The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1933-04-06
Pioneer Lady
Laid at Rest
Sun. = P. NJ.
Mrs. G. D. Cass, Ill for Long
Time, Passed Into Eternal
Sleep, March 80
FINE TYPE OF WOMAN
TaugueRural School of Sank
Centre Community as
Young Lady

Mrs. G. d. CaSS, a resident of
this community for over so years,
wife of Alderman G. D. Cass, was
laid to rest in Greenwood Cemetery
Sunday afternoon, after years of
failing health which resulted in her
death upon March 80, 1888. While
she had been confined to her home
nearly all winter, it was not until
the last few weeks that her condi-
ton became critical or alarming.
A patient sufferer, she maintained
her cheerful disposition to the last.
Ella May Wilcox was born at
Montello, Wis, March 16, 1859. She
removed shortly thereafter to Man
kato, with her parents, Mr.. and Mrs.
David Wilcox. She received. her ed
ucation at Mankato, graduating
with honors from the State Norm
al there, In 1877 the family came
to Sank Centre, travelling overland
by covered wagon. There were few
railroads in those days-none at
Sank Centre. The deceased taught
school around Sank Centre for sew
eral years, and today many local
residents remember her as one of
their teachers.
Jan. %, 1885, Miss Wilcox was
married to Guilford Dudley Cass,
and except for two years since that
time she has been a resident Of
this community. Those two years
were spent in California. Upon
their return from the west in 1919,
Mr.. Cass purchased the residence
on South Main street, where they
have made their home for the past
IA years.
Services were held at the home
Sunday at 200 P. NJ, Rev. c. ].
Morgan officiating. The pallbearers
were w. J. Koonze, Chas Bruce,
Frank Pangburn, Chas. Gray, Wal
ter Barnett, of this city, and VIM.
WEIGH, of Westport.
Mrs. Cass leaves one sister, Mrs.
C. A. Morse, and one brother,
Clark D. Wilcox, both Of this city.
The word pioneer" suggests an
early settler. Today we speak Of
someone, pioneering in a new field.
In that sense we will always have
pioneers with us, for there will al
ways be new fields to conquer. Web
ster defines pioneer as zone who
goes before to remove distractions
or prepare the way for another"
Surely, one who came to Sank
Centre before the railroads can be
considered a pioneer, one who
struggled for years as a school
teacher during those years, must
have left an impression upon the
community. Sank Centre has long
shown evidences of being stable
and substantial community, much
of the credit for which is due
those early pioneers who came here
before the railroads, and who dur
ing those early years laid the foun-
dation upon which we have erected
so stable a community. An act Of
today may influence destiny de-
cade hence Surely, many here so
years ago worked well and planned
well, else this stable community
would not be here today. 1t is quite
evident that Ella May Wilcox-Cass
performed her full duty as a pio-
neer, in laying the. foundation for
that community which we are all
so proud Of today.
Mrs. s. J. Castle, of Mansfield,
O., arrived Sunday morning to at
tend the funeral, the lady is a
niece of G. D. Cass, and a daugh-
ter of the late Fremont Cass. She
was born in the Sank Centre COM
munity.
(Continued on Page Five)