LONGWITH, MARGARET LOUISA (COLE) [November 25, 1847 - December 24, 1926]
Mrs. Wm. Longwith Passes away at Grand Island Home
    Mrs. William Longwith, a resident of Schuyler and of Colfax county for the past fifty-three years, passed away at the soldiers' home at Grand Island Friday afternoon after an illness of a year due to heart trouble. Mrs. Longwith was taken seriously ill rather suddenly Friday afternoon and passed away about an hour before her son, Albert C. Longwith, of this city, arrived in Grand Island. The remains were brought to Schuyler, Saturday, accompanied by the husband and son and taken to the O'Callaghan undertaking parlors where they remained until the day of the funeral. The funeral services were conducted at the late resident Monday afternoon at two o'clock, Rev. Perry J. Rushlau, the pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church of this city officiating. Among the beautiful floral offerings was a large bouquet sent by the members of the Schuyler post office force. Interment was made in the Schuyler cemetery where rest the remains of a son, Francis Melroy Longwith, who passed away in Schuyler on July 3, 1895.
    N. W. Woods, E. D Ralston and O.J. Smith attended the funeral as representatives of the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic, as Mrs. Longwith was a member of the Women's Relief corps.
    Margaret Louisa Cole, the daughter of Joshua and Harriet Cole, was born at Findlay, Ohio, on November 25, 1847, and passed away at Grand Island, Nebraska, on December 24, 1926, at the advanced age of seventy-nine years and twenty-nine days. Her early life was spent at the place of her nativity. She was united in marriage to William Longwith at Findlay on February 3, 1864. Mr. and Mrs. Longwith came west in 1873 and after a short stay in Schuyler moved onto their homestead near Leigh in Colfax county. Mr. And Mrs. Longwith moved from their homestead to Schuyler in 1881 where they have since made their home. They had lived together for nearly sixty-three years.
    The surviving relatives are the husband, two sons, Dr. John W. Longworth of Litchfield, Minnesota and Albert C. Longwith of Schuyler, one daughter, Mrs. W. E. Welch of Sioux City, Iowa, and one brother, John B. Cole of Schuyler. An infant son, William Franklin Longwith, passed away when the family were residing on the homestead near Leigh. A daughter, Mrs. Harriet Longwith Cronn, wife of William Cronn of Kimball, passed away on September 25, 1925.
    In October, 1882, Mrs. Longwith united with the Methodist Episcopal church under the ministry of Rev. Z. S. Rhone. She lived a consistent life in conformity with the teachings of her church and great was her reward for faithful service.
    In the passing of Mrs. Longwith, another pioneer of Schuyler has gone to her [final] reward. Her many years of residence in our city gained for her many warm and staunch friends who greatly regret her death. Her friends came to know her as a noble woman, a woman whose life given so cheerfully and so willingly in the service of others, is worthy of every possible commendation and emulation. Mrs. Longwith was a neighbor whose kindly acts and careful thoughtfulness made her greatly beloved in the neighborhood where so many years of her life were spent. The members of her home circle can best attest as to her great mother love and the practical fruits of that love during all the years they enjoyed her companionship and helpfulness as the ideal wife and mother in her home. She was a regular attendant at church so long as her health would permit. In her death our community has lost one of its very best and greatly esteemed residents.
[submitted by Tami Longwith]