mrs. Jones has lived in Clarke county on a farm, until about twenty-three years ago when she and her husband came to reside in Osceola. Mrs. Jones has the proud distinction of belonging to that hardy race of pioneers who saw the virgin soil of Iowa turned to the sun, the crops planted, the harvest gathered, the towns and cities built, with their churches and school houses; the railroad constructed and our prairie commonwealth transformed into an empire of splendid homes. In the cost of toil and labor and sacrifice required to bring about the phenomenal transformation, Mrs. Jones bore her full share and part-and now she rests from her labors and her works do follow after her.

Mrs. Jones was the mother of ten children all of whom grew to manhood's and womanhood's estate. At the age of twenty-two, her daughter Mary departed this life. The nine living children who rise up and call their mother "Blessed" are F. I. Jones of Osceola; Mrs. Esther Emary of Osceola; Mrs. Lorena Miller of Des Moines, Iowa; J. O. and Wm. Jones of Osceola; Mrs. Mayme Horton of Hale Center, Texas; Mrs. Minnie McCann of Osceola; T. J. Jones of Douglass, Wyo., and Mrs. Myrtle Goodwin of Osceola. These sorrowing hearts are joined in their bereavement by twenty-one grandchildren and one great grand child.

All who knew Mrs. Jones speak of her as one of those noble women who lived to serve and sacrifice for home and children, and all else that is related thereto. On the whole she had been blessed with good health and a mind that was clear and active to the end. Of her we can say in the language of the poet--

"The good die not! this heritage
they leave,
The record of a life in virtue
spent;
For our own loss at parting we
may grieve-
Lives such as hers build their own
monuments."

Funeral services were held from the home, Saturday afternoon, January 29. The same were conducted by Rev. Raoul R. Moser of the Methodist church. The burial followed in the Osceola cemetery.