The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-02-23

ALBION, Ind, Feb. % Funeral
services for Mrs. Sarah Wrigley, 80
years old, mother of Judge L. H. Wrig-
Episcopal church here Saturday after
noon. Death was due to senility. In
terment was in the Albion cemetery.
Mrs Wrigley came to Albion three
years ago to make her home with her
son, Judge Wrigley. She came from
Richmond, where for thirty years she
had served as librarian. Because of
failing eyesight, which eventually re-
suited in total blindness, she was COM
PEELED to give up this position. She
was a brilliant thinker and though
totally blind she did her bit for the
country's soldiers during the world
war by scraping lint for hospitals.
Mrs. Sarah Wrigley was the oldest
daughter of John Finley, at one time
mayor of Richmond, and author of a
number of poems, including the
"HoOsier Nest" from which Indiana re-
ceived it's name "Hoosier" state She
was born in small cottage at the top
Of Whitewater gorge at spot near
where the corner of South Second and
B streets is located, on March 6, 1880.
At the time of her birth, there were
few houses in the town of Richmond
and all of them We're made either Of
logs or of prepared lumber, brought
from the Ohio river at great expense
Went to School at Four.
She started to school when four
years old, going to school in the morn
ings and staying for lunch. Her first
teacher was a private tutor who had
to solicit for her pupils and who taught
only the rudiments of learning, such
as the letters and the work that is now
taught in kindergarten.
Later she attended a private school
in the Warner building, located where
the city hall now stands. 1t was here
that she received her common school
education. After finishing the course
! in that school she attended a Friends
school and received a higher educa-
ton.
In~1S64~- Sarah Finley was married
to l.. II. Wrigley, a young man who
came to this city as school teacher
After their marriage they moved to
Newcastle, where Mr.. Wrigley was
publisher of the Newcastle Courier
After staying there only few years,
llltS Itlui utu W RiNHlHOlt anu !cltI
Mr.. Wrigley went to Nebraska during
a big land boom in that part of the
country
Active in Relief Work
During the Civil war, Mrs. Wrigley
| was active in the relief work of the
| Union army Her brother, John H.
Finley, was major in the 69th Ind
| lana volunteers and upon his being
! NUO1ndpd in tho second aScau1f
Nicksburg, Mrs. Wrigley went south
and returned with her wounded broth,
er and another wounded Union Of
! ficer
| Through her father. who was at
that time mayor of Richmond, she
was able to do much active work in
relief and sanitation. Her husband
died during the Civil war, behind the
Confederate lines in Texas, where he
| had gone to visit some relatives, and
! his body was buried in Texas. The
exact date of his death could not be
| learned then as it was impossible to
communicate with his Texas relatives
during the war. 1t was later learned
that his death occurred in 1863.
Served as Librarian
From 1864 until 1908, Mrs. Wrigley
was librarian of the Morrisson-Re
library. When the library, a gift OF
Robert Morrison. was being collected
and put on the shelves, Jesse Brown
a friend of Mrs. Wrigley, assisted In
the work and was given the office OF
librarian. He later accepted the posi-
tion of superintendent of schools, how
ever, and the position was given tc
Mrs. Wrigley
Mrs Wrigey was the last link be
tween the Richmond of the pioneer
days and the Richmond of today
Many details of historical import
snce, which were not set down by the
historian, were transmitted by her tc
posterty in the form of interviews
with newspaper men and members o.
the history department of Earlhan
college.
A few years ago, Mrs. Wrigley
wrote for the Palladium a number o.
anecdotes about men that were prom
inent in Richmond a half century ago
Owing to the prominence Of her father
Mrs. Wrigley knew intimately many
of the founders of the city.