Huldah Enlow 1832-1917

ENLOW, WHINERY, HOLLINGSWORTH, STEER, TEST

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 9/20/2018 at 12:31:44

27 December 1917 - West Branch Times

Huldah Whinery was born near Winona, Columbia county, Ohio, Aug. 19, 1832, and passed to her Eternal Home Dec. 24, 1917.

She was married to Samuel Enlow, March 27, 1851. They lived in Ohio and Indiana for the first few years of their married life and came to Iowa in 1856, travelling in a covered wagon and carrying her second son, as an infant, in her arms.

Four children were born to this union--Wm. S., James Sullivan, Martha E. and Laurette E. Thirty-three years ago, Nov. 22, 1884, her husband preceeded her in death. The three older children have also passed away. There remain to mourn her loss, in her immediate family, her youngest daughter and husband, Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Hollingsworth, and their children, Lawrence, Everett and Lois, all of this place, and one other grandson, Earl Steer of Washington, D.C., also one brother, Joseph Whinery from Salem, Ohio, and one sister, Mrs. Martha Test of Marshalltown, Iowa, both of whom are present today, as well as Mrs. Anna Enlow and two nieces from Marshalltown and two nephews from Cedar Rapids.

Huldah Enlow has lived near here since 1856 and in West Branch since 1883. She was a birthright member of the Friends church and has been a most loyal supporter of it throughout her life. She has been an overseer in this church for many years. She helped largely in making it possible for us to be in this building where we are today, and the pews, in which you are so comfortably sitting, are a gift from her.

It would not be her desire that mention should be made of her gifts, but we can but say that in the prosperity that came to her, she never was unmindful of her obligation to God and heeded His calls before other things in life. Large gifts to the home and foreign mission work were constantly given by her. Penn college has also reaped from her bountiful offerings. She was not selfish in her giving or her interests.

She served two terms as a member of the School Board in West Branch. She was a charter member of both banks. In the "History of Cedar Co." we find this statement, "In the fall of 1903, one of the public-spirited citizens of West Branch, Mrs. Huldah Enlow, informed the city council that she would donate to the town a public library building if the town would vote the necessary taxes for its support. This was done and in July, 1904, the library was moved to the new building which had been erected. Sept 30th the dedicatory exercises were held, the citizens expressing their appreciation of Mrs. Enlow's generous gift."

But with all other interests the home ties were very strong upon her. Her devotion to her husband and children was always marked, but in recent years especially, her life was largely bound up in the home with the daughter with whom there had always been such a close bond, every member of the family being constantly upon her mind. Her love for them knew no bounds.

The funeral service was held in the Friends church, Wednesday afternoon at two o'clock, conducted by her pastor and Mrs. Carrie Curtis of Stuart, Iowa. It was largely attended by residents and several from a distance. She was laid away in the family lot of the West Branch cemetery.