George Firth
Biography
Updated - this ancestor is NOT from Wakefield
George Firth was born May 1, 1837 in Yorkshire, England. His younger years in England are still a mystery to us. Intially I thought I found his family, but a burial and death certificate of a child matching his name, age and parentage in Wakefield has proved otherwise.
At about 20 years of age, he came to America (ship and other details unknown). George is enumerated in Winnebago County, Illinois on 1860 census, living with John Elliott's family. There is also a James Firth living with the Elliott's and George. Family "rumor" is that George came to America with an older brother.
On January 1, 1861 George Firth married John Elliott's daughter Susannah in Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois.
According to Susannah's obituary, George had found work as a brickmaker for the construction of the Hospital for the Insane, west of Independence, which was the reason for their relocation to Buchanan County, Iowa. The hospital's construction contract was signed on November 7, 1868, and work began straight away. The family may have waited until spring of 1869 to relocate to Independence.
Above: the Firth homestead, probably Westburg Township, Buchanan County, Iowa
George and Susannah had 11 children live to adulthood: Mary, Susan, John, Charles, Ellen, Sarah, Alice, Emma, Nettie, Frank and George. Tragically, their daughter Susan died age 33 shortly after the birth of her first child, and Mary was murdered by her husband William McWilliams). Ellen is my ancestoRex
In 1870 the census shows the family living in Sumner Twp, Buchanan County. It showed George and Susan and their children up to the date of Aug 27, 1870. It shows Geo. was a member of the Teamster Union & Susannah a housewife. He had a estate of approx. $700. Their P.O. was in the city of Independence, Iowa. Children born in this order: Mary J. 8, Susan 7, John E. 5, Charles H. 3, Ellen 2, Sarah 5/12.
Susan died March 10, 1907 and George died November 17, 1912. Both are buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Buchanan County, Iowa.
I haven't seen later censuses but I would like to, especially as more information might be gleaned of his ancestry. George's brother James is shown living with an Amandus Bogue in the 1870 census in Madison Twp, Buchanan County. The details are Firth, James, 38, male, white, farm laborer, real estate $1320, personal property $400, born England. It appears he is unmarried, or perhaps the property info belongs on the line above belonging to Amandus's mother-in-law.
Obituary
Nov. 20, 1912, Conservative, abstracted information....George
Firth died Sunday evening at his home in the First ward...for many years
he was a resident of this county...in feeble health for the last year,
his death the result of a complication fo ailments...born Yorkshire, England,
May 1, 1837, ...at age 20 came to America and located near Rockford, Ill....in
1861 he was married to Miss Susan Elliott, and they had 11 children of
which eight survive...one daughter, Mrs. Ellen Torrence, died only two
seeks ago at her home near De Smet, SD....came to Iowa in 1868 and located
on a farm just west of Independence...later bought a farm in Westburg
township...reisded on farm near this city up to the death of Mrs. Firth
some five years ago...for the past four years Mr. Firth and daughter Sarah
have lived in Independence where he died Sunday...surviving children are
John, Charles, Frank, and Sarah, of Independence; George, of Medicine
Hat, Canada, Mrs. Emma Miller of Goodwin, SD; Mrs. Nettie Clark, of Neosho,
MO; Mrs. Alice Neidy, of Winthrop; 32 grandchildren; member Episcopal
church of England... funeral services this afternoon by the pastor of
the Methodist church with interment in Oak Grove...
(Lot 573. Oak Grove and Oakwood are the same Cemetery.)
Similar obit in Nov. 21, 1912, Brandon Journal...resident of Buchanan Co for 44 years, ailing for a year or more with complications of kidney, stomach and bowel trouble...funeral at his home...spent boyhood in England coming to America at age 20 locating near Rockford, Illinois, until 1868 when to Buchanan county, IA....for a few years employed in work of building the Hospital afterward locating on a farm in Westburg township until 1900 when he went to a farm one mile west of the Hospital, his home until four years ago next spring when he came to Independence....married at Rockford, Illinois, Jan. 1, 1861, to Miss Susan Elliott who died March 10, 1907....daughter, Mrs. Oscar W. Torrence died Nov. 2, 1912, at her home in De Smet, SD...survived by eight children, same as Cons. obit with exception of Mrs. Emma E. Miller listed as living at Clear Lake, IA...
Swan funeral home records: Arrangements made by sons of the deceased, age 75, no cause of death listed.
Buchanan County Burial Record
Page: 134
Name: George Firth
Birth Date: 01 May 1837
Death Date: 17 Nov 1912
Cemetery: Oakwood
Town: Washington
Comment: (add. 1, lot 573)
Transcription of death certificate:
Death Cert. George Firth ( again no middle name)
County of Buchanan
Township of Washington
City of Independence
Date of birth: May 1, 1837
Age at death: 75 yrs, 6 mo., 16 days
Widowed
Birthplace: England
Fathers name: Firth
" birthplace: England
Mothers maiden name: ( left blank)
" birthplace: England
Occupation: Retired
Informant: John Firth, Independence, Iowa
Date of death: November 17, 1912
Cause of death: ( This is illegible, Exli???ti?s )
Contributory: Atrophy of bowels with Abst?????
Place of Burial or Removal: Oakwood Cemetery, Independence,Iowa
Date of Burial: Nov. ??, 1912
