American Seymour Genealogy

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==== Sarah Mary (Ryan) Seymour Obituary ====

=== FUNERAL SERVICES FOR MRS. SEYMOUR ===

**Rochester Woman, Who Died Monday((She died on 19 January 1925.)), was Born in
Ireland; Survived by 7 Children**

Funeral services were held this afternoon at one o’clock for [[sarah_mary|Mrs.
W. F. Seymour]], mother of Miss Mabel Seymour, who died Monday night at the
College Apartments.

Mrs. W. F. Seymour was born Nov. 23, 1837, in County Meath, Ireland.  Her father
was [[james4|James Ryan]], the Dublin architect, and her mother,
[[:potterton:abigail5|Abby Potterton Ryan]], the daughter of an English
gentleman, [[:potterton:mark4|Mark Potterton]] of Newton Prospect Manor, the
house where Mrs. Seymour was born and where she passed the years of her early
childhood.  She was a cousin of the late [[:ryan:edward_george|Chief Justice
Ryan]] of the Supreme Court of Wisconsin; and a great degree she shared his
grasp of public affairs, and his keen interest in the progress of the world. 
Her mother died when she was only a child.  A few years later, in 1850, she was
sent to America, where she was adopted into the family of Mr. and Mrs. Milton
Simmons of Paris Hill, New York, with whom she lived until her marriage.

She was married in 1858 to W. F. Seymour of Paris Hill((Paris Hill is located in
Oneida county, New York.)) and they came to Olmsted county to make their new
home.  She has lived here ever since, and in the intervening years has seen
Minnesota grow from a few scattered pioneer settlements to a great
commonwealth.  Life in the pioneer days of Minnesota was not easy.  They had
privations and hardships, but there was a great devotion and companionship
between them, and they formed many lasting friendships that have endured to the
children’s children of her friends.  In their early life together during the
Civil War, their house was always open to the widows and orphans of that
troubled time, and many children beside their own found shelter and a mother’s
care.

Mrs. Seymour was a woman of keen mentality.  Her earliest recollection was of
bringing the morning paper to her father to spell out, under his direction, the
news of the day.  From that day on, she followed the progress of the world with
an interest that never flagged.

Life took heavy toll of her later years.  Husband, children and home, one after
another passed out of her life and left her more lonely than any of those
nearest her could ever know.  A few years ago she suffered a broken hip and the
injury confined her quite closely to her room and to her chair.  A year ago her
eyesight failed, the needle work that had been so dear to her was put away, and
the hands, busy always for others, lay idle in her lap.  But as her life
narrowed and as she, each year, drifted a little farther toward the twilight,
she turned resolutely to what remained of life and found contentment and
happiness there.  Sunset, for her was bright.  She had her memories and never
lost her hopes.  The kindness and love which she had given others was returned
to her in her years of loneliness.  Her room was seldom without flowers.  Young
people came and left a little of their youth and laughter with her when they
went.  The boys who carried the evening papers learned to bring them in and lay
them in her lap, and to stop a moment to tell her of their school or sports. 
Her friends and their children came often, and brightened her life with all the
attention they could have given to their own, and the physician she loved was at
her bedside when the shadows fell.

Monday afternoon she had written letters to her son and little granddaughter in
Canada.  She was tired when the letters were done, and she rested for a while. 
At five o’clock she returned to her chair and asked if the evening papers had
come.  But before they could be opened she was suddenly stricken with an attack
of the heart trouble from which she had suffered the past three years, and died
a few hours later.  She leaves seven children, [[:book:carrie_salome|Mrs. C. S.
Crawford]] and Mabel Seymour of this city; [[:book:frank_allen|H. A.
Seymour]]((This should read “F. A. Seymour” for Frank Allen Seymour.)) of Eagle
Point, Oregon; Mrs. Thos. D. Edwards, Lead, South Dakota; [[:book:emma_velona|
Mrs. C. R. France]] of Eyota; Chas. J. Seymour of Great Falls, Montana, and Leon
P. Seymour of Regina, Canada.  She is survived by the following grandchildren:
Allen S. Crawford, Harold H. Crawford((This man was a genealogist -- and
prepared a chart many years ago that detailed much of what I now know about the
Seymour and Ryan families.)), Willard Seymour, Mrs. Pearson, Mrs. Quigley, Mrs.
Twentyman, Mildred C. France, Robert and Helen Seymour, and all but one of whom
were much with their grandmother, during their childhood.  There are eight great
grandchildren, Robert, Harold, Allen and Richard, sons of Allen Crawford of St.
Paul; Charles, Robert and Paul, sons of Mrs. Pearson of Rochester, and Margaret
Seymour Quigley, daughter of Mrs. H. S. Quigley of Minneapolis.  The funeral
services were at Calvary Episcopal church.  Rev. Ross Colquhoun of Chatfield
officiating.  The pall bearers were Charles Case, Frank Case, John J. Fulkerson,
William Mitchell of Rochester, George Wood of Eyota, and Judge Martin of
Mantorville.