Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-08-13
OBITUARY..
BURIAL OF MRS. E. j. HIRsT.
Last Chapter in the Life of a Well
Known Pioneer Wapello
County Woman,

ALL that was mortal Of Mrs. E. ].
Hirst Of Kirkville WAS laid to rest on
Friday afternoon In the beautiful little
cemetery Of that town. Relatives and
friends and neighbors gathered from
far and near to offer last tribute IF
love and respect to the memory of
the departed, whose long and useful
life, modest and unassuming, gentle
and self sacrificing, endeared her to
all.
Mrs. Hirst, whose maiden name was
Elizabeth Jane McNair was born in
Knox county, Ohio in 1888 the daugh-
ter of Abram and Almira McNair.
When she was six years Of age her
parents came to Wapello county, set
ting at Kirkville, which had ever since
been her home. In 1854 she mas united
in marriage to William B. Marshall,
son Of the Rev. Joshua and Phoebe
Marshall. To them were born five
children, three sons and two daughters.
The sons all died In infancy. William
Marshall died In 1864, and Mrs. Mar
shall was married in 1865 to William
Hirst, a native of England, who came
to America in 1S47, and to Wapello
county in 1851.
To this union came one child. a
Wittenmyer. Mr.. Hirst was the father
of four sons and two daughters by a
former marriage and these united
families settled upon a farm near
Kirkville where the children were
reared to manhood and womanhood
ande one by one left the old homestead
to assume the responsibilities of life
for themselves. In 1892, with advan-
cling age and uncertain strength, Mr..
and Mrs. Hirst gave up the hard work
on the farm, purchased a home in
Kirkville and resolved to spend their
declining years amid the peaceful sur
roundings Of the town which had first
been their home upon coming to Iowa.
Here they had lived for the past fifteen
years enjoying the well earned rest
that lives of usefulness and industry
bring, the quiet Of the old home dis
turbed frequently by the presence of
the children and the prattle of numer
GUS grandchildren who We're always,
sure of a welcome, and whose child
ish hearts held no greater pleasures
than were crowded into their visits.
On March 81 last, Mr.. Hirst passed
away, aged 81 years Since his death
with her daughters. She was seized
with illness two weeks ago while at
Hopkins, Mo-, and was removed to st.
! Joseph, where it was thought more
skillful attention might be provided
and her life prolonged But all efforts
| were in vain, and on TUESDAY evening,
Ausut 6 she passed away. with her
three daughters at her bedside. The
remains We're brought to Kirkvine
Wednesday and the funeral services
held on Friday We're largely attended
and very appropriate and impressive
Rev. Thomas Rowe offlciated. The
choir of the Methodist Episcopal
church sang several impressive num-
bers, and the pallbearers were, with
one exception, the same which only
four months ago carried the body of
| her husband to the grave.
The last chapter of these worthy Cit
liens has been written, the book is
closed, and only the memory of their
kind acts and worthy examples is left
| to brighten the pathway of the bereav-
ed friends. Mrs. Hirst is survived by
one brother and one sister, Rev. H. II.
McNair, a resident of this county, and
Mrs. Henry Black of Colorado Springs,
| Colo. The daughtersr are Mrs /. N.
Strawn of Hopkins, Mo-, Mrs. w. G.
Waters of Des Moines, and Mrs. David
Wittenmyer, who resides near Kirk
| ville.-Contributed.