Mary Alice Alderson 1853-1929
Seney, Iowa
Died 08 February 1929
Mrs. Edwin Lancaster was Early Settler In Elgin Township...WAS GREATLY BELOVED
Enjoyed Respect and Esteem of the Community
Mrs. Edwin M. Lancaster, a resident of Plymouth county for nearly fifty three years, died at 11 o'clock Friday night, Febr. 8, 1929, at her home in Seney. Heart trouble was ascribed as the cause of her death. She had been rapidly failing in health since November of last year.
Mrs. E. M. Lancaster was a native of England. Her maiden was Mary Alice Alderson and she was a daughter of John and Elizabeth Alderson. She was born at Reeth, England, January 8, 1853, and was 76 years and one month old at the time of her death. When she was a girl of nine years of age she came with her parents to America. Soon after their arrival in the States they settled near Shullsburg, Wisconsin, where she received her early training and grew to young womanhood amid pioneer surroundings.
She was united in marriage with Edwin M. Lancaster, March 10, 1876, and following their wedding they came to Plymouth county and settled on a farm north of Seney. They lived there until sixteen years ago when they built a beautiful little home on the edge of the town of Seney where they have since resided.
Here in Pioneer Days
Mr. and Mrs. Lancaster experienced the vicissitudes and hardships which befell the lot of many early settlers, but cheerfully and with fortitude overcame difficulties and attained brighter fortunes as the years rolled by and lived to enjoy the fruits of honest toil and well directed endeavor.
Mrs. Lancaster was a deeply religious woman. In her girlhood she united with the Methodist church and remained a faithful and consistent member during her long and useful life. She enjoyed the respect and esteem of all who knew her.
There remain to mourn the loss of a devoted, wife and mother, her husband, Edwin M. Lancaster, two daughters, Mrs. R. A. Hawkins and Mrs. E. D. Buss, three sons, Middleton J., Ira, and Vincent Lancaster, all living in this community. There are twelve grandchildren. She also leaves a brother, George Alderson, and a sister Mrs. Ben Cooper, of Elgin, Neb., and a host of friends.
The funeral services were held in the Seney Methodist Church Monday afternoon, Rev. M.L. Metcalf having charge of the service and interment was made in the Seney Cemetery. The pallbearers were old friends and neighbors: Z. Rayburn, Jake Berkenpas, William Reeves, E. H. Riter, E. F. Anstine, William Falk.
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Submitter: Linda Ziemann--From the Family Scrapbooks of my Grandmother's first cousin, Fern Chapman Cooper, who was a “keeper.” She kept scrapbooks for years.