John AGNEW

  General Notes:

Obituary: John Agnew's obituary is from an 1873 newspaper -- the March 7 Marengo Republican published in Marengo, Iowa County, Iowa. It tells us he arrived in Iowa in the 1850s, which coincides with the fact he is in Maryland in the 1850 census but in Iowa according to the 1860 census. He was buried in Saint Michael's Cemetery, also known as Holbrook Cemetery, where his wife Catharine joined him more than twenty years later -- in 1899. The cemetery is in Washington Township in Iowa County.

Obituary from Netha Meyer



1843 MARRIAGE of John Agnew and Catharine E. Redmond

1850 CENSUS, Maryland, Frederick County, Emmittsburg ("John," age 32, "Livery, Stable") (wife "Catharine E.," age 24)

1852 MIGRATION from Frederick County Maryland to Iowa City, Johnson County, Iowa

1860 CENSUS, Iowa, Johnson County, P. O. Iowa City ("John," age 41, "Farmer") (wife "Kate," age 34)

1868 MOVE from Johnson County, Iowa to Iowa County, Iowa

1870 CENSUS, Iowa, Iowa County, Pilot Township ("John," age 52, "Farmer") (wife "Catherine E.," age 44)

1873 DEATH, John Agnew, at 52 - 55 years (his 1873 obituary states he was 52 years old upon his death but, according to census records, he was age 52 in the year 1870)

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1880 CENSUS, Iowa, Iowa County, Marengo ("Catharine E.," age 55, "Housekeeper," is head of the household) (Catharine had been widowed in 1873)

In 1880, Catharine was next door to "Leonard and Ossie Allum" (i.e., Isaac Leonard Allum and Osa Jane Allum

1899 DEATH of wife, Catharine E. (Redmond) Agnew, at 73 years 11 months 18 (or 19) days




OBITUARY (John) from MARENGO REPUBLICAN, Marengo, Iowa County, Iowa, March 7, 1873:

DIED

At this residence near Williamsburg, on Friday morning, Feb. 28, 1873, JOHN AGNEW, aged about fifty-two years.

Mr. Agnew's sickness was very brief, and his death very unexpected to his many friends. The deceased was one of Iowa's old settlers, having located in Iowa City over twenty years ago, at which place you can hear of his and his beloved wife's kindness from every poor little urchin that runs the streets. His greatest failing was his extreme kind-heartedness, it being a family failing. The deceased was engaged in the Livery and speculating business in Iowa City for many years, living a very active life, until about four years ago, when he moved to his late residence to enjoy the quietness and pleasures of a farmer's life the balance of his days, like many others, little thinking they were so soon to end. The remains were followed by a large and sad circle of friends to St. Michael's Parish, Lytle City, where they were left to rest in peace. Feeling our inability to do this subject justice by the way of kind words, we conclude with the tender words uttered by his beloved wife while kneeling by his side: "He was a good father and a loving husband. God giveth and God hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord." C. A. S.



OBITUARY (Catharine) from WILLIAMSBURG JOURNAL TRIBUNE, Williamsburg, Iowa County,Iowa, November 24, 1899:

Mrs. Agnew, of Washington township, died at the home of Arthur Brown Friday, November 17th, aged 73 years. She was a grandmother of C. J. Simmons of this city. The Marengo Herald says: "She was a woman of strong force of character, yet with all the attributes which go to embellish the true woman. She was one of the most devout of Christian women, her constant thought was a prayer and every act a benediction." The interment was made last Sunday in the Holbrook cemetery.



OBITUARY (Catharine) from an undocumented 1899 newspaper:

Died, at the residence of her granddaughter, Mrs. Arthur Brown, in Washington township, Iowa county, Iowa, on Friday, November 17, 1899, at 5 p.m., after a brief illness, Mrs. Catharine E. Agnew, aged 73 years, 11 months and 18 days.

Catharine E. Redmond was born at Frederick county, in the state of Maryland, November 29th, 1825. At the age of eight years she was left an orphan and was placed under the guardianship of Father McElroy of Frederick City, Maryland, who placed his ward in charge of the Sisters at Mount St. Mary's, at Emmittsburg, Maryland, where she received her education and remained until she attained the age of eighteen years. In 1843 Catharine E. Redmond was married to John Agnew of Frederick City, Maryland, and in 1852 she and her husband removed to Iowa City, Iowa, where they resided until 1868 when they located on a farm in Iowa county, Iowa.

John Agnew died in 1872 ['should be 1873 --DeeAnna] and shortly thereafter Mrs. Agnew removed from the farm to Marengo and made her home chiefly with her children in Marengo, Davenport, and Stuart, Iowa, dividing her time among them until the time of her death.

Mrs. Agnew was a woman of strong Christian faith and unbounded charity, her entire life being devoted to the welfare and comforts of others. She was a devoted wife, a loving and self sacrificing mother; a neighbor in its truest sense, always ready and willing to suffer that others might rejoice.

Mrs. Agnew was the mother of twelve children, seven of whom survive her, namely: Mrs. Mary V. Simmons, of Marengo, Iowa, Mrs. Ida F. Mahan, of Spokane, Washington, Mrs. Stella Driscoll, of Adair, Iowa, George and Mervin Agnew, of Chicago, Ill, Lee Agnew of New York City, and Milton Agnew of Colorado.

The funeral services were held at St. Patrick's church, Marengo, Iowa, Sunday, Nov. 19th, at 8 o'clock a.m. and the remains conveyed to the Catholic cemetery at Holbrook, Iowa, and laid beside those of her departed husband.

The name of Grandma Agnew will always be mentioned by those who knew her, with the profoundest respect for her good works and Christian charity.





CONTRIBUTOR to this page:

Netha Meyer (obituaries of John Agnew and Catharine Redmond Agnew)

John married Catharine REDMOND in 1843 in Frederick County, Maryland. (Catharine REDMOND was born on November 29, 1825 in Frederick County, Maryland, died on November 17, 1899 in Washington Township, Iowa County, Iowa and was buried on November 19, 1899 in Saint Michael Catholic Cemetery, Holbrook, Iowa County, Iowa.)