The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1889-09-13
A ROUNDED LIFE.
Death Of Mrs. Betsy Wallingford at the
Advanced Age of SO Years.
A REVOLUTIONARY Widow

Mrs. BETSY Waliingford died Friday
evening at O'Clock at the residence o.
her daughter, Mrs. Benz. Durkee, at 53l
North Broad street. She was aged 8:
years, month and l2 days. Her death
is traced TO an accident that occurred
eight years ago. She was leaning for.
ward to reach into the lower part of O
cupboard when her ankle gave way and
she fell to the floor, breaking her hip
She has since suffered much and has
hardly been able TO leave the house, u.s.
ing crutches a good part of the time.
The effects of this, combined with old
age, resulted in her death. She retained
the almost unimpaired use of all her
faculties up to the time of her death,
which was very calm and peaceful She
had been very poorly for the past two
months, and for some days her friends
have realized that the end was near.
Up to the time of the accident she was
vigorous, attended to all household and
social duties, and gave promise OF living
number of years.
The history OF Mrs. Wallingford's life
is full of interest, and in one respect at
least she enjoyed distinction which any
other lady in the State could be proud
of. She was the only surviving widow
in Minnesota of soldier of the Revolu-
ton, and, with one exception, was the
oldest in the United States. The entire
number is very limited and i'll few
years all will be gone.
Elizabeth Bunker (for Elizabeth was
her true name) was born ut Pittsfield, n.
H., July %, 1896. Her family afterward
moved to Maine. in July, 1912, at the
age of sixteen, she was married at
Athens, Me-, to Jonathan Wallingford,
then fifty years old, native of New
Hampshire and an ex-soldier OF the Re-
volution, who enlisted at the age of
eighteen as u private in Capt. Timothy
Emerson's company, Bartlett's regiment
of New Hampshire volunteers. He pass
ed through the war without injury, re-
naming in the service until The surren-
der of the British troops and consequent
termination of the war.
Mr.. and Mrs. Wallingford resided in
their native state from the time of their
marriage until the death of the former
in August, lS47, at the age of eighty five.
Mrs. Wallingford remained in New
Hampshire several years thereafter, and
In 1855 emigrated to the territory of Min
nesota ana located in this city. At that
time there were no railroads in the state
and she assembled the Minnesota river,
then navigable, in one of the little steam
ers that piled between st. Paul and
Mankato. Thi3 city was then a frontier
town of scarcely 100 inhabitants, and the
country was little more than wilder
ness, and its inhabitants constantly in
danger of their lives from the Sioux In
dams until Gen. Sibley quelled the last
great outbreak and the IS Indians were
hung in this city in 1862.
Mrs. Wallingford and her little family
passed through all of the trials incident
to pioneer life and, though long past her
sixtieth wear, worked at carpet weaving,
and together with what she earned i'm
this manner and a pension of $l2
month, which she received latterly from
the government, managed to live com
fortably. For a number of wears she re-
ceiyed only S. a month pension. When
she frat came to this CITY she located in
a small house ON n. Fourth street and
lived there alone for some time. When
the Omaha road was constructed through
the CITY her house was demolished and
the road built over the lot. Oflate years
she has lived with her daughter, Mrs.
Benz. Durkee, at whose residence she
died, and who Is widow of the late
Coroner Durkee.