Grannis, Ellen (Murdock) died 1869

GRANNIS, MURDOCK, PATCH, WILBUR

Posted By: S. Ferrall - IAGenWeb volunteer
Date: 10/11/2024 at 19:05:49

DIED - At the residence of her father, Hon. S. Murdock, on the 13th of December 1869, Mrs. Helen* Grannis, wife of Mr. Myron M. Grannis, aged 22 years.

With the above death, closes the earthly history of one of the most amiable, affectionate, noble-minded, and highly-intellectual women it has ever been our good fortune to meet or become acquainted with. To see her, was to respect her, to know her, was to admire and esteem her. Her cerebral organization exhibited the every embodiment of thought. No "pent up Utica" contracted or biased her well-organized brain and finely developed intellect. Her mind soared as free as the glorious bird of American liberty, disencumbered of the shackles and tramels that galls, and frets, and worries the human soul yet unredeemed from its bondage of harrowing doubts and blood curdling fears.

She had marked out most noble plans for the future, in connection with her upright, manly and devoted husband; but the untimely frost of Death nipped them in the bud, withered the green tendrils that bound two loving hearts together, and transported her to the Spirit Land, where she will bloom as one of the sweetest flowers that ever adorned the Paradise of God!! Had she blessed this earth but a few years longer, she would have shown as one of the brightest stars in the galaxy of true genius.

As it is, some of the productions of her pen would reflect both credit and fame upon the most talented and popular writers of the day, and she had mounted but the first step of the ladder leading to the temple of Fame -- would to God she had lived that an admiring world might have seen her mount the last!

Sad, indeed, it is to part with one so talented and so good, and around whom clustered so many bright hopes and anticipations. She died as she has for several years believed and lived, a consistent and conscientious Spiritualist. Her death-bed scene was a most extraordinary one for calmness and resignation. Her mind was clear and tranquil to the last, and she betrayed not the slightest fears of death or a dread of the Great Hereafter.

With gentle words of hope and cheer, she endeavored to apply a soothing balm to the agonizing grief that racked the hearts of her woe-stricken family and disconsolate husband. A few moments ere her spirit took its flight, she turned upon her side, doubling her arm under he head as if going to sleep, and thus died without a struggle or a groan. About the last words she uttered were: "The light is dawning."

Like she who has past to a higher sphere of usefulness, let us, while here, strive to gain and reduce to practice that kind of knowledge which will prove to be the true science of life, both in this world and in that to which we all are hastening; and when the cold hand of Death is laid upon us, we an look back with satisfaction and pleasure, and see that we have done something to add to human happiness -- that we have not clogged the wheels of human progress, but have helped to hasten on the glorious time when this earth shall be filled with true knowledge, and all shall know how to be happy.
--J.W. Stout, Elkader, Iowa, Jan. 10th, 1870

The JOURNAL and the NEWS are requested to copy.

~North Iowa Times, January 12, 1870; pg 2
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Notes:
-- *The obituary is the only record the contributor has found that gives her name as Helen. She is named as Ellen Grannis, age 22 on the 1870 Mortality Schedule, Garnavillo twp.
-- Ellen is buried in the Old Garnavillo cemetery, in the Murdock lot with at least 3 of her sisters and an infant brother.
-- The contributor could not find the marriage record of Myron and Ellen, but a news article in a Feb. 10, 1869 McGregor newspaper mentions a "Concert and Reading" at the Cambrian, given by Miss Ellen Murdock, Miss Emma Grannis and Miss Marion Murdock. The marriage must have occurred between Feb. & Nov. 1869. Marion was Ellen's sister and Emma was her future sister-in-law.
-- "Myron M. Grannis, son of William, married the oldest daughter of Judge Murdock who died soon after her marriage." source: Strawberry Point Mail-Press, August 22, 1901
-- Myron served in the Civil War, Co. D, 21st IA Inf. He became a physician, remarried in 1874 to Hattie Wilbur, and died in California in 1880.